Practice CSR Research Articles

Qualitative Study on Corporate Social Responsibility Practice and Wellbeing in Industrial Parks: Evidence from Selected Industrial Parks in Ethiopia

The study's main objective is to understand the development of internal and external CSR in industrial parks and explore its relationship with employees and community well-being. This study employed an exploratory research approach. The study relies on semi-structured interviews and FGD with employees and the community of three selected industrial parks in Ethiopia. The study utilized thematic analysis and the NVivo-11 version for the analysis. The results show that various CSR practices are implemented in industrial parks. There is a positive relationship between most CSR practices and well-being, except for insurance, employment, and infrastructure. Moreover, the study explored some CSR activities specific to IPs, i.e., meal service, dormitory, transportation, and consumer cooperatives. Besides the knowledge contribution, the study has a practical contribution to industrial park managers, government agencies, policymakers, and multinational companies to practice CSR better as it enhances the employees' and community's well-being. This study is unique not only because it explored CSR practices that are specific to industrial parks, but also the relationship between internal and external CSR with employees' and community well-being, respectively.

Corporate social responsibility: Current state and future opportunities in the forest sector

AbstractCorporate social responsibility (CSR) remains a critical topic for the forestry sector due to increasing societal expectations about the sustainable use of forests. This paper presents an updated review of the history, current state, and future opportunities for CSR in the forest sector. Drawing from cases of CSR in practice, the review focuses on CSR's role in firms' performance and reputation capital. As opposed to popular theoretical conceptualisations, firms' choice of CSR criteria, indicators, and implementation tools remain heavily weighted toward environmental concerns. Our findings suggest that CSR benefits a firm's reputation, but the review is less categorical on CSR's more direct or tangible effects in the short‐ or longer term. The review thus identifies progress in the field but concludes that opportunities exist to exploit CSR in the forestry sector more thoroughly.

СОЦІАЛЬНА ВІДПОВІДАЛЬНІСТЬ АГРОБІЗНЕСУ ТА ESG ПРАКТИКА ЯК СПОСОБИ ДОСЯГНЕННЯ ЦІЛЕЙ СТАЛОГО РОЗВИТКУ

The need to solve the problems of sustainable development and gain strategic competitive advantages has led to the active dissemination of socially responsible business initiatives. This is also highly relevant for the agri-food sector, the role of which is vital for the global tasks of sustainability and the national economy of Ukraine. The article examines the main essential features of social responsibility of business and modern ESG practice in the example of the agricultural sector. Studies have shown that corporate social responsibility (CSR and ESG) is an example of a modern sustainable management business model with standard features. Both models aim to raise the level of corporate culture and achieve sustainable development goals. At the same time, the key feature of corporate social responsibility is its qualitative dimension, while the characteristic feature of ESG is qualitative assessment. ESG management practice is one of the priorities for Ukraine's agricultural business. It creates opportunities to achieve competitive advantages in attracting additional financial flows necessary for the sustainable development of agriculture and rural areas. The strategic bonuses formed for agricultural companies by using the principles of CSR and ESG in practice are defined. Among the main ones are: building up the image capital of agricultural companies; increasing market share; rapid and effective response to climate change risks and other environmental and social business risks; improving the understanding of future business development opportunities and finding effective mechanisms for their use; increasing the level of investment attractiveness of business. The key indicators for assessing the ESG rating in the context of three factors are studied: economic, social, and managerial. The current trends and social responsibility problems of Ukraine's agrarian business are analyzed. It is determined that voluntary, socially responsible initiatives take place mainly in large-scale agricultural companies. The potential possibilities of the influence of ESG practice on the financial results of agrarian formations are determined. The main promising directions and tools of CSR and ESG in the activities of business entities in the agricultural sector are outlined.

