IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/wly/corsem/v25y2018i5p853-865.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Improving CSR performance by hard and soft means: The role of organizational citizenship behaviours and the internalization of CSR standards

Author

Listed:
  • Francesco Testa
  • Olivier Boiral
  • Iñaki Heras‐Saizarbitoria

Abstract

This study analyzes ‘hard’ (i.e. formal structures) and ‘soft’ (i.e. values) determinants of corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance, such as the effectiveness of management systems for CSR and the role of managers' organizational citizenship behaviours. Based on a sample of 130 Italian organizations that adopted management systems according to an international standard, this study shows that CSR performance depends on employees' commitment and the internalization of formalized CSR practices. The study also underlines the role of managers' organizational citizenship behaviours and the importance of leading by example in the substantial implementation of CSR practices. The integrative model proposed in the paper provides an overall picture of both the ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ factors that can explain the effectiveness of CSR management standards. The paper also contributes to the literature on the internalization and key success factors of certifiable management standards. Managerial implications of the main findings and avenues for future research are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Francesco Testa & Olivier Boiral & Iñaki Heras‐Saizarbitoria, 2018. "Improving CSR performance by hard and soft means: The role of organizational citizenship behaviours and the internalization of CSR standards," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 25(5), pages 853-865, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:corsem:v:25:y:2018:i:5:p:853-865
    DOI: 10.1002/csr.1502
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/csr.1502
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1002/csr.1502?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Gilbert, Dirk Ulrich & Rasche, Andreas, 2007. "Discourse Ethics and Social Accountability: The Ethics of SA 8000," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 17(2), pages 187-216, April.
    2. Alan Muller & Ans Kolk, 2009. "CSR Performance in Emerging Markets Evidence from Mexico," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 85(2), pages 325-337, April.
    3. Ketty Kortelainen, 2008. "Global supply chains and social requirements: case studies of labour condition auditing in the People's Republic of China," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 17(7), pages 431-443, November.
    4. Diego Pérez‐López & Ana Moreno‐Romero & Ralf Barkemeyer, 2015. "Exploring the Relationship between Sustainability Reporting and Sustainability Management Practices," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(8), pages 720-734, December.
    5. Eric Lamm & Jennifer Tosti-Kharas & Cynthia King, 2015. "Empowering Employee Sustainability: Perceived Organizational Support Toward the Environment," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 128(1), pages 207-220, April.
    6. Armstrong, J. Scott & Overton, Terry S., 1977. "Estimating Nonresponse Bias in Mail Surveys," MPRA Paper 81694, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    7. Liangrong Zu & Lina Song, 2009. "Determinants of Managerial Values on Corporate Social Responsibility: Evidence from China," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 88(1), pages 105-117, April.
    8. Kerstin Lopatta & Reemda Jaeschke & Chen Chen, 2017. "Stakeholder Engagement and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Performance: International Evidence," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 24(3), pages 199-209, May.
    9. Olivier Boiral & David Talbot & Pascal Paillé, 2015. "Leading by Example: A Model of Organizational Citizenship Behavior for the Environment," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(6), pages 532-550, September.
    10. Rupert J. Baumgartner, 2014. "Managing Corporate Sustainability and CSR: A Conceptual Framework Combining Values, Strategies and Instruments Contributing to Sustainable Development," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 21(5), pages 258-271, September.
    11. Francesco Testa & Olivier Boiral & Fabio Iraldo, 2018. "Internalization of Environmental Practices and Institutional Complexity: Can Stakeholders Pressures Encourage Greenwashing?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 147(2), pages 287-307, January.
    12. Olivier Boiral & Pascal Paillé, 2012. "Organizational Citizenship Behaviour for the Environment: Measurement and Validation," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 109(4), pages 431-445, September.
