The Role of Needs in Creating Shared Value: A Microfoundation Analysis

The concept of Creating Shared Value (CSV) (Porter & Kramer, 2011)⁠ received considerable attention from scholars and practitioners alike. It fuels an alternative view of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sparks the discussion on how organizations can simultaneously create economic and social value. However, the concept has been criticised for lacking a sound theoretical basis and genuine contribution to CSR research. Targeting these shortcomings, Dembek, Singh, & Bhakoo (2016)⁠ propose to adopt a need perspective to further ground the concept theoretically and make it seizable in practice. Theorizing on needs has a long-standing tradition in different fields of research. As a consequence, several notion on needs have been proposed. Apparently, Porter and Kramer (2006, 2011)⁠ refer to needs as moral imperatives and market opportunities. However, they disregard the motivational aspect of the concept originating from psychological research. This paper draws on the psychological notion of needs as a basic building block of motivation. It conducts a microfoundation analysis on CSV and its relation to needs as a motivational source. This complements the need perspective on CSV and strengthens its theoretical foundations.