An Assessment Model for Business Commitment to Culture and Fine Arts: Application to the Spanish IBEX 35 Listed Companies

Abstract

The main purpose of this conceptual paper is drawing up a framework to assess the company responsibility regarding culture and fine arts. Since a rich cultural life requires variety and commitment to innovative and bold forms of cultural activity, the model should measure the corporate commitment to fostering axiological pluralism in the cultural sphere. A subordinate purpose is testing that model using primary data on the biggest Spanish listed companies. First, we define the corporate cultural responsibility (CCR) as a specific field of the corporate social responsibility. Second, we defend that corporate citizenship involves accepting some risks to be in line with the public expectations on arts and culture. Third, it is proposed an assessment model that takes into account the kind of cultural activities promoted by the firms, from conventional and uncommitted to innovative and provoking. The model makes possible to rank the companies according to the quality of their CCR and take into account the influence of size and sector. The model reveals whether firms support conventional versus challenging cultural activities. This should be taken into consideration both by CSR managers and policy makers. In spite of the mounting economic significance of symbols and creativity, there is still little literature that specifically addresses the role of firms regarding arts and culture as another facet of their responsibility as corporate citizens.

Citation

Cejudo, R. and Rodríguez-Gutiérrez, P. (2016), "An Assessment Model for Business Commitment to Culture and Fine Arts: Application to the Spanish IBEX 35 Listed Companies", The Contribution of Love, and Hate, to Organizational Ethics (Research in Ethical Issues in Organizations, Vol. 16), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 181-205. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1529-209620160000016007