Social responsability: ideology, power and discourse in the business logic

Abstract

This article show how a multinational company that produces paper and pulp in 47 municipalities in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais develops social programs. Choice of company X was due to its importance in the industrial web of the state, as well as by the relevance of the company’s well regarded social programs, generally centrally managed and emphasizing voluntary work. After a brief survey of the literature on corporate social responsibility a field research followed using as subjects social agents in the region covered by company X programs. Methodology was based on semi-structured interviews. Content analysis of interviews was punctuated to reach the conclusions. The results demonstrate that the social responsibility practice is situated at a deeper context than allowed by managerial discourse.