Setting new agendas: critical perspectives on corporate social responsibility in the developing world

The article discusses Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in the developing world. Numerous claims have been made about the contribution CSR can make to poverty alleviation and other development goals. However, the contributors to this issue have reached the conclusion that current CSR approaches do not warrant such claims. A critical agenda is needed because many policy-makers see business as important in meeting development challenges: not just those of economic growth, but also in areas such as combating HIV/AIDS, reducing poverty and building human capital.