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Corporate Social Responsibility in China: a Preferential Stakeholder Model and Effects

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  • Jiyao Xun

Abstract

Research interest in examining corporate social responsibility (CSR) in developing economies is on the rise; however, our knowledge of the role of government in CSR remains limited. The aim of this paper is therefore to bridge this gap with an investigation into the specific CSR strategies that global firms have developed in the world's largest emerging economy and a nominally communist country, namely China. Drawing on institutional theory and a relational governance perspective, we posit that rather than adopting a canonical holistic CSR stakeholder model as typically observed in Western countries, these firms adopt a preferential stakeholder model using government‐aimed and consumer‐aimed CSR strategically. Our empirical study sampled 17 global retailers operating in China, with a dataset compiled to include their CSR web announcement data and firm performance data. The results of partial least squares modelling suggest that only government‐aimed CSR plays a salient role in enhancing retailers' performance. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment

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  • Jiyao Xun, 2013. "Corporate Social Responsibility in China: a Preferential Stakeholder Model and Effects," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 22(7), pages 471-483, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:bstrat:v:22:y:2013:i:7:p:471-483
    DOI: 10.1002/bse.1757
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Khaled Mohammed Alqahtani & Pingping Song, 2016. "Corporate Social Responsibility of Chinese SMEs: Implementation and Challenges (Spoleczna odpowiedzialnosc chinskich MSP: wdrozenie, realizacja i wyzwania)," Research Reports, University of Warsaw, Faculty of Management, vol. 1(20), pages 65-79.
    2. Luger, Michaela & Hofer, Katharina Maria & Floh, Arne, 2022. "Support for corporate social responsibility among generation Y consumers in advanced versus emerging markets," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(2).
    3. Gabriel Eweje & Mina Sakaki, 2015. "CSR in Japanese Companies: Perspectives from Managers," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(7), pages 678-687, November.
    4. Huawei Tian, 2023. "Does consumer social responsibility augment corporate social responsibility: A reciprocal analysis of external stakeholder from stakeholder theory perspective," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(2), pages 968-978, March.
    5. Cao, June & Li, Wenwen & Bilokha, Alona, 2022. "Low-carbon city initiatives and analyst behaviour: A quasi-natural experiment," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    6. Jamali, Dima & Karam, Charlotte & Yin, Juelin & Soundararajan, Vivek, 2017. "CSR logics in developing countries: Translation, adaptation and stalled development," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 52(3), pages 343-359.
    7. Pisani, Niccolò & Kourula, Arno & Kolk, Ans & Meijer, Renske, 2017. "How global is international CSR research? Insights and recommendations from a systematic review," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 52(5), pages 591-614.
    8. Yue‐Jun Zhang & Wei Shi & Lin Jiang, 2020. "Does China's carbon emissions trading policy improve the technology innovation of relevant enterprises?," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(3), pages 872-885, March.
    9. Xiao Yan Zhou & Ben Caldecott & Andreas G. F. Hoepner & Yao Wang, 2022. "Bank green lending and credit risk: an empirical analysis of China's Green Credit Policy," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(4), pages 1623-1640, May.

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