1 Achieving sustainability through strategically driven CSR in the South African retail sector (original) (raw)

The purpose of the research was to indicate how retailers, who operate under conditions of an imperfect democracy in a challenging and turbulent business environment, obtained triple bottom line sustainability by considering corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities as part of the strategic intent of the organisation. A qualitative comparative case study design was followed. Through the literature review in the first phase, three previously unrelated components, namely Warren’s (2003) evolution of business legitimacy theory, Jensen’s (2001) three descriptors of the company as an agent in society; and Holmström’s (1997) social systemic Public Relations paradigm, were combined to develop a theoretical framework against which the websites and the annual and sustainability reports of three South African retailers were analysed in the second phase. Analyses were done at two levels: the degree to which community relations and governance issues were represented at strategic level an...