This thesis purpose was to contribute to knowledge which could explain the driving forces behind Corporate Social Responsibility in corporate Sweden and their strategic impact from a management perspective. The method used to archive this research was a qualitative interpretative study conducted by interviews. The thesis is based on descriptive theories of drivers for CSR, concepts of strategy and CSR and normative/instrumental theories suggesting a strategic approach to CSR and stakeholder management. The empirical study is based on interviews with Swedish business managers in a strategic board position as well as consultants working with CSR strategies, supported with internet information from companies? webpage.

Corporate Social Responsibility är ett aktuellt ämne och en strategi som många företag börjar använda sig mer av. Syftet i denna uppsats har varit att titta på tre svenska modebutikskedjor, deras CSR-arbete och CSR:s roll i intrycksstyrningen på företagen och därmed deras anseende.Den centrala teorin i denna studie har varit den om intrycksstyrning skriven av Erving Goffman i hans verkJaget och maskerna(2009). Vi har även använt oss av Archie B. Carrolls teori om CSR-pyramiden.Denna studie är komparativ och tre modeföretag har jämförts i deras intrycksstyrning samt i deras CSR-arbete. Intervjuer har hållits med CSR-ansvariga på respektive företag.

How effective is consumer power? Can consumers regulate corporate behavior?And if so is the case, could the mechanisms where consumers regulate corporatebehavior have any democratic value to contribute with? These are the questionsthat this master's thesis comprehends with. The purpose of this writing is toconstruct a theory of consumer power that is compatible with democratic theory,this in order to contribute to the ongoing discussion within the discipline ofpolitical science about the third democratic transformation. A discussion that hasbeen actualized due to the democratic deficit created by the growing corporatepower and the shift of power from state to private enterprises. Besides showingfor a parallel between the democratic mechanisms that exists in the relationbetween citizens and state on the one hand, and the consumers and corporationson the other hand, this paper argues that consumers do have a great potential inregulating corporate behavior towards a higher social responsibility andawareness.

This essay recognizes and criticizes a commonly held assumption that Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) functions as a ?savings account of trust? between corporations and consumers. Based on five focus group interviews, the authors discuss how corporations that engage in society can sometimes raise and sometimes destroy the trust of potential consumers. One of our main findings is that CSR seems to raise the expectations among consumers. We then compare this phenomenon with the classical theory of the disconfirmation paradigm.

Syfte: Syftet med denna studie är att analysera hur framgångsrika CSR-användande företag verksamma i Sverige har utformat CSR-arbetet. Utifrån denna information ska ett ramverk skapas innehållande styrverktyg och styrtekniker för att underlätta företags arbete med att styra CSR-insatser.Metod: Studien bygger på fem intervjustudier som är genomförda på fem framgångsrika företag verksamma i Sverige. Den teoretiska referensramen är framtagen genom akademiska tidsskrifter och böcker. Den empiriska datan är insamlad genom semi-strukturerade intervjuer genomförda på plats och genom telefon.Slutsats och rekommendationer: Resultatet av denna studie visar att den främsta anledningen för de undersökta företagen att arbeta med Corporate Social Responsibility bygger på ekonomiska fördelar. Intressentstyrning är den främsta faktorn för att lyckas med arbetet med Corporate Social Responsibility.

The main purpose is to illuminate how a company links certain values to its brand in an effort to achieve a competitive position. We have done this by studying the government owned company Svenska Spel and its entrance on the netpokermarket. With Corporate Social Responsibility as a guidance for the company they wanted to offer Swedish gamblers an alternative to the, often morally dubious, international actors. Our thesis has taken an internal (corporate) as well as an external (consumer) perspective on the result of this strive. Our conclusions are that although Svenska Spel is successfully integrating social responsibility into their netpokerbusiness, they are facing a difficulty in making the consumer fully appreciate it.

Aim of the thesis: The aim of this thesis is to describe and gain a deeper understanding of how companies use communication as a tool to overcome the gap between the company and the consumer. The aim is also to clarify some of the factors contributing to this gap.Method:  This thesis has been made from a qualitative approach with quantitative influences. The qualitative primary data collection was gathered through six in-depth interviews with companies in Gothenburg either selling organic and fair-trade produced clothes or marketing towards sustainable consumption. The quantitative part consists of a consumer questionnaire given to 100 women in the inner city of Gothenburg.  Frame of references: Related researches within the field of the subject are presented in the beginning of this chapter. Further theories presented are the consumer?s awareness and the consumer´s responsiveness to CSR.

AbstractTitle: ?A more humane and equal world? A consumers view on corporate social responsibility and the internet based apparel commerce.Author: Fanny Bergström & Isabelle BlancMentor: Emma SvenssonPurpose: The purpose of this thesis was to examine the attitudes and experiences of consumers in relation to Internet based commerce and corporate social responsibility. The study is based on the following questions; 1. How do costumers perceive Internet based companies and their work with CSR-questions? 2.

