Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Company as a Good Citizen: Institutional Responsibility and Cosmopolitanism

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Market, Ethics and Religion

Part of the book series: Ethical Economy ((SEEP,volume 62))

  • 212 Accesses

Abstract

The market requires more focus on responsibility and business ethics. This article discusses the vision of the business company as a responsible company with focus on good corporate citizenship as an expression of the limits of the market with regard to social responsibility and values of business organizations. This includes discussion of the challenges of business legitimacy in a global society. These must also be seen in the relation between economics and religion. Social, spiritual and cultural values lie behind the search for business legitimacy and the republican conception of corporate citizenship, and this is also an expression of ethical values at the limits of economic rationality. But cosmopolitan business ethics can be criticized for moralizing the market so we move from economic religion to moral economy forgetting the importance of economic rationality.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 139.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 179.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 179.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Axelrod, R. 1984. The evolution of cooperation. New York: Basic Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Birch, D., and G. Littlewood. 2004. Corporate citizenship. Some perspectives from Australian CEOs. Journal of Corporate Citizenship 13: 18–23.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buchanan, J. 1990. The domain of constitutional economics. Constitutional Political Economy 1: 1–18.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buhmann, K., and J.D. Rendtorff, eds. 2005. Virksomheders ledelse og sociale ansvar. Perspektiver på Corporate Social Responsibility og Corporate Governance. Copenhagen: Jurist og Økonomforbundets forlag.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carroll, A.B. 1999. Corporate social responsibility. Evolution of a definitional context. Business and Society Review 38 (3): 268–296.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chouliaraki, L., and N. Fairclough. 1999. Discourse in late modernity – Rethinking political discourse analysis. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crane, A., and D. Matten. 2004. Business ethics. A European perspective. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Drucker, P. 1946. The concept of the corporation. New York: John Day and the Mentor executive Library.

    Google Scholar 

  • Freeman, R.E., J.S. Harrison, A.C. Wicks, B.L. Parmar, and S. de Colle. 2010. Stakeholder theory, the state of the art. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Govier, T. 1997. Social trust and human communities. Montreal: McGill Queens University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Habermas. 1992. Faktizität und Geltung, Beiträge zur Diskurstheorie des Rechts und des demokratischen Rechtsstaats. Frankfurt a. M: Suhrkamp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jeurissen, R. 2004. Institutional conditions of corporate citizenship. Journal of Business Ethic 53: 87–96.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Katz, J.P., D.L. Swanson, and L.K. Nelson. 2001. Culture-based expectations of corporate citizenship. A proposal framework and comparison of four cultures. The International Journal of Organizational Analysis 9 (2): 149–171.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Logsdon, J.M., and D.J. Wood. 2003. Business citizenship: From domestic to global level of analysis. Business Ethics Quarterly 12 (2): 155–187.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ———. 2005. Global business citizenship and voluntary codes of ethical conduct. Journal of Business Ethics 59: 55–67.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Matten, D., and A. Crane. 2005. Note: Corporate citizenship: Toward an extended theoretical conceptualization. Academy of Management Review 30 (1): 166–179.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Matten, D., A. Crane, and W. Chapple. 2003. Behind the mask: Revealing the true face of corporate citizenship. Journal of Business Ethics 45: 109–120.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mattsson, J., and J.D. Rendtorff. 2006. E-marketing ethics: A theory of value priorities. International Journal of Internet Marketing and Advertising 3 (1): 35–47.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mirvis, P., and B. Googins. 2006. Stages of corporate citizenship. California Management Review 48 (2): 104–112.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moon, J., A. Crane, and D. Matten. 2005. Can corporations be citizens? Corporate citizenship as a metaphor for business participation in society. Business Ethics Quarterly 15 (3): 429–453.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morgan, G. 1997. Images of organization. London: Sage Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nelson, R.H. 2001. Economics as religion: From Samuelson to Chicago and beyond. Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania State University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pedersen, J.S., and J.D. Rendtorff. 2004. Value-based management in local public organizations: A Danish experience. Cross Cultural Management 11 (2): 71–94.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Post, J.E. 2002. Global corporate citizenship: Principles to live and work by. Business Ethics Quarterly 12 (2): 143–153. https://doi.org/10.2307/3857808.

  • Rawls, J. 1971. A theory of justice. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Rendtorff, J.D. 2006. Corporate social responsibility, sustainability and stakeholder management. In Business ethics and corporate social responsibility. International conference papers, ed. N. Duro and K. Krkac. Zagreb: Zagreb School of Economics and Management.

