Social Responsibility Discourse in Empirical and Theoretical Lithuanian Scientific Studies

Abstract

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is the dimension of society’s development, expressing the values, constituting the basis of the perception of sustainability of relations between organisations and society in real life. The development of the private sector in Lithuania relied on the principles of free market, rather than on the principles of social market. This sets additional tasks in pursuance of a broader practical development of corporate social responsibility, which is significantly influenced by scientific insights and research. To achieve the aim, the aspects of theoretical research on corporate social responsibility in the Lithuanian studies on the topic are discussed with the purpose to form guidelines for broader future research. Assessing empirical research in private and public sector organisations in Lithuania, focused on social responsibility, the threats posed by the lack of integral development of social responsibility are distinguished. It is stated that the scientific thought in this case should become the coordinating factor for a wider three-party social-organisation-individual discussion; therefore, theoretical and empirical studies should focus on this relationship, with the view of axiological congruence as the point of contact, which could accelerate social responsibility innovations. When carrying out empirical research in Lithuania, private and public capital should be methodologically distinguished, since the latter provides the obligation to serve the public interest, which is a conceptual opposite to profit maximisation. Based on these positions, it would be meaningful to assess in further studies how the earnings of the public sector managed enterprises are generated and used in the context of social responsibility.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ee.25.5.4898