Objectives

• Build the foundation for advancing CSR within disciplinary research, between ‘fundamental’ and ‘applied’ disciplines, and to construct a platform for inter-disciplinary research
• Create an international community of CSR researchers (geographically, between generations)
• Ensure integration with wider social debates

The Invisible Challenge of CSR Research

By stimulating and facilitating academic research co-ordination across Europe the CSR Platform addresses the "Invisible Challenge" of CSR research, namely that research too often is carried out isolated in specialised units of universities and business schools with limited coordination within and across disciplines.

We believe there is an enormous range of relevant material that can enrich the CSR debate, which is currently not being drawn on. There is a number of reasons for this:

Lack of inter-disciplinary research, which takes into account the complexity, and multifaceted nature of the evolving role of business in society.

Lack of intra-disciplinarity, i.e. CSR issues do not surface - or are insufficiently integrated - in a number of core disciplines (e.g. leadership, strategy, marketing, accounting) where they in fact can play a central role.

Poor infusion of applied and fundamental research, i.e. the theoretical research in traditional/fundamental disciplines is often not integrated with applied research into CSR issues.

Disciplinary ‘language' barriers, i.e. researchers tend to communicate with those who share similar theoretical / disciplinary frameworks, which inhibits the exchange of knowledge and the beneficial effects of a diversity of approaches to CSR research.

A series of meetings have explored the issue of the "Invisible Challenge":

From CSR to Business in Society and Global Governance, Warwick Business School, 30 May 2007, Warwick, UK

Corporate Strategy & CSR, INSEAD Business School, 21 May 2007, Fontainebleau Campus, France

CR Research Case Studies Crossing Disciplinary, Stakeholder and Practitioner Boundaries: Towards Enhanced Understanding of the Role of Business in Society, Cranfield School of Management, 17 January 2007, Cranfield, UK

The Politics of CSR, INSEAD Business School, 3 July 2006, Fontainebleau Campus, France

The Bologna Process & the Implications of European University Educational Reform for (CSR) Research, March 2006 in Ingolstadt, Germany

Building Bridges between Fundamental and Applied Business Disciplines on the Role of Business in Society, October 2005 in Copenhagen, Denmark 

Inter-disciplinarity in Corporate Social Responsibility - Evaluation of Interim Inter-Disciplinary Results, June 2005 in Cranfield, UK