Connection between corporate diversification, CSR and firm performance in South Asia

PurposeThe manufacturing sector plays an important role in any economy. The sector opts for diversification techniques and CSR initiatives in a competitive business environment for growth, survival and reputation. This study examined the impact of corporate diversification and CSR on the financial performance of South Asian manufacturing firms.Design/methodology/approachData is obtained from the financial statements of 350 listed South Asian manufacturing firms as well as the respective stock exchanges of these countries. The data for research analysis ranges from 2010 to 2020. Diversification is measured using product diversification and geographic diversification. CSR is quantified in terms of social contribution value. Accounting measurements (ROA and ROE) are also used to capture corporate performance. For hypothesis testing, the study also uses fixed effect panel regression, and for assessing the robustness of the findings, the two-step dynamic panel system-GMM regression approach is used.FindingsFindings of study indicate a positive impact of product and geographic diversification on financial performance measured with ROA. However, geographic diversification is insignificantly linked with ROA and ROE. Further, CSR positively impacts the performance of firms in South Asia with both performance measures.Originality/valueThe study has several policy implications based on the findings, including the need for the manufacturing sector to practice and implement appropriate diversification approaches and CSR initiatives to improve its financial performance and reputation.

Corporate social responsibility pyramid in Ethiopia: A mixed study on approaches and practices

This paper examines CSR approaches and practices of local firms in Ethiopia, where the state is still a key player in business life. Moreover, it assesses at which stage Ethiopian CSR is. This mixed-method study includes quantitative analysis through SPSS and qualitative content analysis. A revised CSR practices scale has been conducted on owners/managers and employees of 100 local companies in Ethiopia. Besides, the companies' official websites have been thoroughly reviewed using five variables to understand their CSR approaches and practices better. The findings reveal that Ethiopian companies practice CSR though it is at the stage of fragmented CSR and the priorities differ from the global trend. Most respondent companies generally have excellent legal practices and CSR practices toward employees and customers. However, philanthropy, social sustainability, and management of CSR are remarkably at a mediocre level. Content analysis shows similarity with the results of quantitative study, to the exclusion of philanthropy. Notably, the hierarchy derived from our research varies also with Visser's CSR model.

A Comparative Analysis of CSR in Developed and Developing Countries- A Qualitative Case Study of Walmart and JD.com

CSR originated in western developed countries and is deeply rooted in their corporate culture. It was only in recent years that companies in developing countries realized the important role of CSR in business practice. Now, CSR has become an integral part of corporate development. Through a comparative case study of the CSR activities in Walmart and JD.com, this paper explores the similarities and differences between CSR in developed and developing countries and the reasons for the differences by analyzing the companies’ official websites, annual CSR reports, and sustainability reports. In addition, there is a SWOT analysis of the CSR activities of the two companies, the deficiencies and challenges of CSR activities at the current stage are discussed. The result shows that the similarities and differences of CSR are influenced by the political, economic, social and cultural factors. Developed countries should focus more on specific CSR activities in response to internal and external environment changes to save CSR expenses and improve efficiency for future CSR activities. As for developing countries, governments should play a role in improving the regulatory environment and raising awareness and participation in CSR. The functions of community and media are also significant.

Corporate Social Responsibility of Medium Scale Enterprises on the Community and Environment of Operation in Uyo Metropolis, Nigeria

Corporate Social Responsibility has been recognized as one of the key factors for business sustainability. Majority of corporate social responsibility research focuses on large corporations. Paucity of data and limited research exists on the corporate social responsibility of medium scale enterprises despite their enormous contribution to the world economy and their impact on the social and natural environments. It is in this regard that this study seeks to examine the extent which medium scale businesses implement corporate social responsibility to the community and environment of their operation. Using a descriptive analysis, 100 respondents were examined in Uyo and the findings indicate that majority of Medium Scale Enterprises in Uyo Metropolis practice CSR on their community (89%) and environment (76%) of operation. The CSR practices on the Community involve provision of electricity (33%), provision of pipe born water (24%) and provision of scholarship schemes (15%) among others while that practice on the Environment involves Waste Management (24%), executing environmental friendly projects (15%), controlling of environmental hazards (12%) among others. The study adds new knowledge to the entrepreneurship literate especially as it concerns the context of the study and recommends awareness creation for more Medium Scale Enterprises to practice CSR and the need to encourage those who are already engaged in the practice to do more.

