Public Perceptions of Corporate Community Involvement: A Net-Cost Approach Among University Students in India and the Netherlands

Abstract

Many companies are currently exploring (or re-exploring) the concepts of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and corporate community involvement (CCI). Such projects encompass a variety of forms and points of focus, ranging from corporate support for training and educating adults or youth in local communities to nationwide programs helping welfare recipients find jobs to globally focused efforts providing aid to developing countries. These programs can include a variety of activities (e.g., donating money or organizing employee volunteering). For reasons that are yet unclear, individuals (or the public) can have differing reactions when presented with examples of the involvement of corporations in local communities. People perceive CCI differently depending upon their own contexts and frames of reference. A better understanding of the definition and perception of CCI is needed, particularly from an international comparative perspective. This study draws upon data from a survey that addresses a wide array of concrete forms of CCI. Data were collected from business students in two different countries: the Netherlands and India. The objective of this study is to identify differences between these countries regarding public perceptions of CCI.