“Walking the talk” in times of recession: the case of corporate social responsibility in Greece

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 102-118 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nikolaos Papacharalampous ◽  
Dimitra Papadimitriou ◽  
Christos Anagnostopoulos
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Financial Services ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Strategic Orientation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Thematic Content ◽  
Business Context ◽  
Descriptive Account ◽  
Corporate Social

Purpose This study aims to examine the actions of corporate social responsibility (CSR) at a national business context that is firmly defined by prolonged financial crisis. It does so by using a critical view on CSR disclosures in an attempt to get to the heart of the real matter of CSR, from both a thematic content and strategic orientation perspective. Design/methodology/approach This study is based on a sample of 50 firms that operate in the Greek market and belong to the most significant sectors of the national economy. Their CSR disclosures are content-analyzed, providing a body of 836 pragmatic CSR actions. Findings The key findings of the study denote differences among the examined sectors, with banks and financial services being the most active in terms of CSR actions. Regarding the thematic content, firms choose mainly to implement actions with a societal character, while in terms of strategic orientation, they opt for CSR actions that serve existing cause-related programs without any brand presence. Moreover, profound interest appears for the external business environment, whereas the number of CSR actions with employees’ participation is limited. Practical implications The study offers a descriptive account of the actual CSR engagement in Greece amid a prolonged downturn, thus shedding light on the current CSR trends and deficits and helping decision makers embed CSR as an integral part of their business operation. Originality/value During adverse economic conditions, this study captures potential discrepancies between the “walk” (doing) and the “talk” (self-reporting) of CSR. In so doing, it contributes to CSR literature by exploring both the “what” and the “how” these actions are implemented.

A multiple attribute decision making approach in evaluating employee care strategies of corporate social responsibility

2019 ◽  
Vol 57 (2) ◽  
pp. 349-371 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jau Yang Liu ◽  
William Shiue ◽  
Fu Hsiang Chen ◽  
Ai Ting Huang
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Industrial Relations ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Multiple Attribute Decision Making ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Multiple Attribute ◽  
Corporate Social

Purpose Corporate social responsibility has gradually become an essential enterprise responsibility under stakeholders’ expectations. Employee care strategies involve both qualitative and quantitative factors and are receiving special attention with the advent of the information age. In previous studies, a company’s policy of employee care may not fit with the needs of the employees. Consequently, the purpose of this paper is to investigate enterprises’ employee care from the employee’s perspective by adopting a hybrid multiple attribute decision making (MADM) model. Design/methodology/approach This study is based on 159 interviews with senior employees and/or department managers using a survey questionnaire. This study uses the MADM model to conduct the analysis. First, this research study used Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) to construct an influential network relations map of the 4 dimensions and 13 criteria of employee care. Second, this study uses DEMATEL-based Analytic Network Process to conduct a weight analysis for each dimension and criterion. Third, this study uses VIKOR to calculate employees’ level of satisfaction as well as the gap from the “aspired level.” Findings The results of the study revealed the critical factors influencing employee care and proposed a systematic plan to be used as a reference for improvement. The improvement sequence revealed the following order: Equal employment opportunities→Good industrial relations and benefits→Responsibility to train and educate employees→Occupational health and safety. The empirical results showed there was still 35 percent room for improvement in the enterprises’ implementation policy of employee care. Originality/value The implementation of employee care has become an important issue for corporations since it helps to sustain and to increase an enterprise’s competitiveness in the business environment. However, the extant literature on employee care comes from enterprises’ perspectives instead of from employees’ perspectives. This research investigates the key factors of employee care and successfully shows MADM to be an effective model for the planning and implementation of corporate social responsibilities’ employee care from the perspective of employees.

Corporate social responsibility and reputation: some empirical perspectives

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 258-274 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel Famiyeh ◽  
Amoako Kwarteng ◽  
Samuel Ato Dadzie
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Quality Management ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Service Quality ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Management Performance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Service Quality Management ◽  
Overall Performance ◽  
Corporate Social

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and firm’s reputation in terms of product and service quality, management performance and attractiveness as well as reputation on overall performance from a developing country’s environment. Design/methodology/approach The partial lest squares structural equation modeling was used to study the relationship between CSR and firm’s reputation as well as the overall organizational performance using a survey of informants from Ghana. Findings Using data from firms in Ghana, the study demonstrates that CSR initiative by firms will have a positive relationship with firm’s reputation in terms of product and service quality, management performance and attractiveness as well as overall performance. Furthermore, the study demonstrates that enhanced reputation by firms through social responsibility initiatives will lead to firms’ overall performance from the Ghanaian business environment. Research limitations/implications The main limitation of this work is the source of the data originating from only executives from Ghana where managers are sometimes skeptical giving out such information; this might have some influence on the results. In addition, there could be potential endogeneity and unobserved heterogeneity issues. It is therefore recommended that future studies should consider these issues to check as to whether the same results could be achieved. Specifically, results indicate that when organizations invest in CSR initiatives, they are likely to achieve product quality, improved management performance and an attractiveness as well as overall performance. Practical implications The research shows how CSR initiatives can enhance firm’s reputation and overall performance of a firm. Originality/value The work illustrates and provides some insights and builds on the literature in the area CSR and reputation from a developing country’s environment.