    13. Sime Curkovic & Robert Sroufe, 2011. "Using ISO 14001 to promote a sustainable supply chain strategy," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 20(2), pages 71-93, February.
    14. Stigzelius, Ingrid & Mark-Herbert, Cecilia, 2009. "Tailoring corporate responsibility to suppliers: Managing SA8000 in Indian garment manufacturing," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 25(1), pages 46-56, March.
    15. Olivier Boiral & Yves Gendron, 2011. "Sustainable Development and Certification Practices: Lessons Learned and Prospects," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 20(5), pages 331-347, July.
    16. Ioannis Ioannou & George Serafeim, 2012. "What drives corporate social performance? The role of nation-level institutions," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 43(9), pages 834-864, December.
    17. Haitao Yin & Peter J. Schmeidler, 2009. "Why do standardized ISO 14001 environmental management systems lead to heterogeneous environmental outcomes?," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 18(7), pages 469-486, November.
    18. Henriques, Irene & Sadorsky, Perry, 1996. "The Determinants of an Environmentally Responsive Firm: An Empirical Approach," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 30(3), pages 381-395, May.
    19. Chi-Shiun Lai & Chih-Jen Chiu & Chin-Fang Yang & Da-Chang Pai, 2010. "The Effects of Corporate Social Responsibility on Brand Performance: The Mediating Effect of Industrial Brand Equity and Corporate Reputation," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 95(3), pages 457-469, September.
    20. Massimo Battaglia & Francesco Testa & Lara Bianchi & Fabio Iraldo & Marco Frey, 2014. "Corporate Social Responsibility and Competitiveness within SMEs of the Fashion Industry: Evidence from Italy and France," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(2), pages 1-22, February.
    21. S. Duane Hansen & Benjamin B. Dunford & Bradley J. Alge & Christine L. Jackson, 2016. "Corporate Social Responsibility, Ethical Leadership, and Trust Propensity: A Multi-Experience Model of Perceived Ethical Climate," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 137(4), pages 649-662, September.
    22. Laura Schons & Maria Steinmeier, 2016. "Walk the Talk? How Symbolic and Substantive CSR Actions Affect Firm Performance Depending on Stakeholder Proximity," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 23(6), pages 358-372, November.
    23. Sartor, Marco & Orzes, Guido & Di Mauro, Carmela & Ebrahimpour, Maling & Nassimbeni, Guido, 2016. "The SA8000 social certification standard: Literature review and theory-based research agenda," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 175(C), pages 164-181.
    24. El Ghoul, Sadok & Guedhami, Omrane & Wang, He & Kwok, Chuck C.Y., 2016. "Family control and corporate social responsibility," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 131-146.
    25. Massimo Battaglia & Lara Bianchi & Marco Frey & Fabio Iraldo, 2010. "An innovative model to promote CSR among SMEs operating in industrial clusters: evidence from an EU project," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 17(3), pages 133-141, May.
    26. Iatridis, Konstantinos & Kuznetsov, Andrei & Whyman, Philip B., 2016. "SMEs and Certified Management Standards: The Effect of Motives and Timing on Implementation and Commitment," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 26(1), pages 67-94, January.
    27. Olivier Boiral, 2007. "Corporate Greening Through ISO 14001: A Rational Myth?," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 18(1), pages 127-146, February.
    28. Fuller, Christie M. & Simmering, Marcia J. & Atinc, Guclu & Atinc, Yasemin & Babin, Barry J., 2016. "Common methods variance detection in business research," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(8), pages 3192-3198.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Francesco Testa & Niccolò Todaro & Natalia Marzia Gusmerotti & Marco Frey, 2020. "Embedding corporate sustainability: An empirical analysis of the antecedents of organization citizenship behavior," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 27(3), pages 1198-1212, May.
    2. Cristian Carini & Laura Rocca & Monica Veneziani & Claudio Teodori, 2021. "Sustainability regulation and global corporate citizenship: A lesson (already) learned?," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 28(1), pages 116-126, January.
    3. Naveed Ahmad Faraz & Fawad Ahmed & Zhengde Xiong, 2024. "How firms leverage corporate environmental strategy to nurture green behavior: Role of multi‐level environmentally responsible leadership," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(1), pages 243-259, January.
