Regardless of internal and external corporations, Corporate Social Responsibility(CSR) is one of the important issues. The reasons are active response to consumers' demands, increased interests about sustainability and dissemination of worldwide concern against environment problems.
CSR appeared for the first time at the beginning of the 20th century as a giant corporation in America. Giant corporations began to have a great influence on not only economic parts but also social and political parts. However, they showed much behavior that ill-matched their influence. Therefore, CSR appeared to reflect their bad attitude at the beginning of the 1950's.
CSR can be interpreted in various views. First, stockholders think CSR is under an economic contract. As important members of society, corporations enjoy the favors that they can use various infrastructures which their society has. Therefore, they should be liable to taxation and law-abiding.
Second, the people who support the corporations think CSR is under a social contract. As every environment becomes more complex, mutual dependence of economic and society becomes larger. Therefore, corporations connect various agents and influence each other. Then, corporations should share the responsibilities with stockholders as well as the people who are supporting corporations.
Finally, social members regard the corporation not as a legal agent but a substantial agent. Therefore, corporations have the same rights and duties as society's members. In conclusion, they should contribute to the social demand and reach for social goals.
Isolated corporations cannot exist in our society. Therefore, they should satisfy the social demands. Also, they should try to improve the corporate cultures that include social responsibilities. However, it is hard to improve corporate culture by themselves. For this reason, active support of the government and the civic society are needed.