Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) related topics are perceptibly on the rise – in the media1, in advertisements, in academic education and research as well as in political discourse. Reasons for this trend are globalization with the associated increased power of corporations as well as the current financial crisis – i.a. caused by unethical corporate behavior – which led to a changing consumer attitude and a modified public opinion regarding corporate responsibilities. All of this forces companies to act more sustainably and responsibly in order not to lose their ‘license to operate’.
The ways in which companies can perform CSR are manifold. One opportunity is to implement Corporate Volunteering (CV): Originating in the United States in the late 1970s it has also become an issue of increasing importance in Europe - particularly since the European Commission designated 2011 as the ‘European year of volunteering’.
The skill development which volunteering entails is one reason why more and more companies these days conduct CV programs. The qualities in question, which are honed through CV are manifold – depending on the type of service.
In this regard, Corporate Volunteering apparently has the potential of creating not only a winwin but a triple win situation since, apart from the company and the social institution, the
employees are also supposed to benefit.
What academic research particularly has not focused on so far is the often mentioned but – in most cases – not discussed advantage for Human Resource Development (HRD), which is a quite obvious one in my opinion: Since the improvement and acquirement of knowledge
and skills as well as – broadly speaking – the employees’ attitude towards their work and employer are central points in a company’s Human Resource Development activities, my thesis will concentrate on the implications of Corporate Volunteer programs concerning the
development of new skills and attitudes. This will be illustrated by an extensive literature review as well as a concrete, practical example, namely Erste Group in Austria.
Table of Contents
I. INTRODUCTION
A. RELEVANCE
B. RESEARCH QUESTION & METHODS
C. OUTLINE
II. CORPORATE VOLUNTEERING – AN INNOVATIVE APPROACH OF CORPORATE CITIZENSHIP
A. CORPORATE CITIZENSHIP (CC) – THE CONCEPTUAL FRAME
1. The parameters of the 21st century
2. What is Corporate Citizenship?
3. Different conceptions of CC
B. CORPORATE VOLUNTEERING (CV)
1. What is Corporate Volunteering?
2. CV in the US and in German-speaking countries
3. Reasons and strategy for applying CV
4. Types
5. Benefits
6. Critique
III. HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
A. FOUNDATIONS OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
B. CREATING COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE THROUGH HRD
1. Needs assessment
2. How to satisfy an organization’s developmental needs
3. Evaluation and Transfer
C. NEW DEMANDS ON HRD
1. Changes in the work sphere underlying HRD
2. The significance of ‘softer’ skills & emotional intelligence
3. Learning in Organizations
IV. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF CV IN HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
A. PRACTICAL EXAMPLES
V. EMPIRICAL STUDY
A. THE CASE
B. RESEARCH METHOD
1. Qualitative interviews
2. Qualitative content analysis
C. FINDINGS
D. DISCUSSION
VI. CONCLUSION AND OUTLOOK
Research Objectives and Themes
The primary objective of this thesis is to investigate the potential of Corporate Volunteering as a strategic instrument for Human Resource Development within a corporate environment, focusing specifically on how such programs foster employee skill sets and influence organizational development.
- Theoretical examination of Corporate Citizenship and Corporate Volunteering concepts.
- Analysis of the strategic link between volunteering activities and HRD goals.
- Exploration of employee motivations and the perceived benefits of volunteering programs.
- Evaluation of practical implementation strategies through a case study of Erste Group.
- Assessment of the challenges and success factors for Corporate Volunteering in business settings.
Excerpt from the Book
Carroll – in favor of a corporation's responsibility
Opposed to this still rather radical opinion, probably the most-cited scholar in favor of a corporation's social responsibility is Archie Carroll. His famous article ‘The pyramid of Corporate Social Responsibility’ (1991) presents four pillars of CSR which are interconnected and building on one another: Here the economic responsibility, meaning maximum profit as primary incentive for doing business, constitutes the base. This means that for Carroll profit making is nothing opposed to social acting, on the contrary, it is even required. So, a prerequisite for every other responsible commitment is that a firm is financially doing well (Carroll 1998). Habisch et al. (2008) underline this view and comment that it has to be realized that under the current economic circumstances it is not only legitimate but rather desirable that a company also benefits from its engagement, since a project without competitive edge is often perceived as luxury good within the firm (Habisch 2006). This leads to sustainable conduct of the social projects, independent of the economic developments.
