Civil Society and Business Ethics

Arts, B. 2002. 'Green alliances' of business and NGOs: new styles of self-regulation or 'dead-end roads'? Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 9: 26-36.
This article analyses the historical background of and potential collaborative alliances between NGOs and business.

Bunn, I.D. 2004. Global Advocacy for Corporate Accountability: Transatlantic Perspectives from the NGO Community. American University International Law Review, 19(6): 1265-1306.
This article highlights NGO efforts to ensure greater corporate accountability under international law and US national laws.

Burchell, J. and Cook, J., 2013. CSR, co-optation and resistance: The emergence of new agonistic relations between business and civil society. Journal of business ethics, 115(4), pp.741-754.
This article examines the implications of changing relationships between NGOs and businesses that have emerged due to the evolving CSR and sustainability agenda.

Chambers, S. and Kymlicka, W. 2002. 'Alternative Conceptions of Civil Society'. Princeton University Press: New Jersey.
This book looks at the concept of civil society from a variety of perspectives such as classical liberalist, feminist, Christian etc.

Crossley, N. 2003. Even Newer Social Movements? Anti-Corporate Protests, Capitalist Crises and the Remoralization of Society. Organization, 10(2): 287–305.
This paper uses Habermas’ theory of new social movements to examine what is happening with the trend towards anti-capitalism protesting.

Cumming, J.F. 2001. Engaging stakeholders in corporate accountability programmes: a cross-sectoral analysis of UK and transnational experience. Business Ethics: A European Review, 10 (1): 45-52.
This article provides a discussion and analysis of three different perspectives on participation.

Dale, J. 2011. Free Burma: Transnational Legal Action and Corporate Accountability. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press. 
Charts the importance of legal challenges to the effectiveness of corporate accountability campaigns.

Doh, J. P. & Guay, T. R. 2006. Corporate social responsibility, public policy, and NGO activism in Europe and the United States: An institutional-stakeholder perspective. Journal of Management Studies, 43(1): 47-73.
The authors focus on NGO activism and two other factors to show that the specific (and different) institutional structures and political legacies in the US and EU affect expectations and practical implementation of corporate responsibilities to society.

Jordan, L. & P. van Tuijl. (eds.). 2006. 'NGO accountability: Politics, principles and innovations'. (Foreword by M. Edwards). London: Earthscan.
‘Credible and effective accountability is quite simply a pre-condition for NGOs' continued historical significance as global and local agents of change. Prepared by informed and yet critical insiders, this book faces this reality unflinchingly whilst illuminating its real-life complexities and implications in today's daunting political context.'

Kolk, A. and Lenfant, F., 2012. Business–NGO collaboration in a conflict setting: Partnership activities in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Business & Society, 51(3), pp.478-511.
This article deals with business-NGO partnering in conflict-ridden countries.

Lindblom, A. 2006. 'Non-Governmental Organisations in International Law'. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge.
‘This book examines the legal status of NGOs in different fields of international law, with emphasis on human rights law. The rights, obligations, locus standi and consultative status of NGOs are explored by means of a thorough examination of international legal rules and practices.’

Maier, F., Meyer, M. and Steinbereithner, M., 2016. Nonprofit organizations becoming business-like: A systematic review. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 45(1), pp.64-86.
This systematic literature review synthesises literature on not for profit organisations’ imitation of businesses.

McDonnell, M., King, B.G., & Soule, S.A. 2015.  A Dynamic process model of private politics activist targeting and corporate receptivity to social challenges. American Sociological Review, 80(3): 654-678.
Article that seeks to understand why firms do become more receptive to NGO activism over time, despite reacting defensively at first.

Newton, K. 2001. Trust, Social Capital, Civil Society, and Democracy. International
Political Science Review, 22(2): 201–214.
This article looks at the evidence supporting theories of social capital and trust, discusses the similarities and differences between social and political trust, and the role of voluntary organizations.

Omar, A.T., Leach, D. and March, J., 2014. Collaboration between nonprofit and business sectors: A framework to guide strategy development for nonprofit organizations. VOLUNTAS: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations, 25(3), pp.657-678.
This paper outlines a framework to assist non-profit organisations in developing strategic collaborations with businesses.

Seligman, A. 1992. 'The Idea of Civil Society'. The Free Press: New York.
Provides a detailed overview of the concept of civil society.

Spar, D. L. & La Mure, L. T. 2003. The power of activism: Assessing the impact of NGOs on global business. California Management Review, 45(3): 78-101.
The authors explore the different ways that firms respond to NGO activism – they identify three strategies; pre-emption, capitulation and resistance – and the reasons for these differences.

Steurer, R., 2013. Disentangling governance: a synoptic view of regulation by government, business and civil society. Policy Sciences, 46(4), pp.387-410.
This article scrutinises differing modes of governance, distilling seven basic types of regulation and outlining interactions between them.

Zyglidopoulos, S., & Fleming, P. 2011. Corporate Accountability and the Politics of Visibility in ‘Late Modernity’. Organization, 18(5): 691-706
Critical piece that asks: does our confidence in corporate accountability only obscure how other forms of democratic accountability are on the decline?

Back to top