Social Responsibility and Personal Success: A Research Note

Abstract

Views of corporate social responsibility recognize thatindividual decision makers are key to implementing socially responsible programs and that it is difficult to ask executives to act in a socially responsible manner if such actions have a negative impact on personal success. Using a sample of more than 300 advertising executives, the compatibility of social responsibility and personal success are explored by examining the relationship between social responsibility and advertising executives’ incomes and titles. Findings indicate that neither penalties nor rewards accrue to advertising executives for socially responsible actions. Implications for executives wanting their organizations to be viewed as socially responsible are discussed.