Corporate Responsibility
The American Experience

A landmark history of corporate responsibility, showing the changes in corporate power and business behaviour since the mid-eighteenth century.

Archie B. Carroll (Author), Kenneth J. Lipartito (Author), James E. Post (Author), Patricia H. Werhane (Author), Kenneth E. Goodpaster (General editor)

9781107020948, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 30 August 2012

632 pages, 39 b/w illus. 80 colour illus.
24.4 x 17 x 3.5 cm, 1.2 kg

'This book is a masterful and thoughtful survey of the historical development of American capitalism and the concomitant development of the question of its responsibility for more than just immediate financial results.' Kimberly A. Zahller, International Journal of Accounting

This thought-provoking history of corporate responsibility in the USA is a landmark publication documenting the story of corporate power and business behavior from the mid-eighteenth century to the modern day. It shows how the idea of corporate responsibility has evolved over time, with the roles, responsibilities and performance of corporations coming increasingly under the spotlight as new norms of transparency and accountability emerge. Today, it is expected that a corporation will be transparent in its operations; that it will reflect ethical values that are broadly shared by others in society; and that companies will enable society to achieve environmental sustainability as well as a high standard of living. As we enter the second decade of the twenty-first century, the social, political and economic landscape is once again shifting: the need for an informed public conversation about what is expected of the modern corporation has never been greater.

About the authors
Foreword
Preface
Introduction: the corporation in the public square
Part I. The Seeds of Corporate Responsibility: 1. Foundations of capitalism and the birth of the corporation (1776–1880)
2. The turbulent rise of the corporation (1880–1900)
3. The Progressive Era and a new business–government relationship (1900–18)
4. The corporation's case for social responsibility (1918–29)
5. The corporation and national crisis (1929–45)
Part II. Corporate Responsibility Comes of Age: 6. Corporate legitimacy affirmed (1945–63)
7. A revolution of rising expectations (1963–73)
8. Managing corporate responsibility (1973–81)
Part III. Taking Account of Corporate Responsibility: 9. Stakeholders and stockholders (1981–9)
10. Corporate responsibility institutionalizes and globalizes (1989–2001)
11. A new social contract for the twenty-first century (2001–11)
Conclusion: patterns and prospects
Endnotes
References
List of plates
Index.

Subject Areas: Business ethics & social responsibility [KJG]