CSR Discovery Leadership

"A masterful interpretation of the relationship between business and society. Swanson's all-important idea of "Discovery Leadership" spells out do-able, practical actions by corporate executives that blend profit seeking and societal welfare. She shows how this kind of "unity consciousness" is fast becoming an integral trait of 21st century capitalism." (William C. Frederick, Professor Emeritus, Katz Graduate School of Business, University of Pittsburgh, USA) "Developing the idea of CSR Discovery, Swanson helps her readers understand that we humans and our businesses are an integral part of nature, just as ethics is an integral part of any decisions that we make. Read this book. You will be glad you did!" (Sandra Waddock, Carroll School Scholar of Corporate Responsibility, Boston College, USA)

This book argues that separation consciousness has kept a collective demand for corporate social responsibility at bay, even providing justification for business to neglect society.

This book argues that separation consciousness has kept a collective demand for corporate social responsibility at bay, even providing justification for business to neglect society. Yet there are signs that separation consciousness is being replaced with the expectation that businesses engage in symbiotic relationships with stakeholders that yield triple bottom line benefits. The potential for business to enact this social contract depends largely on the ability of top executives to discover how to activate the organizational values that make such benefits possible. The author argues that the required mind-set for this task bears a strong resemblance to the scientific discovery mentality, and that if executives were to embed this mentality in organizational decision making, shared consciousness between firms and stakeholders of the values that support corporate responsibility is feasible. CSR Discovery Leadership examines this prospect of shared value consciousness, a new frontier for CSR leadership.