Effect of transformational leadership on job performance: testing the mediating role of corporate social responsibility

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (5) ◽  
pp. 605-625
Author(s):  
Jnaneswar K ◽  
Gayathri Ranjit
Keyword(s):  
Transformational Leadership ◽  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Job Performance ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Corporate Social

PurposeEncouraging employees to bolster their performance in today's turbulent business environment is an important priority for all types of organizations. Even though few studies reported the impact of transformational leadership (TL) on job performance (JP), the role of mediators namely corporate social responsibility (CSR) in this relationship is not given due attention. The purpose of this paper is to assess the mediating role of CSR in the relationship between TL and JP in the Indian context.Design/methodology/approachData from 306 full time employees working in the manufacturing industry in India were collected through an online survey. The manufacturing organizations were selected on the basis of their active participation in CSR activities and robustness of HR practices. Three structured questionnaires were used for eliciting data from the employees, and AMOS software was used for testing the validity of the hypothesized model. PROCESS macro was used for testing the mediating role of CSR.FindingsTL impacted both JP and CSR. Additionally, CSR showed a positive relationship with JP of employees. The pivotal finding of the study is the partial mediation of CSR in the TL–JP relationship.Originality/valueBased on neo-charismatic paradigm theory, TL theory, stakeholder theory and social identity theory, this paper enriches the literature by demonstrating the mediation mechanism driving TL and JP relationship.

Strategies to enhance consumers’ identification with a service firm

2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 449-461 ◽  
Author(s):  
Min-Hsin Huang ◽  
Zhao-Hong Cheng
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Service Quality ◽  
Financial Services ◽  
Personal Factors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Service Firm ◽  
Self Construal ◽  
Interdependent Self ◽  
Corporate Social

Purpose Enhancing consumer-company identification (CCI) is a useful means by which to build deeper, more committed relationships with consumers. The purpose of this paper is to examine how consumers’ perceptions about the company (service quality and corporate social responsibility) and construal of the self (independent self-construal and interdependent self-construal) affect their identification with a service firm. This study also investigates how consumers’ involvement with the service firm moderates the relationships between CCI and four specific drivers. Design/methodology/approach A conceptual model is developed and empirically tested through two field-based studies (restaurant services and financial services) and one follow-up laboratory experiment. Findings The results of this research show that service quality, corporate social responsibility and interdependent self-construal positively affect CCI and that independent self-construal has a negative effect on CCI. In particular, the greater the involvement of the consumer with the service firm, the more positive the effects of service quality and corporate social responsibility are on CCI. Practical implications This research provides new insight into services marketing management by suggesting that service firms can enhance CCI and, consequently, consumer loyalty by adopting different strategies for specific consumer segments. Originality/value This is the first empirical study to simultaneously incorporate both company characteristics and consumer personal factors into a framework, and provide an integrative understanding of what factors determine consumers’ identification with a service firm.

Development of international corporate social responsibility framework and typology

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (5) ◽  
pp. 719-744 ◽  
Author(s):  
Som Sekhar Bhattacharyya
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Stakeholder Theory ◽  
Review Paper ◽  
Theoretical Perspective ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Resource Based View ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Theoretical Contribution ◽  
Corporate Social

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop a framework on international corporate social responsibility (ICSR). This ICSR framework would help portray the nature and process of internationalization of CSR activities of a firm. Further, this review paper presents a typology on the internationalization of corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities of a firm. Design/methodology/approach In this conceptual review paper, the author based upon inputs from a diverse set of the extant literature on international business strategy, resource-based view, stakeholder theory, strategic planning and implementation applied logical argumentation incrementally and sequentially to develop the ICSR framework and subsequently ICSR typology (consisting of archetypes). Findings This conceptual review paper offers a novel and rich theoretical perspective on an integrated framework on ICSR. This expands the extant theoretical knowledge boundaries on internationalization of CSR. Further, the proposed ICSR framework not only provides insight into the process of internationalization of CSR but also on typology regarding the nature of internationalization of CSR activities of a firm. Research limitations/implications There are two major theoretical contributions. First, this is one of the first integrated frameworks on ICSR that encompasses perspectives from diverse literature domains such as business environment, stakeholder theory, resource-based view, bounded rationality, bounded reliability, strategy planning and strategy execution. The second major theoretical contribution is towards categorization of firm international CSR activities based on CSR characteristics and mechanisms of deployment. The author prescribed four typologies for ICSR based upon variances in CSR perspective and CSR management. This ICSR categorization or archetypes is also a theoretical contribution. Practical implications The International Corporate Social Responsibility (ICSR framework developed would help both strategy and CSR managers to design ICSR programs and CSR activities of a firm based on a firms’ transferable resources and capabilities, replicable organizational process and activities, strategic focus and expected organizational benefits. Originality/value This is the first scholarly work on developing an integrated ICSR framework and ICSR typology (read archetypes). In this review paper, a holistic but comprehensive theoretical perspective on strategy and typology of ICSR has been provided. CSR and strategy managers for the first time would have a tool to design and manage firm international CSR initiatives in an effective and efficient manner.

