Synthesis: The Future of Innovation, CSR and (In-)Formal Management

Abstract

This chapter provides a synthesis and conclusion over the book chapters. It does so by reporting on a content analysis of the book chapters and case studies published in this volume. It could be shown that intrinsic Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is rooted in the ethics of individuals, usually starting with the owner-manager, but permeated through culture across the organisation. In addition, these intrinsic motives are often tacit, difficult to espouse and somewhat separate from profit-maximising endeavours. However, their efficacy in achieving corporate success is proven—no reason was found why intrinsic motives and their enactment in CSR and business practices are an impediment to competitiveness, or to providing sufficient innovation dynamics towards persistent product and process development. What is observable is the specific coexistence of ethical motives and motivation with suitable business models, so where the 1970s Contingency Theory suggested internal organisational structures to be contingent with external factors, here it appears that business models shape around pre-existing ethical motives and value-based propositions. And as the interest in new business models, built on ethics, morale, intrinsic motivations implicit communication, has increased since the many financial and state crises over the last decade, the hope is that such legitimate practice may offer an alternative pathway towards genuine social responsibility of companies. The time for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) to become genuine beacons of inspiration seems to have come.