The composition of the board of directors and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) are two widely researched subject and discussed by the media. This study aims to examine the impact of the board of directors' composition on CSR performance among the largest companies listed on Nasdaq OMX stock exchange 2008 in Stockholm, Sweden. A linear regression analysis is applied to investigate the relationship and evidence is found that board attributes have an effect on CSR performance. Among these; the size of the board, outside directors and employee representatives all have a positive impact on environmental performance. Furthermore; female, outside directors and employee representatives have a positive impact on social performance.

Title: Social media as a communication tool - A case study on social media influencecorporate cultureLevel: Final assignment for Bachelor degree in Business and EconomicsAuthor: Jessika Klintsbacka & Oskar BergeSupervisor: Pär Vilhelmsson, Ernst Hollander & Maria Fregidou-MalamaDate: 2014-06-13Purpose of Study: The aim of this study is to inquire into Swedish companies internalcommunication, their approach to social media as an internal communications tool, and if itaffects the corporate culture.Method: The study is a multiple case study with a qualitative research design. The study'sinterview questions were designed by a operationalization of based on theory in the areas ofinternal communication, corporate culture and social media. The interviews took place inApril 2014. The interviews were recorded and then analyzed to bring out the similarities anddifferences between the companies.Results & Conclusion: The study shows that Swedish companies corporate cultures haveconnections with internal communication, and implementation of social media as acommunications tool. The study found that connections to companies with a comprehensiveone-way positive consider social media as alternative communication tool to strengthen theunity and community within the company.Suggestion for further research: One of the study's three companies is owner-led and thiscompany showed a high level of corporate culture.

Corporate Social ResponsibilityThis thesis intends to exam the strategic use of Corporate Social Responsibility within fifthteen different companies, classified/divided into three various industries. The aim is to compare the three different industries, to look for disparities and similarities in their use of CSR. The disseration looks into both variance and resemblance in the use of Corporate Social Responsibility between the companies within the same branch of trade and between the industries.The industries of intrestThe three industries that the study has focus on is consumer, manufacturing and service related industries. Where the consumer industry is classified as companies with direct sales towards private consumers, the physical citizen. The manufacturing industry is classified as companies that manufacture products but that does´nt sell their products directly to the regular consumer.

Aim: The aim of this essay is to study the work of an alcohol company?s (Pernod Ricard) corporate social responsibility and how this work is being communicated to the company?s stakeholders. Furthermore I aim to describe the profile of the specific company, in other words how they wish their stakeholders to experience the company. I will then compare this profile with the image of how the interviewed stakeholders actually perceive the corporate social responsibility activities. Are there any differences?Material/Method: Together with literature and document studies, a qualitative method has been used and four focus group interviews with a total of 16 stakeholders have been conducted.Main results: The main results from the focus group interviews showed that the stakeholders appreciated corporate social responsibility work that focuses on the protection of young people.

To act responsible in relation to environmental, economic and social issues is a trend that is spreading among businesses and their investors. In order to assess business risks, ethical interested investors are calling for open, honest, clear CSR information that can be followed up in corporate sustainability reports. The ability to communicate about risks and to meet investors requests already in the business analytic process can save resources and increase the company?s profitability.The idea that companies should take responsibility for their impact on society from economic, environmental and social perspective is called Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR. In addition to CSR, there is another three-letter abbreviation in this context, PRI ? Principles for Responsible Investment ? which are principles, signed by ethically interested investors.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is about facing responsibilities towards a company?s employees, customers, stakeholders, suppliers and the environment. As customers and consumers came to seek companies that were dealing with CSR a rapid wave of ?forced? implementations of social responsibility began. Fair Travel Tanzania, which has CSR as the foundation of the company, says that they are transparent about what they do and how they give back to the locals, could it be a problem with this? And how do they actually give back to the locals? Is it possible to measure the impact of CSR activities within the company? And if so, how?.

Den statsvetenskapliga forskningen har påvisat ett ansvarsskifte från offentliga aktörer till privata. I samhällen där gränsen mellan offentligt och privat luckrats upp har frågor som tidigare riktades enbart mot offentlig sektor numera även adresserats gentemot privat sektor. Sedan 2000-talets början har frågan om vem som bör bära ansvaret för de mänskliga rättigheterna blivit viktigt på den internationella dagordningen. År 2000 lanserade FN ett initiativ om Global Compact som baseras på ?corporate social responsibility? med mjuk reglering.Denna uppsats belyser frågan kring detta ansvarsskifte utifrån de teorier som utvecklats om corporate social responsibility och mjuk reglering.