Exploring Challenges Faced by Socially Responsible Companies in Oman

The objective of this paper is to explore challenges facing CSR practitioner companies in Oman in order to develop a comprehensive understanding about the nature of those challenges and how it interact with each other. That understanding is important to improve the performance of socially responsible companies in Oman where CSR is yet to be practiced as a driver to sustainability. Data were collected using a qualitative approach relying on semi-structured interviews with CSR practitioner companies and the main stakeholders, and unstructured interviews with key informants. Data was coded and categorized in themes using Nvivo 12 Plus software. The findings indicated the presence of corporate-specific challenges that are related to the way companies recognize and practice CSR. Furthermore, the study identified a second group of CSR challenges that are collectively caused by the practitioner companies itself and multiple external stakeholders. The study highlighted the extent of negative influence that both groups of challenges place on the performances of socially responsible companies in Oman.

Perception of Social Responsibility Strategy in Higher Education: Empirical Study in Poland

Today, the role of universities in the education of future managers who promote the principles of social responsibility (SR) and CSR in business practice is pivotal. Properly educated management staff of organizations can disseminate knowledge on this subject and apply its principles in practice. The research scope of the paper is to identify the knowledge and perception of the University Social Responsibility Declaration (Polish national programme in this field, hereinafter called USRD) among the students of the University of Economics in Katowice. The research assumes that most of the students do not have any knowledge about such programs as the USRD, and that despite this, they see the need for implementation of the specific principles of the USRD into university’s activities. Significance of specific principles is associated with students’ sociodemographic and psychographic characteristics. The strongest relation between the perception of the importance of the objectives of USRD and students’ characteristics is observed in the declared extent to which respondents implement the principles of social responsibility in their everyday life, as well as in their age and year of study. The more the students use those principles, the higher they personally rate specific principles of the USRD.

CSR Practices of Select Pharma Companies in India in The Light of Companies Act 2013: A Study

Introduction of CSR provisions through section 135 in the Companies Act, 2013 is one of the important phases of CSR movement in India. Presently, all pharmaceutical companies in India practice CSR as a statutory compliance and manage their businesses so as to produce an overall positive impact. So, this is our duty to search for the nature of CSR compliance by pharma companies in accordance with the new Act. The study highlights the increasingly important role that modern CSR regulation is playing in large pharma companies in India. It is clear from the study that how specific CSR initiatives in line with Schedule-VII of the Companies Act, 2013 have engaged with country health, education and rural infrastructure, and the impacts they have made. It is expected that the policy makers will get valuable insights from the study for better regulation of the CSR activities. However, until and unless the companies willfully assume the responsibility for better transparency, the law alone cannot do everything.

Społeczna odpowiedzialność – element zarządzania przedsiębiorstwami w Polsce?