    Google Scholar 

  • ———. 2007. Virksomhedsetik. En grundbog i organisation og ansvar. Frederiksberg: Samfundslitteratur.

    Google Scholar 

  • ———. 2008. Organizational change and values-driven management: A perspective from institutional theory. In The anatomy of change: A neo-institutionalist perspective, ed. S. Scheuer and J.D. Scheuer, 57–79. Copenhagen: Copenhagen Business School Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • ———. 2009a. Responsibility, ethics and legitimacy of corporations. Copenhagen: Copenhagen Business School Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • ———. 2009b. Business, society and the common good: The contribution of Paul Ricoeur. In Business, globalization and the common good, ed. H.C. Bettignies and F. Lépineux, 345–369. Oxford: Peter Lang.

    Google Scholar 

  • ———. 2009c. Basic ethical principles applied to service industries. Service Industries Journal 29 (1): 9–19.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ———., ed. 2010a. Power and principle in the market place: On ethics and economics. London: Ashgate.

    Google Scholar 

  • ———. 2010b. Philosophy of management: Concepts of management from the perspectives of systems theory, phenomenological hermeneutics, corporate religion and existentialism. In Elements of a philosophy of management and organization, Studies in economic ethics and philosophy, ed. I.P. Koslowski, 19–47. Heidelberg: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • ———. 2011a. Institutionalization of corporate ethics and social responsibility programs in firms. In Corporate social and human rights responsibilities: Global, legal and management perspectives, ed. K. Buhmann, L. Roseberry, and M. Morsing, 244–266. London: Palgrave Macmillan.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • ———. 2011b. Corporate Citizenship as organizational integrity. In Corporate citizenship and new governance: The political role of corporations, Ethical economy. Studies in economic ethics, ed. I. Pies and P. Koslowski, 59–91. Dordrecht, Heidelberg, London, New York: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • ———. 2012. Business ethics. In Encyclopedia of applied ethics, ed. R. Chadwick. San Diego: Academic Press. (2 udg., Bind 1, s. 365–372).

    Google Scholar 

  • ———. 2013a. Basic concepts of philosophy of management and corporations. In Handbook of the philosophical foundations of business ethics, ed. C. Luetge, 1361–1386. Dordrecht, Heidelberg, New York, London: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • ———. 2013b. Philosophical theories of management and corporations. In Handbook of the philosophical foundations of business ethics, ed. C. Luetge, 1409–1432. Dordrecht, Heidelberg, New York, London: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • ———. 2013c. Recent debates in philosophy of management. In Handbook of the philosophical foundations of business ethics, ed. C. Luetge, 1433–1457. Dordrecht, Heidelberg, New York, London: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • ———. 2013d. The history of the philosophy of management and corporations. In Handbook of the philosophical foundations of business ethics, ed. C. Luetge, 1387–1408. Dordrecht, Heidelberg, New York, London: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • ———. 2014a. French philosophy and social theory: A perspective for ethics and philosophy of management, Ethical economy, no. 49. Dordrecht: Springer.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • ———. 2014b. Risk management, banality of evil and moral blindness in organizations and corporations. In Business ethics and risk management, Ethical economy, no. 43, ed. C. Luetge and J. Jauernig, 45–71. Dordrecht: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • ———. 2015a. Case studies, ethics, philosophy and liberal learning for the management profession. Journal of Management Education 39 (1): 36–55.

