Abstract
This article empirically investigates how Chinese executives and managers perceive and interpret corporate social responsibility (CSR), to what extent firms’ productive characteristics influence managers’ attitudes towards their CSR rating, and whether their values in favour of CSR are positively correlated to firms’ economic performance. Although a large proportion of respondents express a favourable view of CSR and a willingness to participate in socially responsible activities, we find that the true nature of their assertion is linked to entrepreneurs’ instincts of gaining economic benefits. It is the poorly performing firms, or rather, firms with vulnerable indicators – smaller in size, State-owned, producing traditional goods and located in poorer regions that are more likely to have managers who opt for a higher CSR rating. Managers’ personal characteristics per se are not significant in determining their CSR choice. Moreover, controlling for other observed variables, we find that managers’ CSR orientation is positively correlated with their firms’ performance. The better-off a firm is, the more likely its manager is to get involve in CSR activities. Firms with better economic performance before their restructuring would sustain higher post-restructuring performance.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Byrd, W. A.: 1992, Chinese Industrial Firms Under Reform (Oxford University Press)
Cornell B., Shapiro A. C. 1987. Corporate Stakeholders and Corporate Finance. Financial Management 16, 5–14
Davis, K. 1973. The Case for and Against Business Assumption of Social Responsibility. Academy of Management Journal 16, 312–323
Ford R., F. McLaughlin 1984. Perceptions of Socially Responsible Activities and Attitudes: A Comparison of Business School Deans and Corporate Chief Executives. Academy of Management Journal 27, 666–674
Knight J., L. Song (1999), The Rural-Urban Divide, Economic Disparities and Interactions in China. New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press
Knight J., L. Song 2005 Towards a Labour Market in China. New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press
Li, L.: 2007, ‘How the Chinese Entrepreneurs Perceive Social Responsibility – 2007 Report on the Growth and Development of Chinese Entrepreneurs’, in China Entrepreneurs Survey System (eds.), (China Machine Press)
Li H., Q. Wang 1996. Research on the Chinese Work Unit Society. Frankfurt/Main and New York: Peter Lang Pub lnc
Orpen C. 1987. The Attitudes of United States and South African Managers to Corporate Social Responsibility. Journal of Business Ethics 6, 89–96
Ostlund L. E. 1977. Attitudes of Managers Toward Corporate Social Responsibility. California Management Review 19, 35–49
Quazi A. M., D. O’Brien 2000. An Empirical Test of a Cross-national Model of Corporate Social Responsibility. Journal of Business Ethics 25, 33–51
Rashid, M. Z. A. and S. Ibrahim: 2002, ‘Executive and Management Attitudes Towards Corporate Social Responsibility’, Corporate Governance 2, 10–16
Song, L.: 1990, ‘Convergence: A Comparison Between China’s State Enterprises and Rural Government-Owned Enterprises’, in W. Byrd and Q. Lin (eds.), China’s Rural Industry (World Bank/Oxford University Press)
Song, L. and H. Du: 1990, ‘The Role of China’s Township Governments in Rural Industrialisation’, in W. Byrd and Q. Lin (eds.), China’s Rural Industry (Oxford University Press)
Smith, A.: 1776, An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. Available at http://www.adamsmith.org/smith/won-index.htm, Accessed 7 April 2008
Wood D. J. 1991. Corporate Social Performance Revisited. Academy of Management Review 16, 758–769
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Zu, L., Song, L. Determinants of Managerial Values on Corporate Social Responsibility: Evidence from China. J Bus Ethics 88 (Suppl 1), 105–117 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-008-9828-7
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-008-9828-7