Corporate Social Strategy: Stakeholder Engagement and Competitive Advantage

Can good-will be good business? Firms are increasingly called upon to address matters such as poverty and human rights violations. The demand for corporate social responsibility (CSR) is directed mainly at top management in multinational corporations who are reminded that, in addition to helping to make the world a better place, their commitment to social action will be rewarded by lasting customer loyalty and profits. But is it true that firms that engage in social action will be rewarded with a good name, competitive advantage, superior profits and corporate sustainability? What if it is true for some firms and not for others? This book addresses these and other questions by explaining the how and why of creating value and competitive advantage through corporate social action. It shows how and when firms can develop successful corporate social strategies that establish strong commitments to shareholders, employees and other stakeholders.

Bryan W. Husted holds the Erivan K. Haub Chair in Business and Sustainability at the Sustainability at the Schulich School of Business, York University, Canada, He also holds a joint appointment at the EGADE Business School, Tecnolgico de Monterrey, Mexico. For many years, he held the Alumni Association Chair in Business Ethics and Corporate Sustainability at the Instituto de Empresa in Spain. He is also a national researcher (level II) of the National Research System (SNI) of Mexico. David Bruce Allen is Dean of the Faculty of Management and Law at the University of Surrey in Guildford, U.K. His research has been published in leading journals. In addition to his academic work, Professor Allen has held top management positions in the movie, publishing, and consulting industries. He received his M.B.A from New York University, M.F.A. in Fiction from the Iowa Writers' Workshop, and Ph.D. from the University of Iowa. Professor Allen was Chair of the Strategy Department at IE Business School, a Resident Filmmaker at the Sundance Film Institute, and a Fulbright Lecturer in American Studies.