Human capital becomes more and more important for enterprises and actions have to be taken to become employer of choice for potential candidates. This can happen as a result of an employer brand transmitting a positive image of a themselves to potential candidates. At the same time, Corporate Social Responsibility can have on impact on motivating, retaining and finding employees. The present master the-sis combines these two aspects with the intention to find establish which role CSR plays in employer branding. Based on a literature review and current research, a survey was developed. Criteria defining CSR was determined before an online survey including these aspects was published.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
1.1 Problem Description
1.2 Aim of the Thesis
1.3 Thesis Design
2. Background and Theory – CSR
2.1 Defining CSR
2.2 CSR and Sustainable Development
2.3 CSR in Enterprises
2.3.1 Reasons for CSR in Enterprises
2.3.2 Integrating CSR in Enterprises
2.3.3 Factors of Success
3. Employer Branding
3.1 Defining Employer Brand
3.1.1 The Employer Brand as Part of the Corporate Brand
3.1.2 Employer Brand’s Functions
3.2 Representing the Employer Brand: Employer Branding
3.2.1 Employer Branding versus Human Resource Marketing
3.2.2 Objectives of Employer Branding
3.2.3 Process of Employer Branding
3.2.4 Factors of Success
4. CSR and Employer Branding
4.1 Current Research
4.1.1 Role of CSR to Attract and Retain Employees
4.1.2 Role of HR in CSR
4.2 Sustainable Brand as Connection of Employer Brand and CSR
5. Interim Conclusion: Research Question and Aim of the Study
6. Methodology
6.1 Defining and Operationalising CSR Aspects
6.1.1 Analysing International Standards to Define CSR Aspects
6.1.2 The ERG-Theory as Basis for Ranking
6.2 The Questionnaire as Research Method
6.2.1 Target Group and Sample Size
6.2.2 Questionnaire Design
6.2.3 Pretest
7. Empirical Results
7.1 Demographic Characteristics of Respondents
7.2 Results Analysed by Category
7.3 Results Analysed by Age Group
7.4 Results Analysed by Work Experience
7.5 Results Analysed by Gender
7.6 Results Analysed by ERG-Theory
8. Discussion
8.1 Answering the Research Questions
8.2 Implications for Employers
8.3 Limitations of the Work and Suggestions for Future Research
9. Summary
Research Objectives and Topics
The primary objective of this master thesis is to investigate the role that Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) plays in the context of employer branding. The research aims to explore how CSR can influence potential candidates' decision-making processes when choosing an employer and how this can be strategically leveraged to improve an enterprise's employer brand.
- Analysis of the relationship between CSR concepts and employer branding strategies.
- Empirical investigation of CSR criteria relevant to potential employees.
- Evaluation of the importance of CSR based on demographic factors such as age, gender, and work experience.
- Assessment of whether CSR acts as a hygienic or motivating factor in employer choice.
- Development of strategic implications for employers to enhance their attractiveness in the "war for talents."
Extract from the Book
1.1 Problem Description
Human capital becomes more and more important for enterprises and can be seen as a source of competitive. It becomes more and more difficult to find and bind skilled employees to businesses. The so-called war for talents has already begun. This war will increase in the future, intensified by emigration of high qualified employees which reflects the demographic change seen by western cultures (see Stotz, Wedel-Klein, 2016, p. 1f.).
Enterprises have to face this war by developing a strategy to find and bind employees that fit the company. Steps have to be taken to ensure that the organisation is the preferred employer for potential candidates who reflect the values of the enterprise (see Brast, 2017, p. 36). Only then can they differentiate themselves on the market and become the employer of choice. To differentiate on the market, a brand can be used focussing on (potential) employees. The so-called employer brand transmits a positive image of themselves to potential candidates and thus becomes an employer of choice (see Kanning, 2017, p. 132).
There is emerging evidence that an effective CSR management has an impact on motivating, retaining and developing employees. Employers taking responsibility have high employee retention and satisfaction (see Loew, Clausen, 2010, p. 21). Moreover, they are more successful in recruiting new employees (see Bolla, 2016, p. 47).
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces the increasing importance of CSR and human capital in enterprises, defines the problem of the "war for talents," and establishes the aim of the thesis.
2. Background and Theory – CSR: This chapter provides a foundational overview of CSR, including its definition, evolution, the process of integrating it into enterprises, and critical success factors.
3. Employer Branding: This chapter focuses on the concept of employer branding, defining the employer brand, its functions, and the strategic process of implementing employer branding.
4. CSR and Employer Branding: This chapter connects the two main concepts by reviewing current research on how CSR influences employee attraction and retention, and by introducing the sustainable brand approach.
5. Interim Conclusion: Research Question and Aim of the Study: This chapter synthesizes the theoretical findings to refine the research question and define the sub-questions that guide the empirical study.
6. Methodology: This chapter details the research design, including the operationalization of CSR criteria, the use of ERG-theory for ranking, and the design and implementation of the online questionnaire.
7. Empirical Results: This chapter presents the data gathered from the survey, analyzed according to demographics, categories, age, work experience, gender, and ERG-theory.
8. Discussion: This chapter interprets the empirical results, answers the research questions, and provides practical implications for employers along with limitations of the study.
9. Summary: This chapter concludes the thesis by summarizing the main findings regarding the role of CSR in employer branding.
Keywords
Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR, Employer Branding, Employer Brand, Human Capital, War for Talents, Sustainable Development, Stakeholder Approach, ERG-Theory, Employer Attractiveness, Employee Retention, Recruitment, Shared Value, Sustainability Management, Employee Satisfaction.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this master thesis?
The thesis explores the integration of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) into employer branding strategies to help companies attract and retain skilled employees in an increasingly competitive labor market.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
The work covers theoretical frameworks of CSR and employer branding, their intersection, methodologies for measuring CSR impacts on job seekers, and empirical findings regarding employee preferences.
What is the central research question?
The research seeks to answer: "What role does CSR have in choosing an employer, and how can it be used for employer branding?"
Which scientific methodology is employed?
The study uses a quantitative approach, utilizing a self-administered, internet-mediated questionnaire to gather primary data from students at the FOM University of Applied Sciences for Economics and Management.
What does the main part of the thesis cover?
The main part encompasses a literature review on CSR and employer branding, the methodology and design of the study, and an extensive analysis of empirical results categorized by demographics and motivational needs.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include Corporate Social Responsibility, Employer Branding, Human Capital, War for Talents, and Sustainable Development.
How does the ERG-theory influence the results of this study?
The ERG-theory (Existence, Relatedness, Growth) is used to cluster and rank CSR criteria based on different human needs, allowing for a deeper understanding of what motivates potential employees.
What is the significance of the empirical results for employers?
The results provide actionable insights for employers, suggesting that they should prioritize employee-related CSR policies (e.g., fair pay, work-life balance) to significantly enhance their employer attractiveness.
What conclusion does the author draw regarding age and work experience?
The study finds that the importance of specific CSR aspects varies with age and professional experience; for instance, older employees and those with more work experience tend to value health and safety aspects more highly than younger candidates.
Does this work offer practical advice for Human Resource departments?
Yes, the thesis suggests that HR departments should align their employer value proposition (EVP) with CSR initiatives and ensure that these are authentically and transparently communicated to target groups.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Christin Wessels (Autor:in), 2018, Corporate Social Responsibility and its Potential Role for Employer Branding. An Empirical Study, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/442184
