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Introduction
This article aims to capture the recent dynamics of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in Asia, particularly since the turn of the twenty-first century. Following a discussion of the comparative contexts for CSR in Asia and the West, both broadly understood, it examines research on CSR in management since the turn of the century and compares the findings with a more Western investigation of CSR research (Lockett et al , 2006). This includes insights into the changing salience of CSR in Asia research, as well as the nature of knowledge (empirical - quantitative or qualitative; theoretical - non-normative or normative). It extends the research of Lockett et al by expanding the concept of 'focus' from simply issue (social, environmental, ethical and stakeholder) to include 'geographical region' (East Asia, South Asia, South East Asia) and 'forms of institutionalization' (by regulation and organization).
A key finding is both the relative domination and relative decline of ethical norms as an institutional focus for CSR in Asia, particularly when contrasted with its more modest status (31 per cent) in Western CSR research (Lockett et al , 2006). Accordingly, a closer analysis of ethical norms in Asian CSR is provided, giving special attention to the place of 'community' as a prime CSR stakeholder, in contrast to the West, where it is rather more seen as one among several stakeholders. The concluding discussion focuses on what unites and distinguishes CSR across Asia; and on what unites and distinguishes Asian CSR from Western and other CSRs.
By Asia we refer to the countries from Pakistan moving eastwards to Japan, north of Australasia and south of the former USSR. This definition is close to Witt and Redding's (2013, p. 265) definition of 'the landmass from India to Japan' and the analysis of geographical focus in our CSR in Asia research includes Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Burma, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar, Taiwan, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam.
We define CSR as the responsibility that businesses take for their societies and their social impacts, and specifically refer to policies and practices of corporations that reflect business responsibility for some wider societal good. The precise manifestation and direction of responsibility lie at the discretion of the corporation (Matten and Moon, 2008,...