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INTERDISCIPLINARY JOURNAL OF CONTEMPORARY RESEARCH IN BUSINESS
JUNE 2011
VOL 3, NO 2
focus instead on products which provide well-being and comfort.” It also said that it was
committed to not using ingredients in its cosmetics that had been tested on animals for cosmetic
purposes after December 31, 1990. It further pointed out that most of the ingredients used in
cosmetic and toiletry products had been animal tested for some purpose at some time in their
history, and it would be almost impossible to sell products whose ingredients had never been
tested on animals. Setting up own rule and at the same time doing business following own rules
could lead to competitive advantage, but it is only possible, not certain.
Body shop is good example in this context. Body shop contracts suppliers who protect rules
which are very severe and pay reasonable price for productions. Price standards are not set up by
standards of product country, but by Body shop. Normally prices are higher than in other
transactions, but these activities make customers trust Body shop and customers support these
activities. This strategy that Body shop sets up own rule and does business following own rules
is connected with core competence of Body shop and leads to competitive advantage. Though
Body shop is not so big, but its presence is certain. This teaches us that a level of CSR is raised
by some firms, namely management level or strategic level. So now the problem is that how firm
manages CSR and take CSR in management.
On the other side, Body shop success is also one big step. Body shop is not so big in comparison
with Toyota. Its activity is in so called niche market. But its strategy works so well and suggests
us how to survive in niche market. Having sociality and environmental consciousness is accepted
in such a small market, leads to competitive advantage and is connected with core competence.
Environmental and social perspectives could be connected with core competence of a firm.
Toyota has already suggested that and Body shop has also. These cases are landmark in markets
and they play bottom line’s role. If such a big firm like Toyota suggests a new type of strategy,
other firms in same industry imitate its strategy or think other strategies to compete with Toyota
in new market like eco market which is found by Toyota.
A model for relationship between CSR and SCA at Body Shop
For presenting a model to show relation between SCA and CSR we need some factors. In our
model we refer to market, employees, environment (customers, suppliers, investors and business
partners), and society (communities, NGOs, business ethics and global issues). In this model we
are trying to say that there is a strong link between different factors that can affect each other.
Changing in one of them will cause change in another. As model shows we demonstrate if a firm
like Body Shop wants to get CA over competitors it needs to apply both perspective and for that
they must consider tangible and intangible resources to find their core competencies over
competitors. The model shows that, as porter believes, firms must possess the best resources
above-normal rates of return because of the comparative advantage of their resources.
As we know, based on PBP, SCA, can be achieved from the ability to protect a suitable position
within an industry so the model tell us to get that position a firm must consider its tangible and
intangible resources and capital resources is the most important one among others. (See fig 1)
Resource based perspective gives us an open window to all resources that we have and guide us
how to handle the external and internal environment. RBP is like a road map that illustrates all
aspects of the resources from human capital to technological logistics. And presents a wide view
in dealing with resources to get CA and be socially responsible. For that firms must care about
whatever they claim. They must be as ethical as possible so they need to provide a chart of what
they are believe in and act to them accordingly. If they do that they can be hopeful to get good
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