CSR and Related Terms in SME Owner–Managers’ Mental Models in Six European Countries: National Context Matters

Yves Fassin,Elisabet Garriga,Heidi Von Weltzien Hoivik,Andrea Werner,Annick Van Rossem,Hans-Jörg Schlierer,Silvana Signori

doi:10.1007/s10551-014-2098-7

Abstract

As a contribution to the emerging field of corporate social responsibility (CSR) cognition, this article reports on the findings of an exploratory study that compares SME owner–managers’ mental models with regard to CSR and related concepts across six European countries (Belgium, Italy, Norway, France, UK, Spain). Utilising Repertory Grid Technique, we found that the SME owner–managers’ mental models show a few commonalities as well as a number of differences across the different country samples. We interpret those differences by linking individual cognition to macro-environmental variables, such as language, national traditions and dissemination mechanisms. The results of our exploratory study show that nationality matters but that classifications of countries as found in the comparative capitalism literature do not exactly mirror national differences in CSR cognition and that these classifications need further differentiation. The findings from our study raise questions on the universality of cognition of academic management concepts and warn that promotion of responsible business practice should not rely on the use of unmediated US American management terminology.

Highlights

After decades of renewed academic research into the importance of the idea that business organisations have social responsibilities, the concept and the usage of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) remain complex, multifaceted (Aguinis and Glavas 2012; Garriga and Mele 2004; Secchi 2007) and prone to national interpretations (Argandona and von Weltzien Hoivik 2009)
Half of the 30 construct categories were common in all six countries, which indicates that European SME owner–managers display considerable similarity in the choice of words to describe the concepts presented to them, the country samples showed variation in the Belgium (N = 23; Stress = 0.21; RSQ = 0.43) (ALSCAL Level = ordinal)
We have made a distinctive contribution to the emerging strand of CSR cognition research by comparing SME owner–managers’ cognition related to CSR and related concepts across six different countries and by interpreting commonalities and differences using features of the respective national contexts

Summary

Introduction

After decades of renewed academic research into the importance of the idea that business organisations have social responsibilities, the concept and the usage of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) remain complex, multifaceted (Aguinis and Glavas 2012; Garriga and Mele 2004; Secchi 2007) and prone to national interpretations (Argandona and von Weltzien Hoivik 2009). In their review of the literature, Aguinis and Glavas (2012) point to a relative scarcity of individual (micro) level studies in CSR research, compared to institutional and organisational level studies (see Lee 2008). It is important, to understand the individual level: even though ‘CSR takes place at the organisational level of analysis’, it is ‘individual actors... 953; see Secchi 2009) Studies in this small, but growing research stream have used a range of approaches including psychological frameworks such as person-organisation fit By utilising Repertory Grid Technique (Fransella et al 2004; Kelly 1955), we compare the mental models of SME owner–managers, as a specific group of individual actors, across six European countries; Belgium, Italy, Norway, France, the United Kingdom and Spain

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion