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Chinese Consumers’ Perception of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

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Abstract

The findings of this article increase our understanding of corporate social responsibility from the consumers’ perspective in a Chinese setting. Based on primary data collected via a self-administered survey in Shanghai and Hong Kong and results of similar studies conducted in Europe and the United States, we provide evidence to show that Chinese consumers are more supportive of CSR. We also show that Carroll’s pyramid of responsibilities can be applied in China. We evaluated the importance placed by Chinese consumers on the four responsibilities of firms – economic, legal, ethical and philanthropic – and find that economic responsibilities are most important while philanthropic responsibilities are of least importance. The nature of these differences is important for firms intending to use corporate social responsibility for strategic purposes.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. China Europe International Business School, 699 Hong Feng Road, Pudong, P. R. China

    Bala Ramasamy

  2. School of Business, Open University of Hong Kong, 30 Good Shepherd Street, Homantin, Kowloon, Hong Kong

    Mathew Yeung

Authors
  1. Bala Ramasamy
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  2. Mathew Yeung
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Bala Ramasamy.

Appendix 1

Appendix 1

Consumers’ support and evaluation of business responsibilities

  • I believe that businesses must make efforts to behave in a socially responsible manner.

  • I would pay more to buy products from a socially responsible company.

  • I consider the ethical reputation of businesses when I shop.

  • I avoid buying products from companies that have engaged in immoral actions.

  • I would pay more to buy products from companies that show care for the well-being of our society.

  • If the price and quality of two products are the same, I would buy from a firm that has a socially responsible reputation.

I believe that businesses must:

  • Maximize profits.

  • Control their production costs strictly.

  • Plan for their long term success.

  • Always improve economic performance.

  • Ensure that their employees act within the standards defined by the law.

  • Refrain from putting aside their contractual obligations.

  • Refrain from bending the law even this helps improve performance.

  • Always submit to the principles defined by the regulatory system.

  • Permit ethical concerns to negatively affect economic performance.

  • Ensure that the respect of ethical principles has priority over economic performance.

  • Be committed to well-defined ethical principles.

  • Avoid compromising ethical standards in order to achieve corporate goals.

  • Help solve social problems.

  • Participate in the management of public affairs.

  • Allocate some of their resource to philanthropic activities.

  • Play a role in our society that goes beyond the mere generation of profits.

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Ramasamy, B., Yeung, M. Chinese Consumers’ Perception of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). J Bus Ethics 88 (Suppl 1), 119–132 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-008-9825-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-008-9825-x

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