The organizational ecological resource framework of sustainability reporting: implications for corporate social reporting (CSR)

Purpose - The purpose of this research is to provide an integrated approach of organizational ecology, population ecology and selection mechanisms within the context of the resource-based view of the firm, evolutionary economics (EC) and transaction cost economics (TCE). It applies this framework to examine the interrelationships between corporate social reporting (CSR) and global reporting initiative. Design/methodology/approach - The methodology for this paper is library-based archival research. It is qualitative and analytically descriptive of prior academic research and published literature on the subject. Findings - CSR has the potential to provide functional credence to corporate social and environmental activities by legitimizing institutionalized corporate norms and behavior. Originality/value - Accounting scholars have recognized the need for an integrated approach in the social sciences to examine the multifaceted aspects of sustainability development and accounting. This research highlights that sustainability is related to ecosystems, environments, natural resources, demography, population, culture, political systems and history.