| Corporate philanthropy in the eyes of this researcher has meaningful value to the providing organization on condition that there is a strategic and conscientious consideration within an ethical and economic business construct. This inquiry topic was chosen and viewed through a social interpretivism lens due to keen interest to understand the dynamics between a firm's socially responsible culture and how philanthropy can be a strategic enabler in the competitive market environment. It is assumed that all corporations do not view and utilize philanthropy with any consistency, no less strategically. Therefore, the outcomes or "so-whats" of this multicase, 15-site, and 3-business-sector research study, is an exploration of how and why firms implement philanthropic initiatives. Based on the research, there seems to be a sufficient quantity of studies and theoretical assumptions to reasonably establish a conclusion that corporate philanthropy can have constructive implications on the organization as well as drive the corporation's performance. This study helped to determine how philanthropy contributed to differentiation, competitiveness, and brand reputation within the subject research sites. Understanding the potential impact of philanthropy in all of its forms enables a corporation to modify its value proposition and ultimately shape the manner in which it employs this phenomenon in the business strategy. Corporate philanthropy effects both altruistic and capitalistic contribution to an organization. By analyzing how corporations use philanthropy in the business model, interpretations and conclusions and are drawn based on the intrinsic value beyond the feel good act or intrinsic value beyond the merely altruistic---towards a business performance driver. |
