A systematic review of the business case for corporate social responsibility and firm performance

• Published in: Corporate social-responsibility and environmental management Vol. 27; no. 2; pp. 444 - 454
• Main Authors: Kong, Yusheng, Antwi‐Adjei, Alex, Bawuah, Jonas
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bognor Regis Wiley Periodicals Inc 01-03-2020
• Subjects: Business; business case; CSR; literature review; social performance; Social responsibility; Systematic review
• ISSN: 1535-3958; 1535-3966
• DOI: 10.1002/csr.1838

The outcome of existing studies on the influence of corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives on firm performance remains inconclusive though several studies to amplify the impact of CSR activities are well documented. We conducted an extensive review to detect if there are conceivable methodological errors, societal performance, and corporate performance. The analysis reveals a clearer understanding of the relationship between business performance and CSR effect. Our results attest to the inconclusiveness of CSR and firm performance shown by other scholars. An objective selection criterion was used in selecting the papers reviewed as a result of the inconsistencies associated with the methodologies of some previous studies. These inconsistencies can actually affect how firms can really internalize CSR activities so as to be able to take advantage of it. The authors also recommend future studies on the study of business case for CSR and its determinants.