Innovative practices in corporate social responsibility: a narrative research study exploring how apparel industry managers describe the operational practices associated with corporate social responsibility within their organizations.

Permanent URL: http://hdl.handle.net/2047/D20264972
Title:
Innovative practices in corporate social responsibility : a narrative research study exploring how apparel industry managers describe the operational practices associated with corporate social responsibility within their organizations
Creator:
Banavara, Gayathri (Author)
Contributor:
Gorman, Margaret (Advisor)
Shapiro, Harvey (Committee member)
Burstien, Terry (Committee member)
Language:
English
Publisher:
Boston, Massachusetts : Northeastern University, August 2017
Copyright date:
2017
Date Awarded:
August 2017
Date Accepted:
June 2017
Type of resource:
Text
Genre:
Dissertations
Format:
electronic
Digital origin:
born digital
Abstract/Description:
Globalization and elimination of quotas has influenced the way apparel industry operates with multiple regions becoming more attractive for its resources. The abundance of cheap labor availability increased competition among the buyers/retailers who were responsible for driving profits for the business. CSR is particularly of interest in labor intensive industries. CSR, as the term indicates, has a very broad agenda, from environmental impacts to fair trade and labor rights. Demands by consumers and other stakeholders have forced the apparel industry, its supply chains in particular, to take steps to improve its CSR strategy and implementation. The study will examine the extent to which certain organizational decisions and actions are understood as exploitive or explorative relative to the implementation of CSR. Exploration exploitation theory specifically examines problems in context of organizations in order to understand the process of adapting to things captured by terms such as search, variation, risk taking, experimentation, play, flexibility, discovery, innovation, as well as refinement choice, production efficiency, selection, implementation, execution (p. 71). The study uses qualitative narrative research design. Participant vignettes of 11 managers across the apparel industry supply chain was created and analyzed.

Six conclusions emerged from this study. First, implementation of compliance audits plays a major role in organizations practicing CSR across the supply chain. Second, managers view CSR implementation in the apparel industry as a part of their organizational goal. Third, managers believe that supply chain is highly motivated for CSR implementation and consider it a way of life. Fourth, conflict management between profits and social responsibility is varied across the supply chain. Fifth, managers view of CSR operationalization in supply chain is varied. Sixth, managers see the future of CSR as bright and believe there is room for more improvement.
Subjects and keywords:
apparel industry
CSR
exploration exploitation
globalization
social responsibility
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17760/D20264972
Permanent Link:
http://hdl.handle.net/2047/D20264972
Use and reproduction:
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