Search results

1 – 10 of over 6000
Article
Publication date: 4 July 2023

Abosede Ijabadeniyi and Jeevarathnam Parthasarathy Govender

The appraisal of corporate reputation based on third-party corporate social responsibility (CSR) indices appears to have been institutionalized. The endorsement of such an…

Abstract

Purpose

The appraisal of corporate reputation based on third-party corporate social responsibility (CSR) indices appears to have been institutionalized. The endorsement of such an approach by sustainability custodians and influencers undermines the uptake of the morality and legitimacy of CSR. This study takes a social realist perspective, which suggests that social phenomena such as CSR and corporate reputation are shaped by social structures and power relations. This study aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of the complex relationship between CSR and corporate reputation and understand ways in which the constructs are influenced by cognitive factors.

Design/methodology/approach

This study surveyed 411 respondents across five shopping malls and analyzed the data using path analysis of the structural equation modeling (SEM) technique. The mall-intercept survey sought to critically assess expectations of CSR vis-à-vis evaluation of corporate reputation. Based on a case study of three Johannesburg Stock Exchange listed companies, CSR expectations were measured along the philanthropic, economic, ethical and legal dimensions, while evaluation of corporate reputation was based on product quality, financial performance and social responsibility. SEM path analysis was used to extrapolate the predictive outcomes of CSR on corporate reputation.

Findings

Reputation for product quality and social responsibility is underpinned by the fulfillment of ethical CSR expectations, while philanthropic gestures enhance the evaluation of financial performance. Legal CSR significantly influences the reputation for social responsibility and product quality. Fulfillment of economic CSR expectations influences the reputation for product quality. However, no relationship was established between economic performance and social responsibility. Involvement in economic, philanthropic and particularly, legal CSR, are not indicative of the reputation for financial performance. Conversely, companies’ involvement in economic CSR does not suggest a higher propensity for social responsibility.

Research limitations/implications

The predictive outcomes of CSR expectations on corporate reputation can reveal situated understanding of actual perceptions of corporate behavior.

Practical implications

Ethical business conduct is synonymously associated with social responsibility while espoused corporate philanthropy signals strong financial performance. The awareness of consumers’ cognitive evaluation of corporate reputation can offer a pathway to corporate communication professionals, policy makers and agencies to rethink and reposition CSR efforts.

Social implications

Insensitivity to taken-for-granted cultural prescriptions and reliance on market-based reputational rankings undermine mutually beneficial stakeholder relationships and the social license to operate.

Originality/value

This study brings to the fore, cognitively dominated indicators of consumers’ perceptions of the reputation for CSR, to foster nuanced and halo-removed approaches to social responsibility. The authors show for the first time how companies’ skewed focus on corporate philanthropic giving paradoxically signals a capitalistic notion of social responsibility and unethical business conduct. This study offers a halo-removed orientation to the appraisal of CSR and corporate reputation.

Details

Social Responsibility Journal, vol. 20 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1747-1117

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 17 April 2024

Mohamud Said Yusuf, Khadar Ahmed Dirie, Md. Mahmudul Alam and Isyaku Salisu

The purpose of this study is to investigate the link between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and the amount of trust customers have in Somali Islamic banks. Furthermore, the…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the link between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and the amount of trust customers have in Somali Islamic banks. Furthermore, the role of gender in CSR activities and Islamic bank clientele is evaluated.

Design/methodology/approach

Throughout February and March 2022, 410 clients of Islamic banks in Somalia were surveyed using a questionnaire. The partial least squares approach and the structural equation model are applied to examine the data.

Findings

Findings indicate that all variables of CSR activities, such as social product, social legal, social needs, social environment and social employees’ responsibility, are influential and significant predictors of trust in Islamic banks in Somalia. Gender inequalities moderate the relationship between social product, social needs, social environment, social employee and trust. Conversely, only social legal responsibility was unaffected by gender differences in Somalia regarding people’s trust in Islamic banks.

Practical implications

A sample from a developing country such as Somalia is useful for shedding light on the outcomes of consumers’ perceptions of and trust in businesses’ CSR in the developing world. Furthermore, this study contributes to knowledge regarding CSR and how it can help the Islamic banking industry. Its findings will be useful to policymakers and regulatory bodies in the banking industry in their efforts to improve CSR.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first empirical investigation of its kind about the understudied relationship among customer trust, CSR efforts and gender in Somalia context. Furthermore, it investigates how gender specifically moderates CSR in the Islamic banking sector in a developing country.

