Prior to the period beginning in the 1950’s, the relationship between business and
society was described in the major writings of the time as the profiteers of business and
the saints of society. Before the creation of these germinal texts, emergence of
challengers to the traditional role of business came primarily from social and religious
groups. Research into the relationship of business and society in the United States did not
begin in earnest until the 1970’s (Margolis & Walsh, 2003), however germinal texts on
the topic are generally agreed upon to begin with Bowen in 1953 who is credited with
establishing academic study of corporate social responsibility, a significant concept
which is discussed next.