Shaping up the processual view on CSR : A multipartite sensemaking-sensegiving conceptualization

Building on existing process models of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and multidisciplinary literature on sensemaking and sensegiving processes, we present a generic model of CSR development in contemporary companies. Grounded in a social constructivist perspective, our model is articulated around four ongoing, interdependent, and concomitant CSR-related processes experienced by the various social actors in the organizational environment: a convergent managerial sensemaking process, a compounded managerial sensegiving process, a divergent extra-managerial sensemaking process, and a differentiated extra-managerial sensegiving process. In addition, we highlight in this conceptual paper some critical factors affecting these interpretive and influential processes. Through this research, we reaffirm the need to adopt a dynamic, multidisciplinary, context-specific research perspective when dealing with the multifaceted CSR construct.