Ethics in the three-domain model of corporate social responsibility

This paper focuses on the three-domain model of corporate social responsibility (CSR) developed by Mark Schwartz and Archie Carroll (2003). The authors claim that the model can be used as a way to conceptualise and classify the major issues in the areas of business and society, social issues in management, and business ethics. They also claim that companies should, wherever possible, satisfy all three social responsibilities: economic, legal and ethical. Given that the previous model developed by Archie Carroll in 1991 has been so influential in the literature, it is legitimate to take a closer look at the new three-domain model. I draw attention to several issues relating to the way the domains are described and point out that some of the examples provided are problematic. More importantly, however, an analysis of the implications of applying the three-domain model to corporate activities reveals a slippage towards relativism and demonstrates that very few corporate activities will fulfil all three responsibilities as they are defined. It is argued that, in order to accommodate a robust account of the ethical responsibility of business, the economic domain needs to be redefined.