    4. Guia Bianchi & Francesco Testa & Sara Tessitore & Fabio Iraldo, 2022. "How to embed environmental sustainability: The role of dynamic capabilities and managerial approaches in a life cycle management perspective," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(1), pages 312-325, January.
    5. Bilal Afsar & Basheer Al‐Ghazali & Waheed Umrani, 2020. "Retracted: Corporate social responsibility, work meaningfulness, and employee engagement: The joint moderating effects of incremental moral belief and moral identity centrality," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 27(3), pages 1264-1278, May.
    6. Winston Jerónimo Silvestre & Ana Fonseca, 2020. "Integrative Sustainable Intelligence: A holistic model to integrate corporate sustainability strategies," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 27(4), pages 1578-1590, July.
    7. Iñaki Heras‐Saizarbitoria & Laida Urbieta & Olivier Boiral, 2022. "Organizations' engagement with sustainable development goals: From cherry‐picking to SDG‐washing?," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(2), pages 316-328, March.
    8. Md. Abdul Kaium Masud & Md. Harun Ur Rashid & Tehmina Khan & Seong Mi Bae & Jong Dae Kim, 2019. "Organizational Strategy and Corporate Social Responsibility: The Mediating Effect of Triple Bottom Line," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(22), pages 1-18, November.
    9. Lucian Ispas & Costel Mironeasa, 2022. "The Identification of Common Models Applied for the Integration of Management Systems: A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-16, March.
    10. Said Id Bouichou & Lei Wang & Hafiz Muhammad Basit Feroz, 2022. "How corporate social responsibility perceptions affect employees’ positive behavior in the hospitality industry: moderating role of responsible leadership," International Review on Public and Nonprofit Marketing, Springer;International Association of Public and Non-Profit Marketing, vol. 19(2), pages 413-446, June.
    11. Irene Marcuzzi & Matteo Podrecca & Marco Sartor & Guido Nassimbeni, 2023. "Out of social accountability: Reasons and alternative paths for SA8000 decertification," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(6), pages 3140-3158, November.
    12. Mark Anthony Camilleri & Ciro Troise & Serena Strazzullo & Stefano Bresciani, 2023. "Creating shared value through open innovation approaches: Opportunities and challenges for corporate sustainability," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(7), pages 4485-4502, November.
    13. Choi, Hyoung-Yong & Park, Junyoung, 2022. "Do data-driven CSR initiatives improve CSR performance? The importance of big data analytics capability," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 182(C).
    14. Iñaki Heras‐Saizarbitoria & Olivier Boiral & Alberto Díaz de Junguitu, 2020. "Environmental management certification and environmental performance: Greening or greenwashing?," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(6), pages 2829-2841, September.
    15. Rafał Kowalczyk & Wioleta Kucharska, 2020. "Corporate social responsibility practices incomes and outcomes: Stakeholders' pressure, culture, employee commitment, corporate reputation, and brand performance. A Polish–German cross‐country study," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 27(2), pages 595-615, March.
    16. Ngoc Khuong Mai & Khoa Truong An Nguyen & Thanh Tung Do & Long Nhat Phan, 2023. "Corporate Social Responsibility Strategy Practices, Employee Commitment, Reputation as Sources of Competitive Advantage," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(4), pages 21582440231, December.
    17. Luca Marrucci & Tiberio Daddi, 2022. "The contribution of the Eco‐Management and Audit Scheme to the environmental performance of manufacturing organisations," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(4), pages 1347-1357, May.
    18. Natalia Marzia Gusmerotti & Francesco Testa & Margherita Macellari & Marco Frey, 2020. "Corporate social responsibility embeddedness through a social network analysis: The case of an Italian multiutility company," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 27(2), pages 455-469, March.
    19. Niccolò Maria Todaro & Francesco Testa & Natalia Marzia Gusmerotti, 2022. "Drivers of employees' proactiveness for sustainability embeddedness: Examining situation‐related antecedents of information exchange," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(5), pages 1919-1937, July.
    20. Xiaodong Li & Xiaojiang Gao‐Zeller & Tracey E. Rizzuto & Fan Yang, 2019. "Institutional pressures on corporate social responsibility strategy in construction corporations: The role of internal motivations," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 26(4), pages 721-740, July.