Corporate social responsibility initiatives and its impact on social license: some empirical perspectives

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 431-447 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel Famiyeh ◽  
Disraeli Asante-Darko ◽  
Amoako Kwarteng ◽  
Daniel Komla Gameti ◽  
Stephen Awuku Asah
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Driving Forces ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Social License ◽  
Social Initiatives ◽  
Corporate Social

Purpose The purpose of this study is to understand the driving forces of corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives in organizations and how these social initiatives influence organizations’ “license to operate” using data from the Ghanaian business environment. Design/methodology/approach This study used purposive sampling with a well-structured questionnaire as a data collection tool. Partial least squares-structural equation modeling was used to study the driving forces of CSR initiatives in organizations and how these social initiatives influence their social license. Findings The findings indicate that CSR initiatives are driven by the normative, mimetic, investors and community pressures. The regulative pressure has no significant effect on CSR initiatives. The authors found no difference between the services and the manufacturing sectors as far as the results are concerned using multi-grouping analysis. Research limitations/implications From the results, the importance of normative, mimetic, investors and community pressures as the driving forces of CSR are established. The finding indicates that CSR demands by suppliers, customers the extent to which organizations perceive their competitors have benefited from initiating CSR are benefiting, the willingness of investors to invest in companies whose CSR activities are best and the opinion on the extent to which the District Assembly and the Chief Executive in the district, the Chiefs, the Churches, the Opinion leaders have significant impact on CSR initiatives. Practical implications The results indicate the need for suppliers and customers to continually demand from corporations to initiate CSR activities as organizations seem to respond to these pressures, and these initiatives are also likely to be mimicked by other organizations in the same industry to enable this drive the social responsibility agenda. Investors and community members are also encouraged to invest and accept, respectively, organizations with very good CSR records to send a signal to companies who see CSR as a cost instead of performance enhancement. Originality/value The work illustrates and provides some insights and builds on the literature in the area of CSR from a developing country’s environment. This is also one of the few works that investigate the driving forces of CSR and social license using the institutional theory based on data from the African business environment.

Corporate social responsibility and firm’s performance: empirical evidence

2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 390-406 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel Famiyeh
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Competitive Performance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Operational Capabilities ◽  
Overall Performance ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) has emerged over the past 30 years to occupy a significant role in certain aspects of the organizational theory. The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of CSR and firm’s operational competitive performance in terms of cost, quality, flexibility and delivery, as well as the overall performance, from a developing country’s environment. Design/methodology/approach Structural equation modeling was used to study the relationship between CSR, competitive operational capabilities and the overall organizational performance using a survey of informants. Findings Using data from firms in Ghana, the work demonstrates that CSR initiative by firms will have a positive relationship with firm’s operational competitive performance in terms of cost, quality, flexibility and delivery performance, as well as overall performance. Furthermore, the study demonstrates that competitive operational capabilities in terms of cost and flexibility will lead to firms’ overall performance from the Ghanaian business environment, whereas delivery and quality seems to have no positive effect on overall performance. Research limitations/implications The results indicate the relevance and the implications of CSR initiatives on firms’ performance in a developing country such as Ghana. Specifically, the results indicate that when organizations invest in CSR initiatives, they are likely to achieve cost reductions, improved quality, flexibility, improved delivery and overall performance. Practical implications The research shows how CSR initiatives can enhance firm’s operational competitive performance and overall performance. Originality/value The work illustrates and provides some insights and builds on the literature in the area of CSR in a developing country’s environment.

scholarly journals Can corporate social responsibility enhance organizational image and commitment in the ocean freight forwarding industry?

