CSR, Stakeholders and Complexity: Seeking Certainty in Decision-Making

Abstract

CSR is by its very nature evolving, contextual and pragmatic, stakeholder representation being a key feature of its integrative nature. Although it has been suggested that there is a common body of stakeholders accepted as intrinsic to processes of accountability and transparency, it is suggested here that an emerging stakeholder is worth consideration. This stakeholder is the producer, perpetrator and manager of big data. This stakeholder is worthy of attention in that in a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous environment big data can play a significant role in legitimating top-down and arbitrary power through control of knowledge creation and the dominant discourse whilst decreasing the transparency required in multi-stakeholder agendas as the basis of trust. A major reason cited for this tendency is recent commentary and critique concerning how big data replaces the ‘why’ in its analytical approach with the ‘how’ and the ‘what’. The tension highlighted in the use of this data in strategic planning is considered through the lenses of power, control, particularism, universalism and performativity. Examples are drawn from sustainability literature concerning resource depletion, environmental sustainability and sustainable organisational culture to illustrate the critical issues that can be affected by such an approach in the broader context of CSR and sustainability strategy. The intention is not to ignore the potential of big data to aid stakeholder insights into innovative approaches and solutions. Rather, it is to ensure that the ‘why’ is transparent to demonstrate the contextual relevance of patterning and findings represented as the ‘how’ and the ‘what’ of data. This might help ensure that the use of big data does not aid contemporary and inappropriate forms of particularism within and between organisations and institutions, thus stifling broad stakeholder contributions to the identification and solution generation of challenges affecting their stakes in context.