Details

Social Responsibility Journal, vol. 20 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1747-1117

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 4 March 2024

Oswald A. J. Mascarenhas, Munish Thakur and Payal Kumar

This chapter addresses one of the most crucial areas for critical thinking: the morality of turbulent markets around the world. All of us are overwhelmed by such turbulent…

Abstract

Executive Summary

This chapter addresses one of the most crucial areas for critical thinking: the morality of turbulent markets around the world. All of us are overwhelmed by such turbulent markets. Following Nassim Nicholas Taleb (2004, 2010), we distinguish between nonscalable industries (ordinary professions where income grows linearly, piecemeal or by marginal jumps) and scalable industries (extraordinary risk-prone professions where income grows in a nonlinear fashion, and by exponential jumps and fractures). Nonscalable industries generate tame and predictable markets of goods and services, while scalable industries regularly explode into behemoth virulent markets where rewards are disproportionately large compared to effort, and they are the major causes of turbulent financial markets that rock our world causing ever-widening inequities and inequalities. Part I describes both scalable and nonscalable markets in sufficient detail, including propensity of scalable industries to randomness, and the turbulent markets they create. Part II seeks understanding of moral responsibility of turbulent markets and discusses who should appropriate moral responsibility for turbulent markets and under what conditions. Part III synthesizes various theories of necessary and sufficient conditions for accepting or assigning moral responsibility. We also analyze the necessary and sufficient conditions for attribution of moral responsibility such as rationality, intentionality, autonomy or freedom, causality, accountability, and avoidability of various actors as moral agents or as moral persons. By grouping these conditions, we then derive some useful models for assigning moral responsibility to various entities such as individual executives, corporations, or joint bodies. We discuss the challenges and limitations of such models.

Details

A Primer on Critical Thinking and Business Ethics
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-83753-312-1

Article
Publication date: 12 August 2024

Bekan Serbessa Waktola, Manjit Singh and Sandeep Singh

This study aims to examine the effect of social responsibility practices on competitive advantage. It focuses on analyzing how strategic initiatives addressing social…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to examine the effect of social responsibility practices on competitive advantage. It focuses on analyzing how strategic initiatives addressing social responsibility practices influence banks’ competitive advantage (CA).

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from 463 customers of selected commercial banks in Ethiopia. Self-administrative questionnaire was used to collect data. The study was a cross-sectional survey conducted in 2023. The study used a structural equation model to test relationships between variables.

Findings

This study’s empirical findings show that social responsibility practices positively affect CA. This suggests that banks actively engaging in social responsibility practices can boost their CA.

Research limitations/implications

The study only targeted customers as respondents and did not include other stakeholders such as employees and the community. This recommended that future research should include these stakeholders. This study relied solely on quantitative data. Future studies could consider incorporating qualitative data to complement the quantitative findings. The study’s sample was limited to Ethiopia’s banking sector. Other service sectors and manufacturing sectors will be considered in future studies to examine the relationship between social responsibility practices and CA.

Practical implications

This study provides insights for banks operating in dynamic markets by providing the strategic implications of social responsibility. Banks can strategically leverage social responsibility practices to gain an advantage in a competitive market. Banks should continuously innovate and adapt their social responsibility strategies to address evolving societal needs and emerging challenges and consider social responsibility an integral component of their strategic planning. The findings of this study can enhance managers’ understanding and enable them to better oversee their social responsibility initiatives to attain a sustainable CA.

Social implications

This study highlights businesses’ pivotal role in society beyond profit generation. The research findings emphasize the interconnectedness of business success and social responsibility. By integrating social responsibility practices into their operations, companies enhance their CA and contribute to society’s greater good. This underscores the importance of promoting a corporate culture that values social responsibility as a cornerstone of business success.

Originality/value

Empirically examining the relationship between social responsibility practices and CA contributes to the overview of the conceptual and practical base of social responsibility practices into strategic importance. The study provides insight into the importance of social responsibility practices in enhancing CA in developing country’s contexts.

Details

Social Responsibility Journal, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1747-1117

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 20 February 2024

Imen Ouragini and Anissa Ben Hassine Louzir

This study aims to show how universities may engage in social responsibility approaches and to understand in depth how the university social responsibility (USR) practices…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to show how universities may engage in social responsibility approaches and to understand in depth how the university social responsibility (USR) practices contribute in achieving sustainable development.

Design/methodology/approach

Exploratory qualitative research was directed based on two Tunisian Universities (two case studies); the first one belongs to the public sector and the second one to the private sector. Data were collected through participant observations, group interviews, documentation as well as semistructured interviews with students and administrative staff. The survey was carried out in 2022, immediately following the COVID-19 health crisis. The interview lasted 45-min on average.

Findings

The results confirmed that USR was applicable within the two studied institutions. The two cases under investigation primarily concerned academic and philanthropic responsibilities, with practices pertaining to ethical and legal responsibilities being observed, albeit not to the same extent as the other two responsibilities. Therefore, universities prioritize the welfare of people over anything else when they implement a USR policy.

Originality/value

The USR is an approach that many higher education institutions, both public and private, must appropriate. Nevertheless, this field is still virgin in academic research and this theme remains unexplored within the Tunisian territory. Thus, through the present study, the authors were able to understand in depth the USR practices and confirmed that these two institutes were socially responsible. Consequently, the authors are inviting other Tunisian Universities to adhere to these approaches regarding their benefits among society, environment and economy.

Article
Publication date: 24 August 2022

Fabian Maximilian Johannes Teichmann and Chiara Wittmann

Through the lens of ethical appreciation, this paper aims to discuss what it means for a company to claim taking responsibility for its supply chain and whether this is a…

Abstract

Purpose

Through the lens of ethical appreciation, this paper aims to discuss what it means for a company to claim taking responsibility for its supply chain and whether this is a reasonable demand to make by corporations.

Design/methodology/approach

The place of ethics in economic and legislation is not selfevident. The intersection of ethics and economics through the topic of supply chains is approached by breaking down, respectively, the integral features of supply chains and the ethical considerations in compliance regulations.

Findings

The transnational nature of global supply chains, the depth of manufacturing tiers and the power asymmetries between buyer and seller are some of the fundamental sticking points in dissecting corporate social responsibility.

Originality/value

This paper uses a unique parallel perspective of the broad ethical concerns, which have developed under the umbrella term of responsibility, as well as the finer ethical details which are integral to supply chains as international structures of dependency.

Details

Journal of Financial Crime, vol. 30 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1359-0790

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 20 August 2024

Mohammadsadegh Omidvar and Maria Palazzo

This study explores how the various aspects of corporate social responsibility (CSR) impact customer satisfaction (CS) within the restaurant sector. Furthermore, it seeks to…

Abstract

Purpose

This study explores how the various aspects of corporate social responsibility (CSR) impact customer satisfaction (CS) within the restaurant sector. Furthermore, it seeks to reveal if there is a moderating role played by gender in the relationship between CSR dimensions and CS in the realm of restaurant services.

Design/methodology/approach

The findings of this research were obtained by analysing 352 questionnaires collected from Iranian restaurants. Structural equation modelling was used to test the conceptual model.

Findings

According to this research, responsibility (economic, legal, ethical and environmental) is related to CS. Additionally, this study delves into the specific influence of each facet of CSR on CS, a departure from prior research which treated CSR as a singular entity. Consequently, the findings of this study offer clarity on which dimension of CSR can impact CS. Prior studies examining the correlation between CSR and CS typically encompassed various CSR aspects, including economic, legal, ethical and philanthropic dimensions, with the environmental dimension often subsumed under ethical CSR. This research, however, recognises environmental CSR as the fifth distinct dimension. The results of this research show that CS is directly and significantly influenced by all aspects of CSR (except philanthropy). Also, the findings of this research show that gender does not make a difference on the impact of different dimensions of CSR on CS.

Practical implications

The findings of this study provide restaurant managers with a deeper understanding of CSR and how it can influence CS. The research demonstrates that environmental CSR had the strongest impact on Iranian CS among the five CSR dimensions investigated. The findings also support the notion that Iranian consumers are beginning to use CSR information to evaluate restaurants.

Originality/value

This research represents an early exploration of how individual facets of CSR affect CS. As part of this investigation, Carroll’s initial model was modified to include a novel element, environmental responsibility, to address environmental concerns' growing importance. This study contributes to the literature by demonstrating that CSR activities are not all equally effective.

Details

The TQM Journal, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1754-2731

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 17 September 2024

Josef Wieland and Jessica Geraldo Schwengber

This paper aims to contribute to the literature on corporate and leadership responsibility by proposing a relational business model for shared responsibility.

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to contribute to the literature on corporate and leadership responsibility by proposing a relational business model for shared responsibility.

Design/methodology/approach

First, a literature review on corporate and leadership responsibility is presented and discussed. This is followed by an overview of existing public and private regulations and future perspectives that enforce and/or foster corporate and leadership responsibility. Based on the concepts of relational economics, relational leadership and proactive regulation, the theoretical foundations of a relational business model are derived. In addition, a decision model for the empirical application of the relational business model in ethical dilemma situations is developed and presented.

Findings

Theoretical elaboration of a relational business model and an associated relational decision-making approach.

Originality/value

This study contributes to a new way of doing business in terms of shared responsibility. Furthermore, corporate responsibility and leadership responsibility are usually researched as two distinct fields, with the former referring to the meso level and the latter to the micro level. A relational approach, which views leadership as a relational phenomenon, contributes to bridging both concepts.

Details

International Journal of Ethics and Systems, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2514-9369

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 6 May 2024

Ahmed Hassanein and Hana Tharwat

This chapter explores the concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) from an Islamic Shari'ah-compliant perspective. It provides a comprehensive literature review on CSR…

Abstract

This chapter explores the concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) from an Islamic Shari'ah-compliant perspective. It provides a comprehensive literature review on CSR with an explicit focus on the Islamic perspective of CSR, Islamic models of CSR, CSR practices in conventional and Islamic banks, and the consequences of CSR to Islamic banks. This chapter's main contribution lies in considering the current CSR literature from a Shari'ah perspective. Likewise, it identifies gaps in the current literature and suggests potential areas for future research. This chapter attempts to improve the understanding of how Islamic banks integrate social responsibility into their operations. The insights from this chapter are helpful to practitioners and academic scholars in Islamic finance, accounting, and CSR. This chapter emphasizes the importance of incorporating Islamic values and principles into CSR practices and encourages further research and investigation in this area.

Details

The Emerald Handbook of Ethical Finance and Corporate Social Responsibility
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-80455-406-7

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 17 January 2023

Danzen Bondoc Olazo

This study aims to analyze how consumers perceive the corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices carried out by a local water district in Angeles City, Philippines. The main…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to analyze how consumers perceive the corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices carried out by a local water district in Angeles City, Philippines. The main objective of the study is to investigate how CSR practices influence customer satisfaction. To achieve this, several pieces of literature were mentioned to prove that CSR has an important role to its stakeholders.

Design/methodology/approach

The study used a descriptive and quantitative approach to test the hypotheses. The participants of the study were the residents of the top three barangays in Angeles City, Philippines, in terms of the most consumed water supply, namely: Cut-cut, Pampang and Anunas. Using the Raosoft sample size calculator, the computed sample size was 382 respondents and distributed using stratified sampling. Methodologically, the study used statistical treatment to test all the variables and validated the instrument.

Findings

The result of the study shows that CSR practices significantly impact customer satisfaction. In the test of the degree of relationship between the dimensions of CSR and customer satisfaction, it was found that there is a significant relationship between the two variables.

Research limitations/implications

The future study may explore the relationship between CSR and the resource-based view theory of the firm. The resource-based perspectives are useful to understand why firms engage in CSR activities and disclosure. From a resource-based perspective, CSR is seen as providing internal or external benefits, or both.

Practical implications

The water district must promote social welfare and behave as good corporate citizens; they must spend the resources allocated to CSR initiatives in ways that yield optimum benefits to society as well as to the stakeholders of the company.

Social implications

The paper points out that the water supply industry is one of the most regulated sectors, as the operation requirements are tighter than any other activity. The authors emphasize that water companies must assume special responsibility because their activities are directly related to the use of natural resources, environmental pollution, and public health.

Originality/value

This study used a descriptive-explanatory strategy to determine the significant variables using PLS-SEM. This paper addressed how consumers perceive the CSR practices carried out by the local water district in Angeles City, Philippines.

1 – 10 of over 6000