Includes bibliographical references (pages 463-506) and index.

Machine generated contents note: List of plates; About the authors; Foreword; Preface; Acknowledgements; Introduction: the corporation in the public square; Part I. The Seeds of Corporate Responsibility: 1. Foundations of capitalism and the birth of the corporation, 1776-1880; 2. The turbulent rise of the corporation, 1880-1900; 3. The Progressive Era and a new business-government relationship, 1900-1918; 4. The corporation's case for social responsibility, 1918-1929; 5. The corporation and national crisis, 1929-1945; Part II. Corporate Responsibility Comes of Age: 6. Corporate legitimacy affirmed, 1945-1963; 7. A revolution of rising expectations, 1963-1973; 8. Managing corporate responsibility, 1973-1981; Part III. Taking Account of Corporate Responsibility: 9. Stakeholders and stockholders, 1981-1989; 10. Corporate responsibility institutionalizes and globalizes, 1989-2001; 11. A new social contract for the twenty-first century, 2001-2011; Conclusion: patterns and prospects; Chapter notes; References; Index.

"This thought-provoking history of corporate responsibility in the USA is a landmark publication documenting the story of corporate power and business behavior from the mid-eighteenth century to the modern day. It shows how the idea of corporate responsibility has evolved over time, with the roles, responsibilities and performance of corporations coming increasingly under the spotlight as new norms of transparency and accountability emerge. Today, it is expected that a corporation will be transparent in its operations; that it will reflect ethical values that are broadly shared by others in society; and that companies will enable society to achieve environmental sustainability as well as a high standard of living. As we enter the second decade of the twenty-first century, the social, political and economic landscape is once again shifting: the need for an informed public conversation about what is expected of the modern corporation has never been greater"-- Provided by publisher.