Socially Responsible Behavior: Developing Virtue in Organizations  

The discussion and debate regarding corporate social responsibility (CSR) has primarily addressed organizational rationale and activities. Little has been said about the individual characteristics and behaviors that will encourage the development of CSR within organizations. Bringing together an Aristotelian notion of virtue and character and recent research in moral and developmental psychology, the authors explore the personal characteristics related to individuals' socially responsible behavior (SRB). Particular emphasis is given to literature linking individual-level variables to responsible action and decision making. They propose a dynamic model that takes into account the impact of different organizational contexts and different organizational practices in promoting SRB and moral agency, for the individual as well as for the organization.