Discussion CSR in the Asian Context: Local Issues and Global Standards by C' Lee

1
Discussion CSR in the Asian Context Local
Issues and Global Standards (by C. Lee) CSR
and Its Education in China Misunderstanding and
Challenge (by B. Yang)

• UN PRME Asian Perspective
• A Special Session at World Civic Forum 2009
• May 7, 2009
• Discussant Yoon-Suk Baik (KAIST)

2
On CSR in the Asian Context Local Issues and
Global Standards (by Lee)

• Universal convergence of CSR? how CSR will
  progress will the Asian context prevail, or will
  there be a more universal convergence in the
  course of globalization?
• Convergence! international standards have
  been more and more widely accepted in the past
  few years.
• The emergence of ISO26000 expected homogeneity
  of social responsibility practices
• Forcing companies to respond to such
  international standards and coordinated moves
  over social responsibility
• Limiting labor unions and governments to vary
  across regions and countries

3
On CSR in the Asian Context Local Issues and
Global Standards

• Does the expected convergence of CSR mean the
  relatively reduced importance of regional
  perspectives like Asian one ?
• Not necessarily!
• Variations of corporate governance practices
  between Anglo-Saxon and Continental-European
  economies, and even within Anglo-Saxon economies
  (e.g., LLSV, 1998)
• Rather, regional perspectives may become more
  critical.
• Variations of corporate and other organizations
  in responding to global standards
• How?

4
On CSR in the Asian Context Local Issues and
Global Standards

• How much do regional perspectives still matter,
  despite the emerged global CSR ?
• Very much!
• The importance of micro-approaches to CSR
• Macro-approaches sustainability approach (e.g.,
  Shrivasta, 1995) institutional approach (e.g.,
  Campbell, 2007) gt society- and economy-wise
  rethinking of responsible economy but missing
  the conflicting nature of responsible economy
  (e.g., efficiency v. equity)
• Micro-approaches responsibility-independence
  approach (e.g., Margolis Marsh, 2003)
  responsibility-interdependence approach (e.g.,
  Porter and Kramer, 2006)

5
On CSR in the Asian Context Local Issues and
Global Standards

• How do regional perspectives still matter,
  despite the emerged global CSR ? (contd)
• The varied regional resources/capabilities lead
  to the criticality regional CSR.
• Regional resources/capabilities (e.g., individual
  ethics, social norms, customs, and cultures)
  affect the corporate capacity to respond to
  global standards of CSR.
• The process of building responsible capacity
  could be either through responsibility
  independence or through responsibility
  interdependence.
• The more emphasis on learning and education over
  regional resources/capabilities related to CSR
  should be necessary.

6
On CSR and Its Education in China
Misunderstanding and Challenge (by Yang)

• What drive the Chinese CSR?
• Government influence international pressure
  corporations embedded in an economic development
  gt Points are well taken, although seemingly
  similar to other Asian regions
• What does the Chinese CSR look like?
• Mismatched CSR practices confusion with
  corporate philanthropy complicated moral status
  of B-students gt Points are well taken and still
  not idiosyncratic
• What should Chinese B-schools do with CSR?
• Tightening related courses developing effective
  pedagogical methods gt Research and other roles?

7
On CSR and Its Education in China
Misunderstanding and Challenge (by Yang)

• What could be the B-schools role other than
  teaching?
• Platform role
• Providing a platform in which people from
  corporations, various non-profit organizations,
  governments, and other regions interact with each
  other to create and learn new knowledge
  (generated and applied) and new practices related
  to CSR
• Becoming a regional CSR hub by integrating mostly
  regional resources/capabilities in coordinated
  manners (toward teaching research and social
  services)