Modelling Engagement of Small and Medium Tourism Enterprises (SMTEs) in Corporate Social Responsibility

Abstract

This chapter presents the results of a study designed to provide insights into Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) engagement in Small and Medium Tourism Enterprises (SMTEs). The study sought to determine CSR engagement in relation to owner-managers’ characteristics, the types of CSR practices SMTEs engage in, their motivations for doing so and the factors that affect their CSR engagement. The chapter begins with a review of literature relevant to this study, along with an overview of the methodology employed. Following this, key findings are presented. These suggest that whether an SMTE is owner-managed or not has the largest influence on a firm’s CSR engagement including: the motivations and benefits sought; the use of resources for CSR; types of CSR practices; and the overall formality and organisation of the CSR approach. Additionally, a ‘Fluid Model of SMTE Engagement in CSR’ is presented that depicts three types of CSR engagement by SMTEs: reactive, proactive, and active, along with the factors that potentially affect CSR engagement. The chapter concludes with a reflection on the study’s relationship to CSR 2.0.