Przedmiot badań: Zarządzanie przedsiębiorstwem wymaga uwzględniania wielu aspektów, w tym także jego oddziaływania na otoczenie. To z kolei wydaje się być istotnym argumentem przemawiającym za wpisaniem działań społecznie odpowiedzialnych w strategię, a tym samym w procesy zarządcze. Mając na uwadze powyższe, w artykule podjęto tematykę społecznej odpo­wiedzialności przedsiębiorstw, z koncentracją na świadomości znaczenia, postrzeganiu i „wpisa­niu” w zarządzanie tej koncepcji przez menedżerów wybranych przedsiębiorstw funkcjonujących w Polsce.
 Cel badawczy: Jako cel artykułu przyjęto przegląd i systematykę wiedzy na temat CSR w Polsce w próbie znalezienia odpowiedzi na pytanie o miejsce tej koncepcji w zarządzaniu przedsiębior­stwami: czy jest to koncepcja o znaczeniu strategicznym (wpisana w procesy zarządcze) oraz jak sytuacja w tym zakresie zmieniała się w ostatnich latach?
 Metoda badawcza: Zaprezentowane w artykule rozważania oparto na krytycznej analizie literatury przedmiotu oraz raportów „CSR w praktyce” z lat 2016–2020, z wykorzystaniem metod analizy: literatury, publikowanych w Internecie raportów, wnioskowania dedukcyjnego, metody opisowej i metody graficznej prezentacji danych. Przedstawione dane/wykresy opracowano na podstawie ankiet z lat 2016–2020 (prezentowanych w corocznych raportach „CSR w praktyce”), skierowa­nych do przedsiębiorstw przez Francusko-Polską Izbę Gospodarczą. Liczba badanych przedsię­biorstw zawiera się w przedziale od 56 w roku 2019 do 75 w roku 2020. W każdym z badanych lat wśród ankietowanych nieznacznie dominowały duże przedsiębiorstwa (zatrudniające powyżej 250 pracowników), których udział wynosił od 51% w roku 2020 do 56% w roku 2017. W ar­tykule przytoczono również dane pochodzące z równolegle prowadzonych przez Havas Media Group badań konsumentów (skierowanych corocznie do około 1000 dorosłych Polaków). Celem w/w badań było ustalenie, w jaki sposób przedsiębiorstwa zarządzają tematem zrównoważonego rozwoju/społecznej odpowiedzialności (ankiety skierowane do przedsiębiorców) oraz ustalenie poziomu świadomości i nastawienia konsumentów do społecznego zaangażowania przedsię­biorstw (ankiety skierowane do konsumentów).
 Wyniki: Analiza literatury przedmiotu pozwala na stwierdzenie, że koncepcja społecznej od­powiedzialności przedsiębiorstw coraz częściej jest postrzegana jako element strategii, a tym samym element zarządzania przedsiębiorstwem. Zaprezentowane w artykule dane nie w pełni potwierdzają powyższe twierdzenie. Część przedsiębiorców/kadry menedżerskiej jest świadoma znaczenia działań społecznie odpowiedzialnych, ich wpływu na wyniki firmy i wpisuje je w stra­tegie i procesy zarządcze. Równolegle funkcjonują przedsiębiorstwa i menedżerowie, którym bliższe wydaje się być stwierdzenie M. Friedmana, że przedsiębiorstwo odpowiadać ma głównie za realizację celów ekonomicznych. Wbrew przeprowadzonym studiom literaturowym, w oparciu o zaprezentowane w artykule wyniki ankiet (skierowanych do wybranej grupy przedsiębiorców), nie można mówić w Polsce o powszechnym uznawaniu CSR jako koncepcji zarządzania, o przy­pisywaniu jej znaczenia strategicznego czy nawet o zwiększaniu jej rangi w ostatnich latach.

The perception of using social media – a comparison of entrepreneurs implementing CSR in managerial practice and other entrepreneurs in selected V4 countries

The article aims to identify the perception of issues related to the use of social media in the business environment of small and medium-sized enterprises in the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Poland. The authors chose the concept of comparing entrepreneurs who implement corporate social responsibility with other interviewed entrepreneurs. An interesting comparison was made from the collected data. The article is based on a questionnaire survey of 1217 respondents. The study was conducted from September 2019 to January 2020. The chi-quadrat test and z-score were used to evaluate statistical hypotheses. The results showed that Czech entrepreneurs implementing corporate social responsibility have more negative answers than the surveyed entrepreneurs in other countries. Thus, less than 28% of Czech corporate social responsibility entrepreneurs agree that social media helps increase corporate growth, while in Poland – up to 49%. As many as 53% of corporate social responsibility entrepreneurs in Hungary and Poland agreed that social media could respond more flexibly to market developments. Czech entrepreneurs were lagging behind 35% of them. The results showed no statistically significant differences in all research questions regarding entrepreneurs without the implemented CSR concept. The article results suggested that Czech CSR entrepreneurs did not see the potential benefits of social media use. Although the study focuses only on 3 central European countries, the results are not generalizable. However, they are useful for those who promote positive impacts on companies through the social networks and organizations that promote corporate social responsibility. One of the tools for transparent communication with customers/suppliers could be by communication via social media. The study's findings could further help other entrepreneurs consider the benefits of social media in doing socially responsible business.

Analysis of GRI and CSR Reports, submitted by Ukrainian Companies

Abstract. Introduction. The article investigates practical implementation of sustainable development and corporate social responsibility initiatives, based on GRI and CSR reports analysis. Purpose. The aim of this study is to analyze SD and CSR reports and based on obtained results to make conclusions regarding practical implication highlighted concepts in Ukrainian business realities. Results. Firstly, the authors elaborate an approach for analyzing given types of reports submitted by Ukrainian companies. Offered approach includes analysis of two separate samples (GRI and CSR reports) based on assessing 23 aspects which refer to SD and CSR initiatives. Secondly, main aspects and pieces of information, which are commonly used for describing SD and CSR in business practice are considered in detail and summarized. Conclusions. Conclusions are made on the general comprehension of current practical implication of SD and CSR concepts, based on sequence of actions conducted by Ukrainian companies, highlighted in the reports. Keywords: sustainable development; corporate social responsibility; reports; Ukrainian companies.

