Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book aims to redress the imbalance in what is known about corporate social responsibility (CSR) by investigating CSR's social rather than corporate dimension. It contributes to central debates in the politics and study of welfare states. It then demonstrates CSR is an integral part of the changing perceptions and conceptualizations of responsibilities within the mixed economy of welfare. The book considers both at the general level and more specifically when CSR is applied to the issue of social exclusion. It highlights the value of this integrated framework for the purpose of investigating corporate social responsibility within different welfare institutional settings. It then presents an overview of CSR definitions used by people who are engaged in CSR in their working lives. The book explores the connection between these practitioners' definitions and the ideological CSR discourses.