Integrating social responsibility and marketing strategy: An introduction

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is increasingly being recognized by firms as central to core business activities, as opposed to a peripheral consideration largely associated with philanthropy. This trend has major ramifications for marketing strategy that were explored at an international conference on "Integrating Social Responsibility and Marketing Strategy" held at the Boston University. School of Management in September 2003. The conference was co-chaired by C.B. Bhattacharya of Boston University and N. Craig Smith of London Business School and sponsored by the Aspen Institute's Business and Society Program; Boston University School of Management; London Business School; the Marketing Science Institute; and the California Management Review and the Center for Responsible Business at the Haas, School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley.