Examining the sense of corporate social responsibility within the frame of hegemony theory from critical perspective

In today's market conditions in which the effects of globalization have been gradually experiencing more intensely, social responsibility activities have been the most important supporter of managements which want to be preferred through creating brand awareness . Spreading an unfavorable situation arised from the changes in information and communication technologies to global extent by exceeding the time and place context makes institutions more sensitive to the shareholders whom they are responsible for. Whereas corporate social responsibility studies develops instutions' relations with their shareholders, they also turn into a value which provides a variety of benefits, especially brand value, to business. The repressive implementations applied in order to obtain the consent of the masses during certain periods in the history can not be sufficiently effective on the 21st century's elevated level of consciousness and postmodern subject; and sometimes, that applied repression can even turn into an unwanted reaction. Considered in this regard, countries, governments or institution/organizations in the sovereign class need to be approved by the society in order to be accepted their existence and not to be questioned for their legitimacy. The above mentioned concept of consent constitutes the main problem of the theory of hegemony. Hegemony theory expresses the studies of a powerful group, also called as a sovereign class over other groups within the framework of their world view in which those studies are attempted in order to obtain the consent of the other social groups. Tools that are used for not only obtaining but also sustaining a consent make sovereign class more powerful, strengthen its ideological discourse, and reproduce it continuously. Corporate social responsibility approach, when investigated in terms of the positivist point of view, it includes applications which are realized with the goal of a livable world by means of compensating the damage that business had given to its internal and external environment, and ensuring social welfare. On the other hand, there is a critical theory perspective aiming to query and to focus deeper on studied topics. Managements, when considered within the framework of critical theory, fulfill their social responsibilities towards a bunch of problems in which they are also in a role of stakeholders on those problems. At this point, the benefits achieved through the corporate social responsibility activities cause to question the base of those activities realizing in order for pure societal good or making it for no expectation of any benefits. When considered within the framework of the theory of hegemony, managements are required to achieve the consent of the public in order to be successful and not to meet any societal crisis. Also, in the process of obtaining the social consent, corporate social responsibility studies are made use of.