CSR in the spotlight

Copyright: ugaldew

Forbes magazine has devoted a number of articles on Corporate Social Responsibilty (CSR):

We increasingly hear that corporate social responsibility (CSR) has become a business imperative. Newspapers, magazines and books glowingly describe the business benefits of behaving responsibly--and caution managers about the business risks of a poor CSR performance. Executives are repeatedly informed that by demonstrating concern for the environment, human rights, community development and the welfare of their employees both in the U.S. and abroad, they will make their firms more profitable. Their firms will gain a competitive advantage by appealing to the growing numbers of socially and environmental oriented consumers, investors and employees.

The belief that corporate responsibility "pays" is a seductive one: Who would not want to live in a world in which corporate virtue is rewarded and corporate irresponsibility punished? Unfortunately, the evidence for these rewards and punishment is rather weak. There is a "market for virtue," but it is a very limited one. Nor is it growing. More >

Articles in series:

1. CSR Doesn't Pay By David Vogel
   Corporate managers should try and act responsibly. But they shouldn't expect the market to reward them for doing so.
2. The Best Planet Profits Can Provide By Marc Hodak
   Can public companies solve the world's problems? They already are.
3. A History Of Doing Good By Mark Lewis
   American history provides little support for the notion that capitalists can be weaned from the single-minded pursuit of profits.
4. CEOs On CSR By Tara Weiss, Matthew Kirdahy and Klaus Kneale
   Should corporations try and solve the world's problems?
5. In Their Own Words: CEOs On CSR
6. Intel Inside--Classrooms By Elizabeth Corcoran
   The chip company is pursing a classic, long-term strategy by investing the minds of the world's young.
7. Seeing Results By Matthew Kirdahy
   Standard Chartered CFO says his company can help improve the world's vision.
8. Video: Creating Campaigns Olgilvy CEO says CSR must be interwoven in a company's fabric.
9. Six Figure Green Jobs By Anna Van der Broek
   These days, you can make green by being green.

Turning research into rewards

Copyright barunpatro

Which universities get the most bang for their research buck? Forbes Entrepreneurship assembled a list of the top 15, based on a 2006 survey (the most recent data) of 189 schools by the Association of University Technology Managers, which tracks university-born patents and licensing revenues. (Stevens came in at number three; Stanford, number nine.)

Total research-related income generated by all 189 schools: $1.5 billion.

Credit Cards usage up in emerging markets

Copyright LotusHead

According to a new Forbes article, credit card usage is on the rise in the emerging economies of the world:

" The growth of credit card use in Latin America, Asia and Eastern Europe signals continuing financial development in these markets. However, the experience of South Korea in 2003 demonstrates that excessive growth in this type of consumer credit has the potential to threaten economic stability.
In recent years, the credit card industry in emerging-market economies has expanded rapidly:
--Between 2004-07, the number of credit cards in Brazil and Mexico more than doubled, while the number of cards in circulation in Poland tripled.
--Russia has also seen major growth.
--Outstanding credit card debt in India tripled over the same period.
--In China, growth in the number of outstanding credit cards averaged just over 23% from 2004-07. It surged to nearly 93% in the first half of 2008. "

For more on the article, click here.

For scholarly articles discussing credit cards and emerging markets click:

• here for articles from EbscoHost
• here for articles from ProQuest
• here for articles from ScienceDirect