Research on corporate social responsibility in the construction context : a critical review and future directions

Abstract

Research on corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the construction context needs to be updated to keep pace with the frontier in the mainstream CSR research because of the low research commitment to CSR and the unsatisfactory social performance of the industry. This paper traces the evolution of the CSR research in general management field through analysing 231 sources in the literature (203 journal articles and 28 conference papers). The review concentrates on two main areas: the transitions of research perspectives and focuses. The results suggest that CSR research moves towards the relational perspective to focus on communication, coordination and collaboration among stakeholders. Considering the complex stakeholder environment in the construction industry, a research agenda integrating stakeholder management and power theory is proposed as guidance for future CSR research in the construction context.