The role of leadership in corporate social responsibility as a manifestation of organization’s intellectual capital : a conceptual framework

Abstract

PURPOSE: The main concept of the work is to learn, understand, describe and explain the importance of leaders characterized by special moral competences giving them a rational direction to their behaviors and thus to the development of the socially responsible organization in the context of constituting intellectual capital within the process of corporate social responsibility.

DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: The paper constitutes the conceptual research framework for further investigations on the position of the leadership in socially responsible organizations which contributes to the increasing role of intellectual capital in the above organizations. The hypotheses summarizing the deliberation based on the critical review of the literature were formulated in the paper.

FINDINGS: The preliminary results of the conceptual work carried out indicate that the higher the level of intellectual capital, the higher is the level of excellence in social responsibility. It was also assumed that the key factor shaping intellectual capital of the organization is the emotional intelligence of the leader and the emotional intelligence of the leader positively shapes interpersonal trust in the organization as well as inter-organizational trust.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Presented outcomes may be useful in formulating management strategies of contemporary enterprises based on the specific role of the responsible leader which then may turn into a new paradigm of managing socially responsible organization operating at higher level of responsibility awareness.

ORIGINALITY/VALUE: The results of the research contribute in the cognitive sense to the enrichment of knowledge in terms of responsible leadership and developing intellectual capital of the organizations.