Corporate Social Responsibility and Financial Performance: An Empirical Analysis of Indian Banks

Corporate Social Responsibility and Financial Performance: An Empirical Analysis of Indian Banks

The Relationship between CSR, Trust, Information Sharing and Long-term Orientation in B2B

본 연구는 기업간 거래(Business-to-Business; 이하 B2B) 관계에서 기업의 사회적 책임(Corporate Social Responsibility; 이하 CSR), 신뢰, 정보공유, 장기지향성과의 관계를 살펴보고자 수행되었다. CSR은 신뢰에 영향을 미치고, 신뢰가 정보공유에 영향을 미치며 정보공유가 장기지향성에 미치는 영향력을 살펴봄으로써 CSR이 B2B 기업 간 파트너십의 장기적 거래관계를 형성하는 구체적 과정을 보다 명확히 하였다. 이론적 측면에서 이해관계자 이론과 관계적 교환이론(relational exchange theory)을 기반으로 CSR은 기업경영 CSR(business practice CSR)과 자선적 CSR(philanthropic CSR)로 구분하였으며 신뢰는 신용(credibility)과 호의(benevolence) 차원으로 구분하였다. 간 변수 간 관계에 대한 연구가설을 설정하였으며 연구가설의 검증을 위해 CSR을 수행하고 있는 B2B 공급업체와 거래하고 있는 구매기업을 대상으로 설문을 실시하였다. 최종적으로 195개의 설문을 분석에 활용하였다. 본 연구의 결과를 살펴보면 다음과 같다. 첫째, CSR이 신뢰에 미치는 영향력에 있어서 기업경영 CSR은 신뢰의 신용, 호의차원에 긍정적 영향을 보이고 있었다. 자선적 CSR은 신뢰의 신용차원에는 긍정적 영향을 보이는 반면에 호의차원에는 영향력이 나타나지 않았다. 둘째, 신뢰가 정보공유에 미치는 영향력에 있어서 신뢰의 신용차원은 정보공유에 영향력이 나타나지 않았지만 호의차원은 긍정적 영향을 보이고 있었다. 마지막으로 정보공유는 장기지향성에 긍정적 영향을 보이고 있었다. 본 연구를 통해 주는 시사점은 다음과 같다. 거래기업의 CSR에 대한 역할을 살펴봄으로써 파트너 기업을 선택하는 기준으로 사용할 수 있으며 CSR을 전략적으로 관리하여 파트너 기업과의 장기적 관계를 형성하는데 활용할 수 있다는 것을 알 수 있다. 또한 기업의 중요한 정보들을 자유롭게 공유하기 위해서는 상호간의 이익을 추구하는 호혜주의적 믿음이 바탕이 되어야 한다는 것을 확인하였다. 마지막으로 정보공유에 바탕을 둔 협업 메커니즘이 거래 관계에 긍정적 영향력을 보이고 있으므로 CSR, 신뢰 그리고 정보공유의 과정을 통해 장기적 파트너십이 이루어질 수 있다는 점을 명확히 하였다는 점에서 의의를 가지고 있다.

Attitude, Motivation and Barriers for CSR Engagement among Travel and Tour Operators in Nepal

The surging interest of tourists in responsible business practices and their global popularity is making CSR imperative for tourism SMEs, including TTOs of Nepal. Consequently, there has been a rise in CSR engagements among tourism SMEs in developing countries. Nonetheless, due to limited attention by researchers, knowledge about their CSR engagement is scant. The same is also true for TTOs residing in Nepal. In such a scenario, it is prudent to generate an understanding of CSR engagement of Nepali TTOs. For this reason, this exploratory study investigated various dynamics of CSR engagement among TTOs (n=141) registered in the National Association of Tour and Travel Agents through a paper-based survey. The results showed that half of TTOs claimed that they had incorporated CSR in their mission and strategy; they exhibited positive attitudes about the benefits of CSR to businesses, customers’ favorability towards businesses simple menting CSR, and the need for a higher value to CSR within the tourism industry. Societal benefits and wellbeing, and the opportunity to market their image among customers motivated them to engage in CSR, whereas lack of resources and knowledge restrained them. Three fourth of them claimed to practice CSR of some sort, and most of them intended to continue their CSR engagement in the future. Collectively, TTOs had a positive outlook towards CSR. However, there are some deterrents for them to engage in CSR. This study provides valuable baseline insights to formulate the right plans and policies to influence CSR employment by TTOs, ultimately leading to sustainable tourism.

