The Impact of Economic Attitudes on Natural and Social Corporate Responsibility – A Comparative Study of Lithuania and Slovenia

Abstract

This paper reports on research that examines the state of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and the impact of economic attitudes on natural and social CSR in Lithuania and Slovenia. The study exposes CSR and organizational behavior theories and analyzes answers from 159 Lithuanian and 183 Slovenian business students considered as future employees. The authors established a model to examine the impact of economic CSR – considered through a “primary concern for economic results” and “devoting resources for CSR” to “natural CSR” and “social CSR.” In Lithuania interest in social CSR prevails, while in Slovenia interest is focused on natural CSR. The economic aspect of CSR is poorly appreciated in both countries. Associations between CSR aspects reveal that favoring economic results has no significant influence on natural and social CSR in the Lithuanian sample. In the Slovenian sample there is a significant and negative association between the concern for economic results and natural and social CSR. A positive and significant impact of devoting resources to natural and social CSR in both countries exists, but the impact is stronger for Slovenia than Lithuania. Devoting resources contributes more to a concern for social rather than natural CSR in both samples. Economic CSR explains significantly more variance in social CSR than in natural CSR. The findings could help improve and develop CSR behavior in organizations and among their future employees. They could also benefit higher education organizations and society.