Corporate Social Responsibility in China: Analysis of Key Drivers for the Implementation of CSR and Assessment of the Impacts on Company Performance

Thèse de Bachelor , 2020 , 138 Pages , Note: 1,0 (German system 1,0 best)

Gestion d'entreprise - Ethique commerciale, Ethique économique

In the course of China's rise to a significant player in the global economy, concerns are voiced regarding individual Chinese companies' irresponsible behaviors among the international communities, resulting in the Chinese government's introduction of strict regulations on social responsibility for companies operating in China. However, due to the decisive government interventions, further potential underlying reasons for Chinese companies' corporate social responsibility (CSR) involvement remain uncertain.

The goal of this thesis is to provide insights about CSR and its key drivers and the potential effects of CSR on Chinese companies' performances as well as to offer recommendations for managers of companies in China. The thesis first addressed CSR development in the US and in China by using relevant literature. The results of the literature review showed that legal requirements, government influence, and financial profitability were key drivers for both US and Chinese companies, and CSR had a positive impact on firm performance in both countries. Subsequently, eight semi-structured key informant interviews were conducted. The selected informants were all upper-level managers in their respective companies who were aware of China's CSR strategy and were performing related practices in their firms. The interview results indicated that while legal requirements and government involvement were still the driving forces behind companies' CSR implementation in China, financial profitability is an additional predominant factor for companies' decision-makers. Furthermore, both theoretical and empirical insights displayed a positive relationship between CSR and corporate social and economic performance, indicating that CSR practices benefit both companies and society.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Introduction
• Selection criteria of literature
• Relevance of the topic
• Problem statement and purpose of the thesis
• Definition of CSR
• CSR and business ethics
• Company performance in context of CSR
• Structure and approach of the thesis
• Literature review
• Corporate Social Responsibility
• Theoretical frameworks
• CSR reporting and standards
• CSR development in the US
• CSR regulations in the US
• Perception of CSR in the US
• Drivers of US companies' CSR implementation
• Impacts of CSR on US companies' performance
• CSR development in China
• CSR regulations in China
• Perception of CSR in China
• Drivers of Chinese companies' CSR implementation
• CSR development in China
• Intermediate results
• Methodology
• Research approach
• Research design and strategies
• Data collection and sample selection
• Limitations and solutions
• Interview design and analysis
• Classification of interview questions
• Empirical findings
• Interpretation of CSR
• Personal understanding of CSR
• Personal understanding of CSR
• Implementation of CSR and key drivers
• CSR projects and reasons for selection
• Managerial roles and techniques
• CSR reporting and measurement
• Challenges of CSR implementation
• Key drivers of companies' CSR implementation
• Impacts of CSR implementation on corporate performance
• Expected and actual benefits from performing CSR
• Impact on company performance and the larger environment
• Summary of interview findings
• Discussion, implementation, recommendation
• Comparison of literature review results and selected empirical findings
• Answers to the research questions
• Recommendations
• Limitations and future research

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

The primary objective of this thesis is to provide a comprehensive analysis of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in China, focusing on key drivers for its implementation and its impact on company performance. By analyzing relevant literature and conducting semi-structured interviews with upper-level managers, the thesis aims to identify the factors that influence Chinese companies' engagement in CSR practices and to evaluate the positive or negative effects of CSR on both the companies themselves and the broader society.

• The role of government regulations and legal frameworks in driving CSR implementation in China
• The influence of financial profitability on companies' decisions to engage in CSR practices
• The impact of CSR on a company's social and economic performance
• The challenges and limitations faced by Chinese companies in implementing CSR
• Recommendations for managers to effectively implement CSR in their organizations.

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

• Introduction: This chapter sets the context for the research by outlining the relevance of the topic, introducing the problem statement, and defining key terminology related to CSR, business ethics, and company performance. It also provides a clear structure and approach for the thesis.
• Literature Review: This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of existing research on CSR, focusing on its development in both the US and China. It examines theoretical frameworks, reporting and standards, regulations, perceptions, drivers of implementation, and the impact of CSR on company performance.
• Methodology: This chapter details the research approach, design, and strategies employed in the thesis. It outlines the process of data collection, sample selection, and the design and analysis of semi-structured interviews conducted with key informants.
• Empirical Findings: This chapter presents the results of the interviews conducted with upper-level managers in Chinese companies. It delves into their understanding of CSR, the specific CSR projects implemented, the key drivers behind their decisions, and the perceived impacts of CSR on company performance.
• Discussion, Implementation, and Recommendation: This chapter compares the findings of the literature review with the empirical data gathered through interviews. It then discusses the answers to the research questions, provides recommendations for effective CSR implementation in Chinese companies, and acknowledges limitations and suggests avenues for future research.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

This thesis explores the key drivers of corporate social responsibility (CSR) implementation in China and its impact on company performance. It focuses on the influence of government regulations, financial profitability, and stakeholder engagement on CSR practices. The research utilizes a combination of literature review and semi-structured interviews to gain insights into the perceptions, challenges, and benefits of CSR in a Chinese context.

• Université: Munich Business School University of Applied Sciences
• Note: 1,0 (German system 1,0 best)
• Auteur: Li-en Lin (Auteur)
• Année de publication: 2020
• Pages: 138
• N° de catalogue: V1010308
• ISBN (ebook): 9783346410573
• ISBN (Livre): 9783346410580
• Langue: anglais
• mots-clé: business ethics, CSR, China, US, CSR implementation, CSR driver, company performance, corporate social performance, corporate economic performance, strategy, key informant interview, CEO, managers, CSR theories, CSR development, corporate social responsibility, corporate responsibility, mainland china, CSR evaluation, expert interviews, qualitative research