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ching-Chiao Yang ◽  
Po-Lin Lai ◽  
Xiaonan Zhu
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Organizational Commitment ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Organizational Performance ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Corporate Image ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Freight Forwarding ◽  
Corporate Social

Purpose In the past few decades, the concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) has received substantial interest in the competitive business environment. This study aims to empirically examine the impact of CSR on corporate image, organizational commitment and organizational performance in ocean freight forwarders. Design/methodology/approach Five critical CSR dimensions were identified based on factor analysis: consumer interests, employee interests, environmental management, disclosure and corporate commitment and sponsorship. Structural equation modelling was subsequently performed to examine the hypothesized relationships among CSR, corporate image, organizational commitment and organizational performance. Findings Results indicated that CSR had significantly positive effects on corporate image and organizational commitment, whereas corporate image was positively related to organizational commitment and organizational performance, respectively. Organizational commitment was also positively related to organizational performance. However, CSR did not have a significant direct effect on organizational performance. Research limitations/implications This study intended to conduct a survey on logistics service providers; however, due to the limited availability of research on ocean freight forwarding service providers, the present sample was limited to ocean freight forwarding enterprises. Originality/value From a theoretical perspective, this study contributes to the field by identifying the important dimensions of CSR and their effects on corporate image, organizational commitment and organizational performance. Particularly, it demonstrated the effect of CSR on ocean freight forwarding employees’ organizational commitment.

Perception of stakeholders on corporate social responsibility of Islamic Banks in Jordan

2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 30-56 ◽  
Author(s):  
Venere Di Bella ◽  
Nedal Al-Fayoumi
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Customer Service ◽  
Financial Services ◽  
Banking Sector ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Islamic Banking ◽  
Islamic Banks ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Corporate Social

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the various perceptions of stakeholders on corporate social responsibility (CSR) of Islamic Banks in Jordan. Design/methodology/approach – The data are collected from multiple stakeholder groups of two Islamic Banks in particular: Jordan Islamic Bank for Finance and Investment and Islamic International Arab Bank. The methods adopted to examine the data are the descriptive analysis and analysis of variance. With regard to the purpose of this research, the concept of Islamic CSR and its dimensions have been considered as: rooted in the Islamic ethical system, represented through the profit and loss arrangements, embedded within the principles behind financial services provided by Islamic Banks, and benchmarked by the Accounting and Auditing Organization of Islamic Financial Institutions’ (AAOIFI) corporate governance standard. Findings – The results indicate that stakeholders have expressed a positive attitude toward the concept of CSR. Proving that the issue of CSR is an important factor in Islamic banking and to the perception of various stakeholders’ groups, the focus shifted into identifying the dimensions which shape the Islamic CSR. In reference to previous research results, the Islamic banking sector in Jordan has an in-built dimension that promotes social responsibility. Practical implications – The study recommends that Islamic Banks improve CSR activities in order to better exploit this commitment with a cultural identity yet again. This identity has a direct influence on the branding of Islamic finance in local markets. The structure of offered products reflects regional beliefs and provides a suite of services. In terms of services, the services provided are geared toward specific market segments within local communities. This as a result directs a number of strategic decisions made by Islamic Banks, which are based on the structure of their offerings, brand identity and customer service levels. Originality/value – In Jordan, studies about the perception of stakeholders on CSR from an Islamic perspective are almost non-existent. Thus, providing solutions for study questions and presenting empirical evidence regarding CSR issues will certainly add a new dimension to the literature. Moreover, the conclusions and recommendations may help regulators and decision makers in enhancing the competitiveness and the sustainability of the Islamic banking sector in Jordan.

scholarly journals Developing corporate social responsibility in financial services

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda Deigh ◽  
Jillian Dawes Farquhar
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Financial Services ◽  
Services Marketing ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Financial Services Marketing ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
Retail Banks

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to contribute to the theory and practice of financial services marketing in sub-Saharan Africa (sSA) by investigating how financial service providers are developing corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices, in particular, seeking to uncover the involvement of stakeholders.Design/methodology/approachFollowing an interpretivist approach, the study uncovers fresh and context-rich insights through an analysis of a multiple case study consisting of retail banks in Ghana. Data consist of semi-structured interviews with senior managers and analysis of documents and archives.FindingsThe study uncovers three key CSR practices practised by the retail banks: giving, community and corporate reputation/brand with which their stakeholders are only to some extent involved. Banks not as yet drawing extensively on stakeholder resources for CSR practices.Research limitations/implicationsThe study uses an inductive and in-depth approach to explore contextual insights into CSR, but with subsequent limitations on how far the findings can be extended.Practical implicationsThe study offers outline for financial services marketing involving stakeholders in CSR.Social implicationsIt discovers that banks acquire social capital through their CSR activities in the community.Originality/valueThe study contributes to financial services marketing theory and practice through an evidence-based framework uncovering the development of CSR through practices that as yet draw on stakeholder resources to a limited extent. Research suggests that CSR practices are dynamic and subject to a range of situational conditions.

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