Coming back to Carroll’s pyramid, the next level is legal responsibility which expects companies to act within a country’s laws. These are regarded as ‘codified ethics’. The third responsibility a company is expected to comply with is ethical responsibility, dealing with social standards and norms which are a reflection of what is considered fair, just and morally right in the stakeholders’ eyes. This level can be viewed as preceding the establishment of new laws since many movements (e.g. concerning women, environment, minorities, ...) paved the way for juridical reforms – so, it can be contended that laws lag behind ethical thinking (Carroll 1998). So, this stage is twofold: first, it pushes the legal responsibility level to extend. At the same time, its expectation towards managers is that they behave and act even at a higher level than by law expected from them. The final stage is about the philanthropic corporate responsibility, which embodies the active engagement in ‘acts or programs to promote human welfare or goodwill.’ (42) The difference to the former is that this responsibility is not specifically expected by the stakeholders – it is rather desired. So, this last level is more of a discretionary or voluntary nature.
Summary of Chapters
I. INTRODUCTION: Outlines the rise of CSR, defines the research problem, and details the thesis structure and exploratory approach.
II. CORPORATE VOLUNTEERING – AN INNOVATIVE APPROACH OF CORPORATE CITIZENSHIP: Establishes the theoretical framework for Corporate Citizenship and examines the definitions, types, benefits, and critiques of Corporate Volunteering.
III. HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT: Explores HRD definitions, its functional cycle, and the shifting demands in the workplace, including the importance of soft skills and lifelong learning.
IV. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF CV IN HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT: Analyzes the strategic integration of volunteering into HRD and provides practical examples from various corporations.
V. EMPIRICAL STUDY: Presents the qualitative case study of Erste Group, detailing the methodology, findings from semi-structured interviews, and a discussion of the results.
VI. CONCLUSION AND OUTLOOK: Summarizes the key insights, synthesizes the findings regarding HRD potential, and offers recommendations for future implementation.
Keywords
Corporate Volunteering, Corporate Citizenship, Human Resource Development, Corporate Social Responsibility, Employee Motivation, Skill Development, Soft Skills, Stakeholder Management, Qualitative Case Study, Erste Group, Organizational Development, Strategic HRM, Corporate Philanthropy, Workplace Learning.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this thesis?
The research investigates the integration of Corporate Volunteering into a company's Human Resource Development strategy, specifically analyzing the opportunities and benefits such initiatives provide for organizations and employees.
What are the central thematic fields?
The thesis covers Corporate Citizenship, the theoretical foundations of Human Resource Development, the implementation of volunteering programs, and the strategic alignment between volunteering and corporate goals.
What is the primary research goal?
The primary goal is to contribute to a deeper understanding of Corporate Volunteering as an innovative HRD instrument and to establish how it creates value for both the company and the individual participant.
Which research method is applied?
The thesis utilizes a qualitative exploratory case study approach, involving semi-structured interviews with former volunteering participants and HR/CSR representatives to gain in-depth insights.
What does the main part of the work cover?
The main part covers the conceptualization of Corporate Citizenship, the mechanics of HRD, the strategic impact of volunteering on organizational success, and an empirical analysis of initiatives at Erste Group.
Which keywords characterize the work?
Key terms include Corporate Volunteering, Human Resource Development, Corporate Citizenship, stakeholder management, employee skills, and organizational learning.
How does the author evaluate the "soft" benefits of Corporate Volunteering?
The author highlights that volunteering fosters critical soft skills such as emotional intelligence, communication, and leadership, which are increasingly vital in the service-dominated economy.
What role does Erste Group play in this study?
Erste Group serves as the primary case study object, demonstrating how a large financial service provider practically integrates volunteering into its corporate strategy and HRD practices.
What is the author's conclusion regarding the sustainability of CV programs?
The author concludes that for Corporate Volunteering to be sustainable, it must be strategically aligned with business goals rather than being a mere ad-hoc PR activity, and it requires systematic evaluation.
- Citation du texte
- Julia Graffer (Auteur), 2011, Corporate Volunteering as Tool for Human Resource Development, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/176891