    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. Olivier Boiral & Iñaki Heras‐Saizarbitoria & Francesco Testa, 2017. "SA8000 as CSR‐Washing? The Role of Stakeholder Pressures," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 24(1), pages 57-70, January.
    2. Yogesh Bhatt & Karminder Ghuman, 2023. "Corporate environmental responsiveness: a bibliometric and content analysis," Management Review Quarterly, Springer, vol. 73(3), pages 1303-1350, September.
    3. David G Hyatt & Nicholas Berente, 2017. "Substantive or Symbolic Environmental Strategies? Effects of External and Internal Normative Stakeholder Pressures," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(8), pages 1212-1234, December.
    4. Olivier Boiral & Nicolas Raineri & David Talbot, 2018. "Managers’ Citizenship Behaviors for the Environment: A Developmental Perspective," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 149(2), pages 395-409, May.
    5. Francesco Testa & Niccolò Todaro & Natalia Marzia Gusmerotti & Marco Frey, 2020. "Embedding corporate sustainability: An empirical analysis of the antecedents of organization citizenship behavior," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 27(3), pages 1198-1212, May.
    6. Jajja, Muhammad Shakeel Sadiq & Asif, Muhammad & Montabon, Frank & Chatha, Kamran Ali, 2020. "The indirect effect of social responsibility standards on organizational performance in apparel supply chains: A developing country perspective," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).
    7. Luca Marrucci & Tiberio Daddi & Fabio Iraldo, 2022. "Do dynamic capabilities matter? A study on environmental performance and the circular economy in European certified organisations," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(6), pages 2641-2657, September.
    8. Elisabet Garrido & Consuelo González & Raquel Orcos, 2020. "ISO 14001 and CO2 emissions: An analysis of the contingent role of country features," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(2), pages 698-710, February.
    9. Anette von Ahsen, 2014. "The Integration of Quality, Environmental and Health and Safety Management by Car Manufacturers – a Long‐Term Empirical Study," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 23(6), pages 395-416, September.
    10. repec:eco:journ2:2017-04-19 is not listed on IDEAS
    11. Pablo Arocena & Raquel Orcos & Fedaous Zouaghi, 2021. "The impact of ISO 14001 on firm environmental and economic performance: The moderating role of size and environmental awareness," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(2), pages 955-967, February.
    12. Olivier Boiral & Iñaki Heras‐Saizarbitoria & Marie‐Christine Brotherton, 2019. "Improving corporate biodiversity management through employee involvement," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(5), pages 688-698, July.
    13. Sartor, Marco & Orzes, Guido & Di Mauro, Carmela & Ebrahimpour, Maling & Nassimbeni, Guido, 2016. "The SA8000 social certification standard: Literature review and theory-based research agenda," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 175(C), pages 164-181.
    14. Lixiang Wang & Weian Li & Lujun Qi, 2020. "Stakeholder Pressures and Corporate Environmental Strategies: A Meta-Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-16, February.
    15. Gustavo Lannelongue & Oscar Gonzalez-Benito & Javier Gonzalez-Benito, 2014. "Environmental Motivations: The Pathway to Complete Environmental Management," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 124(1), pages 135-147, September.
    16. Mark Anthony Camilleri, 2022. "The rationale for ISO 14001 certification: A systematic review and a cost–benefit analysis," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(4), pages 1067-1083, July.
    17. Alberto Díaz de Junguitu & Erlantz Allur, 2019. "The Adoption of Environmental Management Systems Based on ISO 14001, EMAS, and Alternative Models for SMEs: A Qualitative Empirical Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(24), pages 1-17, December.
    18. Richard W. Carney & Sadok El Ghoul & Omrane Guedhami & Jane W. Lu & He Wang, 2022. "Political corporate social responsibility: The role of deliberative capacity," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 53(8), pages 1766-1784, October.
    19. Rudra Rameshwar & Raiswa Saha & Shamindra Nath Sanyal, 2020. "Strategic corporate social responsibility, capabilities, and opportunities: Empirical substantiation and futuristic implications," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 27(6), pages 2816-2830, November.
    20. Olivier Boiral & David Talbot & Pascal Paillé, 2015. "Leading by Example: A Model of Organizational Citizenship Behavior for the Environment," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(6), pages 532-550, September.
    21. Chourou, Lamia & Grira, Jocelyn & Saadi, Samir, 2021. "Does empathy matter in corporate social responsibility? Evidence from emerging markets," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 46(C).

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:wly:corsem:v:25:y:2018:i:5:p:853-865. 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: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://doi.org/10.1002/(ISSN)1535-3966 .

    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.