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An Evaluation of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs): The Role of Moral Perspectives / Fern B. Davies

DOI (Published version): 10.23889/Suthesis.48317

Abstract

This research evaluates how corporate social responsibility (CSR) is constructed and practised in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The majority of extant research has been in large businesses, but an expanding body of CSR literature does acknowledge the distinct characteristics of SMEs, id...

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Published: 2018
Institution: Swansea University
Degree level: Doctoral
Degree name: Ph.D
URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa48317
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spelling 2019-01-25T13:12:22.8568097 v2 48317 2019-01-21 An Evaluation of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs): The Role of Moral Perspectives 2019-01-21 This research evaluates how corporate social responsibility (CSR) is constructed and practised in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The majority of extant research has been in large businesses, but an expanding body of CSR literature does acknowledge the distinct characteristics of SMEs, identifying ways to advance an appropriate research agenda. A significant strand of this literature calls to reclaim the moral foundations of CSR, following recognition that the concept has been constricted by economically rational justifications and a search for the business case. Consequently, a need is identified for practical and theoretical progressions that more accurately explain CSR in SMEs and address the subordination of morality. The following study responds to the calls above and aims to establish the role of two moral perspectives: moral proximity and the ethic of care. Their relevance is explored through an empirical analysis of Spence’s (2016) redrawn stakeholder theory and small business social responsibility (SBSR) pyramids. In order to do this, the research adopts a social constructionist perspective, drawing from the experiences of owner-managers through four exploratory focus groups and thirty in-depth interviews. To access a deeper comprehension of CSR, the research is not only framed by ethical theory, but builds on insights from the sociology of economic behaviour. A qualitative content analysis indicates that SMEs rarely justify their CSR engagement in rational economic terms. Motivations go far beyond the economic, with ethical and organisational perspectives most commonly represented. The research confirms that moral proximity and the ethic of care are relevant to accommodate the contextual, relational and dynamic nature of SMEs. These characteristics intensify ethical responsibility towards stakeholders, with both positive and negative implications that regardless, significantly shape the inception and engagement of CSR. From the findings, suggestions are made to enhance the redrawn theories and reiterate the value of these moral perspectives to inform our understanding of CSR in SMEs. E-Thesis corporate social responsibility, small and medium-sized businesses, ethic of care, moral proximity, business ethics, morality, economic rationality, Carroll&apos;s CSR pyramid, stakeholder theory 31 12 2018 2018-12-31 10.23889/Suthesis.48317 A selection of third party content is redacted or is partially redacted from this thesis. COLLEGE NANME COLLEGE CODE Swansea University Doctoral Ph.D 2019-01-25T13:12:22.8568097 2019-01-21T14:55:49.7780139 Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences School of Management - Business Management Fern B. Davies 1 0048317-21012019151438.pdf Davies_Fern_B_PhD_Thesis_Final_Redacted.pdf 2019-01-21T15:14:38.6170000 Output 8315657 application/pdf Redacted version - open access true 2019-01-20T00:00:00.0000000 true
title An Evaluation of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs): The Role of Moral Perspectives
spellingShingle An Evaluation of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs): The Role of Moral Perspectives
,
title_short An Evaluation of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs): The Role of Moral Perspectives
title_full An Evaluation of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs): The Role of Moral Perspectives
title_fullStr An Evaluation of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs): The Role of Moral Perspectives
title_full_unstemmed An Evaluation of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs): The Role of Moral Perspectives
title_sort An Evaluation of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs): The Role of Moral Perspectives
author ,
author2 Fern B. Davies
format E-Thesis
publishDate 2018
institution Swansea University
doi_str_mv 10.23889/Suthesis.48317
college_str Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
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hierarchy_top_id facultyofhumanitiesandsocialsciences
hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
hierarchy_parent_id facultyofhumanitiesandsocialsciences
hierarchy_parent_title Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
department_str School of Management - Business Management{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences{{{_:::_}}}School of Management - Business Management
document_store_str 1
active_str 0
description This research evaluates how corporate social responsibility (CSR) is constructed and practised in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The majority of extant research has been in large businesses, but an expanding body of CSR literature does acknowledge the distinct characteristics of SMEs, identifying ways to advance an appropriate research agenda. A significant strand of this literature calls to reclaim the moral foundations of CSR, following recognition that the concept has been constricted by economically rational justifications and a search for the business case. Consequently, a need is identified for practical and theoretical progressions that more accurately explain CSR in SMEs and address the subordination of morality. The following study responds to the calls above and aims to establish the role of two moral perspectives: moral proximity and the ethic of care. Their relevance is explored through an empirical analysis of Spence’s (2016) redrawn stakeholder theory and small business social responsibility (SBSR) pyramids. In order to do this, the research adopts a social constructionist perspective, drawing from the experiences of owner-managers through four exploratory focus groups and thirty in-depth interviews. To access a deeper comprehension of CSR, the research is not only framed by ethical theory, but builds on insights from the sociology of economic behaviour. A qualitative content analysis indicates that SMEs rarely justify their CSR engagement in rational economic terms. Motivations go far beyond the economic, with ethical and organisational perspectives most commonly represented. The research confirms that moral proximity and the ethic of care are relevant to accommodate the contextual, relational and dynamic nature of SMEs. These characteristics intensify ethical responsibility towards stakeholders, with both positive and negative implications that regardless, significantly shape the inception and engagement of CSR. From the findings, suggestions are made to enhance the redrawn theories and reiterate the value of these moral perspectives to inform our understanding of CSR in SMEs.
published_date 2018-12-31T03:58:42Z
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score 11.037056

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