Presentation
The Influence of Cultural Norms on Firms' CSR Behavior
Academy of Management Proceedings
(2014)
Abstract
Researchers have noted that the societal context within which the firm is embedded plays a key role in determining its CSR choices, by imposing systematic institutional pressures that influence the firm’s need for legitimization. While much attention has been paid to regulatory and stakeholder pressures, less attention has been afforded to the cultural influences driving firms’ CSR behavior and in particular which cultural influences. To address this concern, we present a model stressing the effects of cultural norms on the societal expectation of firms’ CSR behavior. We argue that when firms behave in line with cultural expectations with respect to their CSR activities, they will be perceived by societal actors as legitimate members of that society. By examining the effect of seven cultural dimensions on a unique database of firms’ CSR activities in the global garment industry, we demonstrate that not only does culture have a strong affect on the decision to engage in CSR, but that different cultural dimensions have varying impact on this decision. This research contributes to a number of literatures, including those of international business and strategy, by highlighting the critical role of culture in influencing a firm’s strategic behavior.
Keywords
- corporate social responsibility,
- Cultural Normas,
- Institutional Theory
Disciplines
Publication Date
2014
Citation Information
Susan L Young and Makhija V Mona. "The Influence of Cultural Norms on Firms' CSR Behavior" Academy of Management Proceedings (2014) Available at: http://works.bepress.com/susan-young/36/