    Google Scholar 

  • ———. 2015b. The need for a theoretical reexamination of sustainability in economics and business. In Sustainable markets for sustainable business: A global perspective for business and financial markets, Finance, governance and sustainability: Challenges to theory and practice, G. Aras (red.), 41–58. Farnham: Gower Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • ———. 2016. Review of Le tournant de la théorie critique, Collection Solidarité et société, Éditions Desclée de Brouwer, Paris, 2015. Journal of Classical Sociology 16 (3): 305–309. https://doi.org/10.1177/1468795X16646468.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ———. 2017a. Cosmopolitan business ethics: Towards a global ethos of management, Finance, governance and sustainability: Challenges to theory and practice series. London: Routledge.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • ———. 2017b. Creating shared value as institutionalization of ethical responsibilities of the business corporation as a good corporate citizen in society. In Creating shared value: Concepts, experience, criticism, Ethical economy no. 52, ed. J. Wieland, 119–139. Cham: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • ———. 2017c. Perspectives on philosophy of management and business ethics: Including a special section on business and human rights, Ethical economy, no. 51. Cham: Springer.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • ———. 2017d. The Danish model of corporate citizenship: The novo group. In Progressive business models: Creating sustainable and pro-social Enterprise, Palgrave studies in sustainable business in association with future earth, ed. E. O’Higgins and L. Zsolnai, 221–240. London and New York: Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-58804-9_10.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • ———. 2019a. Sustainable development goals and progressive business models for economic transformation. Local Economy 34 (6): 510–524. https://doi.org/10.1177/0269094219882270.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ———. 2019b. The concept of business legitimacy: Corporate social responsibility, corporate citizenship, corporate governance as essential elements of ethical business legitimacy. In Responsibility and governance: The twin pillars of sustainability, Approaches to global sustainability, markets, and governance, ed. D. Crowther, S. Seifi, and T. Wond, 45–60. Cham: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • ———. 2019c. The honest businessperson: Cosmopolitan theory and cultural praxis (the example of Denmark and Scandinavia). In The honorable merchant – Between modesty and risk-taking: Intercultural and literary aspects, Ethical economy no. 56, ed. C. Lütge and C. Strosetzki, 41–53. Cham: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • ———. 2019d. Philosophy of management and sustainability: Rethinking business ethics and social responsibility in sustainable development. Bingley: Emerald Group Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • ———. 2020a. The concept of business legitimacy: Learnings from Suchman. In Handbook of business legitimacy. Responsibility, ethics and society, ed. J.D. Rendtorff. Cham: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • ———. 2020b. Capitalism, religion, business legitimacy, and the ethical economy. In Handbook of business legitimacy. Responsibility, ethics and society, ed. J.D. Rendtorff. Cham: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • ———. 2020c. Philosophical theory of business legitimacy: The political corporation. In Handbook of business legitimacy. Responsibility, ethics and society, ed. J.D. Rendtorff. Cham: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • ———. 2020d. Principles of business ethics and business legitimacy. In Handbook of business legitimacy. Responsibility, ethics and society, ed. J.D. Rendtorff. Cham: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • ———. 2020e. Sustainability, basic ethical principles, and innovation. In Handbook of business legitimacy. Responsibility, ethics and society, ed. J.D. Rendtorff. Cham: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rendtorff, J.D., and J. Mattsson. 2012. Ethics in the bank internet encounter: an explorative study. Journal of Information, Communication and Ethics in Society 10 (1): 36–51.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ricoeur, P. 1992. One-self as another. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Scherer, A.G., and G. Palazzo. 2007. Towards a political conception of corporate responsibility: Business and society from a Habermasian perspective. Academy of Management Review 32 (4): 1096–1120.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ———, eds. 2008. Handbook of research on global corporate citizenship. Sheltenham: Edward Elgar.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thompson, G.F. 2005. Global corporate citizenship: What does it mean? Competition and Change 9 (2): 131–152.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ulrich, P. 1998. Integrative Wirtschaftsethik. Grundlagen einer lebensdienlichen Ökonomie (2 Auflage). Stuttgart, Wien: Haupt, 2. Auflage.

    Google Scholar 

  • ———. 2008. Integrative economic ethics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Waddock, S. 2005. Corporate citizens: Stepping into the breach of society’s broken contracts. Journal of Corporate Citizenship 19: 87–118.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weber, M. 1987. The Protestant ethics and the spirit of capitalism, Introduction by A Giddens, Unwin Paperbacks. London. Translated by Talcott Parsons from: M Weber: Die Protestantische Ethik und der Geist des Kapitalismus (1904–1905).

    Google Scholar 

  • Zadek, S. 2001. The civil corporation. The new economy of corporate citizenship. London: Earthscan.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Social Sciences and Business, Roskilde University, Roskilde, Denmark

    Jacob Dahl Rendtorff

Authors
  1. Jacob Dahl Rendtorff
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jacob Dahl Rendtorff .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Food and Resource Economics, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg C, Denmark

    Niels Kærgård

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2023 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Rendtorff, J.D. (2023). The Company as a Good Citizen: Institutional Responsibility and Cosmopolitanism. In: Kærgård, N. (eds) Market, Ethics and Religion. Ethical Economy, vol 62. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-08462-1_19

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation