Business-state relations and the role of the market in social development have undergone profound changes in recent decades as a result of policy and institutional changes related to economic liberalization, privatization, commodification, and new approaches to regulation and governance. The implications of these developments for social well-being, equity and democratic governance are profound and are the focus of research under the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD) programme on Markets, Business and Regulation.
Work on these issues is organized under the following research areas:
- Social effects of the privatization of public services
- Role of business in poverty reduction
- Social and policy responses to "corporate globalization"
- Business influence on social policy and development
Work undertaken in each of these areas builds on research completed as part of previous projects including: Business Responsibility for Sustainable Development; Commercialization of Health Care; Global and Local Dynamics and Policy Responses; Commercialization, Privatization and Universal Access to Water.
Accessing project-related information
Information relating to current and completed projects is accessible by clicking on the appropriate link on the right hand side. Under each research project, you will see several links on the right hand side. Clicking on the Publications link will provide a list of published books, papers and reports. Unpublished Papers lists grey material and papers pending publication.
Please
click here to access a flyer highlighting some of UNRISD's publications on Corporate Social Responsibility.
Publications
- New book by Reed, Darryl, Utting, Peter and Mukherjee-Reed, Ananya. (eds). 2012. Business Regulation and Non-State Actors: Whose Standards? Whose Development?. Routledge: London.
- New article by Utting, Peter. 2010. "CEO Blind Spots: Revisiting the UNGC-Accenture Study", published in the UN-Business Focal Point Newsletter. See Viewpoints.
- New book by Marques, José Carlos and Utting, Peter (eds). 2010. Business, Politics and Public Policy: Implications for Inclusive Development. Palgrave: Basingstoke. The introductory overview chapter is available to download.
- New book by Utting, Peter and Marques, José Carlos (eds). 2010. Corporate Social Responsibility and Regulatory Governance: Towards Inclusive Development? Palgrave: Basingstoke. The introductory overview chapter is available to download.
- Article by Utting, Peter. 2008. "The Struggle for Corporate Accountability", Development and Change, volume 39, issue 6.
- Conference News on Business, Social Policy and Corporate Political Influence in Developing Countries.
- Book by Utting, Peter and Clapp, Jennifer (eds). 2008. Corporate Accountability and Sustainable Development, Oxford University Press: New Delhi.
- A paper summarizing the main project findings on Negotiating Alternative Trade Regimes in Latin America is now available: The Changing Coordinates of Trade and Development in Latin America: Implications for Policy Space and Policy Coherence by Manuel Mejido Costoya, Peter Utting and Gloria Carrión.
- Book by Fig, David (ed). 2006. Staking their claims: Corporate Social and Environmental Responsibility in South Africa, University of KwaZulu-Natal Press.