The document traces the evolution of the definition of corporate social responsibility (CSR) from the 1950s to the 1990s. Definitions of CSR expanded in the 1960s and proliferated in the 1970s. In the 1980s, fewer new definitions emerged while empirical research and alternative themes like corporate social performance, stakeholder theory, and business ethics matured. By the 1990s, CSR continued as a core concept but yielded to alternative thematic frameworks.

1. Top of Form<br />Bottom of Form<br />Expand+<br />Corporate Social Responsibility<br />Evolution of a Definitional Construct<br />University of Georgia<br />Abstract<br />There is an impressive history associated with the evolution of the concept and definition of corporate social responsibility (CSR). In this article, the author traces the evolution of the CSR construct beginning in the 1950s, which marks the modern era of CSR. Definitions expanded during the 1960s and proliferated during the 1970s. In the 1980s, there were fewer new definitions, more empirical research, and alternative themes began to mature. These alternative themes included corporate social performance (CSP), stakeholder theory, and business ethics theory. In the 1990s, CSR continues to serve as a core construct but yields to or is transformed into alternative thematic frameworks. <br />