IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v15y2018i9p2008-d169891.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Implementation Efficiency of Corporate Social Responsibility in the Construction Industry: A China Study

Author

Listed:
  • Xuetong Wang

    (School of Management, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China)

  • Wenyong Lai

    (School of Management, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China)

  • Xiangnan Song

    (School of Management, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China)

  • Chen Lu

    (School of Management, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China)

Abstract

Corporate social responsibility (CSR), as companies’ commitment to the sustainable development of the whole society, is an important approach for construction companies to respond to the emerging social and environmental issues. As the improvement of CSR efficiency leads to the reduction of CSR cost, CSR efficiency is becoming increasingly prominent for construction companies. In this research, the three-stage data envelopment analysis (DEA) model is adopted to analyze the CSR efficiency of Chinese construction companies in the period of 2012–2016. The findings of this research are as follows: (1) the efficiency of the Chinese construction companies in fulfilling CSR has not yet reached an optimal level; (2) the effect of institutional factors on CSR efficiency is complex and non-linear; and (3) the improvement of the CSR efficiency in the Chinese construction industry relies on both optimizing the institutional environment and enhancing the management capacity of CSR efficiency. These findings can not only provide empirical evidence for the government to formulate targeted policy-making regarding marketization to promote construction companies’ efficient commitment of CSR, but also provide construction company managers a valuable reference to benchmarking the CSR efficiency to help them find self-improvement ways to improve CSR efficiency performance.

