This research involves a review of the submissions to a 2005/06 Australian Government Inquiry into Corporate Social Responsibility. The Inquiry was established to investigate whether corporate social responsibilities and accountabilities should be regulated, or left to be determined by market forces. Our results show that the business community overwhelming favour an anti-regulation approach whereby corporations should be left with the flexibility to determine their social responsibilities and associated accountabilities and ‘enlightened self-interest’ should be retained as the guiding mechanism for social responsibility initiatives. In stark contrast, the submissions from social and environmental organisations and individuals provided counter-arguments in favour of a pro-regulation view. Ultimately Government embraced the ‘free market perspective’ promoted by the business community and decided against the introduction of national legislation pertaining to corporate social responsibilities.
History
Publication title
Journal of Business Ethics
Volume
121
Pagination
499-526
ISSN
0167-4544
Department/School
TSBE
Publisher
Springer Netherlands
Place of publication
Netherlands
Rights statement
Copyright 2013 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
Repository Status
Restricted
Socio-economic Objectives
Expanding knowledge in commerce, management, tourism and services