This paper is a summary of a thesis submitted to the Kimmage Development Studies Centre, Dublin in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of MA in Development Studies. The paper sets out to examine the role of Corporate Social Responsibility and its contribution to influencing the debate on global governance and how oversight of the private sector can be achieved. The research examines perspectives of the Irish private sector, government, NGOs and trade unions on these questions. The research examines attitudes to the role of business in society, the issue of regulation of business and how, if at all, steps are to be taken to create global oversight of the work of multinational companies and any related policy implications for Ireland. The research highlights a degree of synergy in terms of perspectives on the way profit seeking and the common good can be achieved, and on the challenges in doing business in countries with weak governance 1 , but demonstrates a divergence of views on the place of CSR and how best to hold companies to account for their actions.