Suggested Citation

  • Xuetong Wang & Wenyong Lai & Xiangnan Song & Chen Lu, 2018. "Implementation Efficiency of Corporate Social Responsibility in the Construction Industry: A China Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-21, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:15:y:2018:i:9:p:2008-:d:169891
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/15/9/2008/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/15/9/2008/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Wei Liu & Qiao Wei & Song-Qin Huang & Sang-Bing Tsai, 2017. "Doing Good Again? A Multilevel Institutional Perspective on Corporate Environmental Responsibility and Philanthropic Strategy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-15, October.
    2. Sihai Li & Xianzhong Song & Huiying Wu, 2015. "Political Connection, Ownership Structure, and Corporate Philanthropy in China: A Strategic-Political Perspective," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 129(2), pages 399-411, June.
    3. Zhou, Haibo & Yang, Yi & Chen, Yao & Zhu, Joe, 2018. "Data envelopment analysis application in sustainability: The origins, development and future directions," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 264(1), pages 1-16.
    4. Dayuan Li & Linna Xin & Xiaohong Chen & Shenggang Ren, 2017. "Corporate social responsibility, media attention and firm value: empirical research on Chinese manufacturing firms," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 51(4), pages 1563-1577, July.
    5. Carroll, Archie B., 1991. "The pyramid of corporate social responsibility: Toward the moral management of organizational stakeholders," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 34(4), pages 39-48.
    6. Weisheng Lu & Meng Ye & K.W. Chau & Roger Flanagan, 2018. "The paradoxical nexus between corporate social responsibility and sustainable financial performance: Evidence from the international construction business," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 25(5), pages 844-852, September.
    7. Friederike Schultz & Itziar Castelló & Mette Morsing, 2013. "The Construction of Corporate Social Responsibility in Network Societies: A Communication View," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 115(4), pages 681-692, July.
    8. Dariush Khezrimotlagh & Yao Chen, 2018. "Data Envelopment Analysis," International Series in Operations Research & Management Science, in: Decision Making and Performance Evaluation Using Data Envelopment Analysis, chapter 0, pages 217-234, Springer.
    9. Global Platform for Sustainable Cities, 2018. "Urban Sustainability Framework," World Bank Publications - Reports 29364, The World Bank Group.
    10. Meeusen, Wim & van den Broeck, Julien, 1977. "Efficiency Estimation from Cobb-Douglas Production Functions with Composed Error," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 18(2), pages 435-444, June.
    11. Andreas Kyriacou & Leonel Muinelo-Gallo & Oriol Roca-Sagalés, 2015. "Construction corrupts: empirical evidence from a panel of 42 countries," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 165(1), pages 123-145, October.
    12. Hao-Teng Cheng & Hsueh-Sheng Chang, 2018. "A Spatial DEA-Based Framework for Analyzing the Effectiveness of Disaster Risk Reduction Policy Implementation: A Case Study of Earthquake-Oriented Urban Renewal Policy in Yongkang, Taiwan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-18, May.
    13. Xiang Liu & Jia Liu, 2016. "Measurement of Low Carbon Economy Efficiency with a Three-Stage Data Envelopment Analysis: A Comparison of the Largest Twenty CO 2 Emitting Countries," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-14, November.
    14. Hsu, Fang-Ming & Hsueh, Chao-Chih, 2009. "Measuring relative efficiency of government-sponsored R&D projects: A three-stage approach," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 32(2), pages 178-186, May.
    15. Jie Wu, 2014. "The Antecedents of Corporate Social and Environmental Irresponsibility," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 21(5), pages 286-300, September.
    16. Dan Huang & Luxun Liu, 2014. "Micro-determinants of vertical integration: Evidence from China," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 31(2), pages 377-396, June.
    17. Li, Ke & Lin, Boqiang, 2016. "Impact of energy conservation policies on the green productivity in China’s manufacturing sector: Evidence from a three-stage DEA model," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 168(C), pages 351-363.
    18. Fu-Chiang Yang, 2017. "Integrating corporate social responsibility and profitability into best practice selection: the case of large Taiwanese firms," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 51(4), pages 1493-1512, July.
    19. Robert G. Chambers & Teresa Serra, 2018. "The social dimension of firm performance: a data envelopment approach," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 54(1), pages 189-206, February.
    20. Moon, Hana & Min, Daiki, 2017. "Assessing energy efficiency and the related policy implications for energy-intensive firms in Korea: DEA approach," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 133(C), pages 23-34.
    21. Harold Fried & Shelton Schmidt & Suthathip Yaisawarng, 1999. "Incorporating the Operating Environment Into a Nonparametric Measure of Technical Efficiency," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 12(3), pages 249-267, November.
    22. Maria Balatbat & Cho-yi Lin & David Carmichael, 2010. "Comparative performance of publicly listed construction companies: Australian evidence," Construction Management and Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 28(9), pages 919-932.
    23. H. Fried & C. Lovell & S. Schmidt & S. Yaisawarng, 2002. "Accounting for Environmental Effects and Statistical Noise in Data Envelopment Analysis," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 17(1), pages 157-174, January.
    24. Xiping Pan & Jinghua Sha & Hongliang Zhang & Wenlan Ke, 2014. "Relationship between Corporate Social Responsibility and Financial Performance in the Mineral Industry: Evidence from Chinese Mineral Firms," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(7), pages 1-25, June.
    25. Cai, Wei & Liu, Fei & Xie, Jun & Liu, Peiji & Tuo, Junbo, 2017. "A tool for assessing the energy demand and efficiency of machining systems: Energy benchmarking," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 138(C), pages 332-347.
