Assessing the relevance of the concept of political corporate social responsibility in management research

Abstract

Should we still use the concept of political corporate social responsibility (PCSR) in management research? In response to recent and significant challenges in the management literature regarding the relevance of PCSR as a concept, we conduct a review of the literature in the field. We combine a bibliometric analysis and a qualitative content analysis to assess the use of the concept of PCSR between 2005 and 2022. We contribute to the PCSR literature in four ways: First, we map the field of PCSR in order to develop an objective understanding of the concept. Second, we demonstrate that PCSR exhibits the features of a concept, and that current research has begun to address some of the significant challenges that question its relevance. Third, we identify the four pillars at the base of the concept and uncover a fifth pillar: the dynamic perspective of PCSR. Last, we propose research directions to strengthen the PCSR concept and enrich its contributions to theory and practice.