CSR - Just another concept to deal with?: A discourse analytical study of the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility: The case of Husqvarna Group
2024 (English) Independent thesis Advanced level (degree of Master (Two Years)), 15 credits / 22,5 HE credits
Student thesis
Sustainable development Sustainable Development
Abstract [en]
This thesis analyses the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) with Husqvarna Group's sustainability reports as empirical basis. The concept of CSR has been studied and attempted to be understood by several previous researchers, but what remains is that it still is an unexplored concept. The aim of the study is to improve the understanding of the concept of CSR and its associated practices over time. To this aim, discourse analysis was identified as a relevant methodological approach. The purpose with discourse analysis is to interpret the written text, and this thesis is therefore based on the author's interpretations of the empirical material collected from Husqvarna Group's sustainability reports from 2010, 2017, and 2023. The empirical material has been analysed based on Carol Bacchi's "What’s the problem represented to be-approach" as well as the addressed theoretical frameworks, Carroll's pyramid of CSR and the neo-institutional concept of legitimacy. Through discourse analysis and the analysis tools, different discourses have been identified that account for mainly the social aspects of CSR.
Diversity and innovation both compose an important part of Husqvarna Group's framing of CSR. In the empirical material, an inclusion discourse and an efficiency discourse were identified. Where the inclusion discourse aimed to solve an identified diversity problem, while the efficiency discourse aimed to solve an identified innovation problem. By, amongst others, attracting more women to the company, they contributed to increased diversity within the company. Through partnerships they believed that increased innovative solutions could be established. To follow the expectations and social norms during the given period, their work regarding diversity and innovation has in an unaffected way shifted over time, and thereby also their work regarding the concept of CSR.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages 2024. , p. 46
Keywords [en]
Corporate Social Responsibility, social sustainability, discourse analysis, Husqvarna Group, sustainability reports, diversity, innovation
Keywords [sv]
Företagens Sociala Ansvar, social hållbarhet, diskursanalys, Husqvarna Group, hållbarhetsrapporter, mångfald, innovation
National Category
Other Social Sciences not elsewhere specified
Identifiers URN: urn:nbn:se:hj:diva-65465 OAI: oai:DiVA.org:hj-65465 DiVA, id: diva2:1879738
Subject / course HLK, Social Studies
Presentation
2024-06-03, 08:15 (English)
Supervisors
Examiners
2024-07-012024-06-282025-10-13 Bibliographically approved