ABSTRACT
A discussion of innovative corporate social responsibility (CSR) brings together two terms—CSR and innovation—that clearly have an impact on each other. The chapter discusses what barriers companies are likely to experience on their journey towards innovative forms of CSR and begins with an overview of the nature of innovation. On this basis a framework is presented that characterises innovation as being shaped by knowledge generation and application processes, control and coordination structures within the innovating organisation as well as factors that arise from the social embeddedness of the firm. The first element of the framework was concerned with the nature of knowledge and organisational learning. The second element of the integrated framework concerned the relationship between organisational structural forms and innovativeness. The chapter explores how innovative CSR relates to neighbouring concepts, such as strategic CSR or the business case for CSR. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development defines innovation as technological or organisational novelties.