Consumers’ perception of CSR motives in a post‐socialist society: The case of Serbia

AbstractQuestionnaire‐based consumer research was conducted in Serbia, as a country in a long post‐socialist transition. The focus was on consumers’ opinions of benefits and attitudes which motivate companies to act in a socially responsible way. Analysis resulted in a division of CSR motives into two main clusters: cluster I—stakeholder and value‐driven motives, and cluster II—egoistic motives, performance, and market‐driven motives. The division obviously concerned motives which were the socialist legacy (endogenous motives in cluster I), and motives imported from open market economies (exogenous motives in cluster II). Consumers’ perceptions are significantly different for endogenous and exogenous CSR motives. Exogenous motives are perceived as principal companies’ motives to practice CSR, but there are no significant correlations between the perception of these motives and consumers’ purchase decisions. Endogenous, value, and stakeholder‐driven motives are perceived in a significantly lower degree as CSR motivators with highly divided consumers’ opinions and female consumers rating them significantly higher. Consumers’ purchase decisions are in a statistically significant positive correlation with attribution of endogenous, value, and stakeholders’ needs‐driven motives.

Art and Culture in Chinese Corporate Responsibility: A Qualitative Enquiry

This paper investigates the motivations and the forms of practicing CSR in art and culture in China, which is increasingly conducted but still not sufficiently studied. According to cases and interviews, philanthropic responsibility, business results contribution, and corporation reputation enhancement are some core motivations driving corporations in China to practice CSR in art and culture, and they positively correlate with involvement levels in art and culture resources. However, corporate nature and industrial nature own stronger power in corporation CSR decision-making under the instructions of the Chinese government. Therefore, corporations are recommended to ponder their motivations and involvement level of art and culture resources before their actions, and new research perspectives and methodology of CSR studies pertaining to the business context in China deserve a revision as well.

Impact of CSR Reputation and Customer Loyalty

Intense competition has in many markets decreased the prospects for differentiation in terms of technology and product/service quality. For this reason, CSR becomes an important attribute that can enhance a company's image. To win customers' loyalty in today's markets, companies have to focus on building and sustaining customer loyalty. Nowadays, organizations looking forward to achieving a sustainable competitive improvement based on focusing on a customer-oriented concept which will lead to customer satisfaction, trust and finally to customer loyalty. In this regard, CSR has become a valuable tool. This research, therefore, aims to investigate the direct effect of CSR on customer loyalty by observing the intervening influence of Perceived service quality and trust. In this research, it is proved CSR aspects namely business practice CSR which is related to primary stakeholders, such as customers and employees, and philanthropic CSR, which is related to secondary stakeholders, such as the community has a positive and significant effect on the customer loyalty. Moreover, perceived service quality and trust also serve as an intervener between CSR and Loyalty. Data collected from account holders of three main banks in Kenya. Structural equation modeling is examined by using PLS software. The findings of this study would help scholars in developing more CSR based loyalty models. These findings can also aid the service industry such as commercial banks in Kenya to better incorporate CSR initiatives in their strategic planning process

Research Progress in Corporate Social Responsibility in the Context of ‘Tourism-Assisting the Poor’ in China

ABSTRACTCorporate social responsibility (CSR) and successful social enterprises would play an irreplaceable role in Tourism-assisting the poor (TAP). Research into CSR and social enterprises in TAP in China is in a very early stage. Although more and more researchers have paid attention to CSR in tourism and poverty alleviation practice, they seldom give their focuses on TAP where CSR and social enterprises would play a significant role. The research focusing on TAP either at theoretical and practical levels is left behind the practice. This paper reviews the research progress in China and compares it with the international research literature. It suggests that while China can learn a lot from the international community about CSR practice and research, China needs its own research agenda of CSR and social enterprise in the context of TAP to suit China’s uniqueness in terms of its institutional arrangement, legal system, and rural capacity.