    26. Jianglong Li & Zhi Li, 2018. "Understanding the role of economic transition in enlarging energy price elasticity," The Economics of Transition, The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, vol. 26(2), pages 253-281, April.
    27. Constantin Belu, 2009. "Ranking corporations based on sustainable and socially responsible practices. A data envelopment analysis (DEA) approach," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 17(4), pages 257-268.
    28. Yulia Muratova & Jakob Arnoldi & Xin Chen & Joachim Scholderer, 2018. "Political rotations and cross-province firm acquisitions in China," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 17(1), pages 37-58, February.
    29. R. D. Banker & A. Charnes & W. W. Cooper, 1984. "Some Models for Estimating Technical and Scale Inefficiencies in Data Envelopment Analysis," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 30(9), pages 1078-1092, September.
    30. Seiford, Lawrence M. & Zhu, Joe, 2002. "Modeling undesirable factors in efficiency evaluation," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 142(1), pages 16-20, October.
    31. Zhilong Tian & Rui Wang & Wen Yang, 2011. "Consumer Responses to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in China," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 101(2), pages 197-212, June.
    32. Aigner, Dennis & Lovell, C. A. Knox & Schmidt, Peter, 1977. "Formulation and estimation of stochastic frontier production function models," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 6(1), pages 21-37, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Kaffash, Sepideh & Azizi, Roza & Huang, Ying & Zhu, Joe, 2020. "A survey of data envelopment analysis applications in the insurance industry 1993–2018," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 284(3), pages 801-813.
    2. Xiang Liu & Jia Liu, 2016. "Measurement of Low Carbon Economy Efficiency with a Three-Stage Data Envelopment Analysis: A Comparison of the Largest Twenty CO 2 Emitting Countries," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-14, November.
    3. Avkiran, Necmi K. & Rowlands, Terry, 2008. "How to better identify the true managerial performance: State of the art using DEA," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 36(2), pages 317-324, April.
    4. Beniamina Margari & Fabrizio Erbetta & Carmelo Petraglia & Massimiliano Piacenza, 2007. "Regulatory and environmental effects on public transit efficiency: a mixed DEA-SFA approach," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 32(2), pages 131-151, October.
    5. Shih-Heng Yu, 2019. "Benchmarking and Performance Evaluation Towards the Sustainable Development of Regions in Taiwan: A Minimum Distance-Based Measure with Undesirable Outputs in Additive DEA," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 144(3), pages 1323-1348, August.
    6. Jie Wu & Ganggang Zhang & Qingyuan Zhu & Zhixiang Zhou, 2020. "An efficiency analysis of higher education institutions in China from a regional perspective considering the external environmental impact," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 122(1), pages 57-70, January.
    7. Mai, Nhat Chi, 2015. "Efficiency of the banking system in Vietnam under financial liberalization," OSF Preprints qsf6d, Center for Open Science.
    8. Zeng, Shihong & Jiang, Chunxia & Ma, Chen & Su, Bin, 2018. "Investment efficiency of the new energy industry in China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 536-544.
    9. Daraio, Cinzia & Kerstens, Kristiaan & Nepomuceno, Thyago & Sickles, Robin C., 2019. "Empirical Surveys of Frontier Applications: A Meta-Review," Working Papers 19-005, Rice University, Department of Economics.
    10. Shakila Aziz & Sheikh Morshed Jahan, 2023. "Eco-efficiency analysis of industrial sectors in Bangladesh using data envelopment analysis and malmquist productivity index," SN Business & Economics, Springer, vol. 3(2), pages 1-23, February.
    11. Simar, Leopold & Wilson, Paul W., 2007. "Estimation and inference in two-stage, semi-parametric models of production processes," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 136(1), pages 31-64, January.
    12. Quintano, Claudio & Mazzocchi, Paolo & Rocca, Antonella, 2021. "Evaluation of the eco-efficiency of territorial districts with seaport economic activities," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    13. Vaninsky, Alexander, 2010. "Prospective national and regional environmental performance: Boundary estimations using a combined data envelopment – stochastic frontier analysis approach," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 35(9), pages 3657-3665.
    14. Hsiang-Hsi Liu & Tser-Yieth Chen & Jia-Wen Chen, 2013. "Incorporating the Credit Ranking Measure to Evaluate the Operating Efficiency of Financial Holding Companies in Taiwan," Asian Economic and Financial Review, Asian Economic and Social Society, vol. 3(10), pages 1386-1404, October.
    15. Sickles, Robin C. & Song, Wonho & Zelenyuk, Valentin, 2018. "Econometric Analysis of Productivity: Theory and Implementation in R," Working Papers 18-008, Rice University, Department of Economics.
    16. Oliviero Carboni & Paolo Russu, 2015. "Assessing Regional Wellbeing in Italy: An Application of Malmquist–DEA and Self-organizing Map Neural Clustering," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 122(3), pages 677-700, July.
    17. Tavana, Madjid & Ebrahimnejad, Ali & Santos-Arteaga, Francisco J. & Mansourzadeh, Seyed Mehdi & Matin, Reza Kazemi, 2018. "A hybrid DEA-MOLP model for public school assessment and closure decision in the City of Philadelphia," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 70-89.
    18. Carla Henriques & Clara Viseu, 2022. "Are ERDFs Devoted to Boosting ICTs in SMEs Inefficient? A Three-Stage SBM Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-20, August.
    19. Abbas Mardani & Dalia Streimikiene & Tomas Balezentis & Muhamad Zameri Mat Saman & Khalil Md Nor & Seyed Meysam Khoshnava, 2018. "Data Envelopment Analysis in Energy and Environmental Economics: An Overview of the State-of-the-Art and Recent Development Trends," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(8), pages 1-21, August.
    20. Amer Ait Sidhoum & K Hervé Dakpo & Laure Latruffe, 2022. "Trade-offs between economic, environmental and social sustainability on farms using a latent class frontier efficiency model: Evidence for Spanish crop farms," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 17(1), pages 1-17, January.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:15:y:2018:i:9:p:2008-:d:169891. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.