Corporate Social Responsibility and Entrepreneurial Ventures: A Conceptual Framework and Research Agenda

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) and entrepreneurship are two essential topics in the current business landscape. However, despite the growing literature on these topics, there needs to be more comprehensive understanding of how they are related. In this conceptual article, we explore the linkages between CSR and entrepreneurship. First, we provide a definition and scope of entrepreneurship and then discuss the literature on CSR, highlighting different ways that businesses can engage in CSR. We argue that CSR and entrepreneurship are closely related, and propose a conceptual framework to understand how CSR can be integrated into the entrepreneurial process. Additionally, we identify three key areas of research in this emerging field: (1) the motivations for entrepreneurs to engage in CSR; (2) the impact of CSR on entrepreneurial ventures; and (3) the role of CSR in social entrepreneurship. We conclude with a discussion of our conceptual framework’s theoretical and practical implications, as well as future research directions for scholars and practitioners interested in CSR and Entrepreneurship.