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Dear subscribers,

Apologies for cross-posting.

I'm pleased to attach details of an upcoming special issue of The Journal of Corporate Citizenship focused on Japanese approaches to CSR, with Guest Editor Prof. Kanji Tanimoto, Waseda University, Tokyo. We're currently accepting submissions and would appreciate your support in circulating the call for papers to any colleagues who may be interested.

The deadline for submissions is March 31, 2014. If there are any comments/ questions please do get in touch with myself or Prof Tanimoto.

Kind regards,

Rebecca

Call for Papers on 'Japanese Approaches to CSR'

The Journal of Corporate Citizenship is pleased to invite papers for a special issue of the JCC on 'Japanese Approaches to CSR'.

Guest Editor: Prof. Kanji Tanimoto, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan

Overview of the theme

How is Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) understood and managed in Japanese business and how is it part of 'good' Corporate Governance?

The debate on CSR has grown rapidly and internationally over the last two decades, in both business and academic communities. The current CSR movement has been developed in European and Anglo-American contexts based on principles of the market, industrial, business and social structures. However, CSR has taken root in other countries and areas as well and increasingly in Japan. The Japanese economic system has been traditionally structured by relational trading between firms, relational banking, and a long-term relationship with employees for mutual consideration. It has always been an advantage of the Japanese economy. Now, however, we must explore whether it is a strength or weakness for globalization and in embedding CSR into Japanese corporate society? There is much debate on how to incorporate the concept and philosophy of CSR into the context of different countries. Since the early 2000s there have been a growing number of studies offering alternative perspectives on CSR, deriving from Asia and other regions. We need to examine how CSR management and practical wisdom in organisations works in various countries/regions, rather than simply highlighting the differences amongst regions.

This special issue of the Journal of Corporate Citizenship will focus on and analyse the uniqueness of industrial and organizational structures, as well as the social and cultural context, in Japan. Big Japanese companies find that CSR is one of the crucial issues in their daily management and global business strategies. Since the early 2000s CSR boom in Japan, CSR has been embedded in organizations through the setting up of CSR departments and CSR executives, publishing CSR reports etc. Japan has been ranked amongst the world's top in terms of environmental management systems and CSR reporting over the last decades. Japanese companies have come to understand that it is important to meet the expectations and earn the trust of their stakeholders.  Furthermore, facing increasing global competition, it has been necessary for Japanese companies to advance in environmentally and socially responsible business, contributing to sustainable development in local/global communities.

There are some crucial questions to be asked. Do Japanese CSR management systems work well? How have Japanese companies imported and understood the concept of CSR and integrated it into management systems and strategies? How have they incorporated CSR into the governance system and engaged with the stakeholders?  How do Japanese companies export CSR polices into subsidiaries abroad? And what is the next strategic challenge for sustainable development for Japan?

This special issue of JCC will explore how Japanese companies have responded to the CSR movement and to what extent Japanese companies embed CSR in management processes. It will also analyze the challenges they are facing in making CSR systems function in organizations and in contributing to global sustainable development. We are particularly interested in Japanese/global CSR issues and the challenges posed to companies.

Coverage

Proposals may address the subthemes listed below, in the context of Japan, but do not necessarily have to be limited to these.

• Strategic sustainability management
• Relationship between CSR and corporate governance
• The future of CSR and/or corporate governance
• Stakeholder engagement
• Responsible management and integrated reporting
• Responsible supply chain management
• Gender issues
• Responsible investment and finance
• Labour and human rights issues
• Strategic philanthropy and social business
• Green/social innovation
• Global standards versus local standards
• Sustainability challenges and leadership

Schedule

Completed papers of between 4,000-6,000 words should be submitted via the JCC online author submission form no later than March 31, 2014.

For more information see the JCC author guidelines at www.greenleaf-publishing.com/jcc.  Initial expressions of interest in the form of abstracts of approximately 300 words are also welcomed by the guest editor prior to full submission.

• Full paper submissions: March 31, 2014
• Revised paper submissions: June 31, 2014
• Publish: December 2014

The issue will publish as the Journal of Corporate Citizenship 56 (December 2014). JCC is published in print and online formats. It is also included as part of the Sustainable Organization Library (www.gseresearch.com/sol).   

Contact details

Guest Editor

Prof. Kanji Tanimoto

School of Commerce, Waseda University

1-6-1, Nishi-Waseda, Shinjyuku-Ku,

169-8050, Tokyo, JAPAN

k.tanimoto@tanimoto-office.jp

Publisher

Rebecca Macklin

Greenleaf Publishing
Aizlewood's Mill, Nursery Street
Sheffield, S3 8GG, UK

rebecca.macklin@greenleaf-publishing.com