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CSR, Co-optation and Resistance: The Emergence of New Agonistic Relations Between Business and Civil Society

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  • Jon Burchell
  • Joanne Cook

Abstract

This article examines the theoretical implications of the changing relationships between NGOs and businesses that have emerged as a response to the evolving agenda around CSR and sustainable development. In particular, it focuses upon examining whether greater engagement from non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in this area reflects a process of appropriation and co-optation of protest by the business community. To examine this process, the article considers two forms of appropriation—appropriation of language and appropriation via participation—as a basis for discussion. While co-optation pressures are identified within both areas, the article argues that co-optation is identified almost as an inevitable outcome of engagement without significant consideration of the ability of movements to identify and respond to these processes. In identifying an alternative approach, the article utilises Mouffe’s framework of agonistic pluralism. Mouffe’s framework, it is argued, provides an understanding of the way in which agonistic relationships are emerging between NGOs and businesses while highlighting the continuance of conflict between parties struggling to influence the contested interpretations of responsible business. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2013

Suggested Citation

  • Jon Burchell & Joanne Cook, 2013. "CSR, Co-optation and Resistance: The Emergence of New Agonistic Relations Between Business and Civil Society," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 115(4), pages 741-754, July.
  • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:115:y:2013:i:4:p:741-754
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-013-1830-z
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    Cited by:

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    2. Maria Cerreta & Eleonora Giovene di Girasole & Giuliano Poli & Stefania Regalbuto, 2020. "Operationalizing the Circular City Model for Naples’ City-Port: A Hybrid Development Strategy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-26, April.
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    4. Andreas Rasche & Frank Bakker & Jeremy Moon, 2013. "Complete and Partial Organizing for Corporate Social Responsibility," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 115(4), pages 651-663, July.
    5. Sébastien Boillat & Raphaël Belmin & Patrick Bottazzi, 2022. "The agroecological transition in Senegal: transnational links and uneven empowerment," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 39(1), pages 281-300, March.
    6. Kate Grosser & Jeremy Moon, 2019. "CSR and Feminist Organization Studies: Towards an Integrated Theorization for the Analysis of Gender Issues," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 155(2), pages 321-342, March.
    7. Helen Wadham & Cathy Urquhart & Richard Warren, 2019. "Living with Paradox in International Development: An Extended Case Study of an International NGO," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 31(5), pages 1263-1286, December.
    8. Kristian Alm & Mark Brown, 2021. "John Rawls’ Concept of the Reasonable: A Study of Stakeholder Action and Reaction Between British Petroleum and the Victims of the Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 172(4), pages 621-637, September.
    9. Cuervo-Cazurra, Alvaro & Dieleman, Marleen & Hirsch, Paul & Rodrigues, Suzana B. & Zyglidopoulos, Stelios, 2021. "Multinationals’ misbehavior," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 56(5).
    10. Tulin Dzhengiz & Ralf Barkemeyer & Giulio Napolitano, 2021. "Emotional framing of NGO press releases: Reformative versus radical NGOs," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(5), pages 2468-2488, July.
    11. Steve Williams & Brian Abbott & Edmund Heery, 2017. "Civil Governance in Work and Employment Relations: How Civil Society Organizations Contribute to Systems of Labour Governance," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 144(1), pages 103-119, August.
    12. Rajiv Maher, 2022. "Deliberating or Stalling for Justice? Dynamics of Corporate Remediation and Victim Resistance Through the Lens of Parentalism: The Fundão dam Collapse and the Renova Foundation in Brazil," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 178(1), pages 15-36, June.
    13. Kate Grosser, 2016. "Corporate Social Responsibility and Multi-Stakeholder Governance: Pluralism, Feminist Perspectives and Women’s NGOs," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 137(1), pages 65-81, August.
    14. Martin Fougère & Nikodemus Solitander, 2020. "Dissent in Consensusland: An Agonistic Problematization of Multi-stakeholder Governance," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 164(4), pages 683-699, July.
    15. Andersen, Sophie Esmann & Høvring, Christiane Marie, 2020. "CSR stakeholder dialogue in disguise: Hypocrisy in story performances," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 421-435.
    16. Tregidga, Helen & Milne, Markus J., 2022. "Not at our table: Stakeholder exclusion and ant/agonistic engagements," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    17. Linda Annala Tesfaye & Martin Fougère, 2022. "Frugal Innovation Hijacked: The Co-optive Power of Co-creation," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 180(2), pages 439-454, October.
    18. Sadia Samar Ali & Rajbir Kaur & Filiz Ersöz & Bothinah Altaf & Arati Basu & Gerhard-Wilhelm Weber, 2020. "Measuring carbon performance for sustainable green supply chain practices: a developing country scenario," Central European Journal of Operations Research, Springer;Slovak Society for Operations Research;Hungarian Operational Research Society;Czech Society for Operations Research;Österr. Gesellschaft für Operations Research (ÖGOR);Slovenian Society Informatika - Section for Operational Research;Croatian Operational Research Society, vol. 28(4), pages 1389-1416, December.
    19. Florence Depoers & Tiphaine Jérôme, 2017. "Environmental expenditure disclosure strategies in a regulated context [Stratégies de publication des dépenses environnementales dans un cadre réglementaire]," Post-Print hal-01576195, HAL.
    20. Christiane Marie Høvring & Sophie Esmann Andersen & Anne Ellerup Nielsen, 2018. "Discursive Tensions in CSR Multi-stakeholder Dialogue: A Foucauldian Perspective," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 152(3), pages 627-645, October.

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