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Business Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility in the Post-COVID Era

Author

Listed:
  • Tatiana Freze

    (Institute of Engineering and Environmental Security, Togliatti State University, Belorusskaya Str. 14, 445667 Togliatti, Russia)

  • Artem Korneev

    (Institute of Economics, Finance and Management, Togliatti State University, Belorusskaya Str. 14, 445667 Togliatti, Russia)

  • Raisa Krayneva

    (Department of Mass Communications and Media Business, Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, Leningradsky Prospekt 49, 125993 Moscow, Russia)

  • Tatiana Oruch

    (Department of Economics and Business, Volga Region State University of Service, Gagarina Str. 4, 445017 Togliatti, Russia)

  • Wadim Kandalov

    (Department of Digital Advertising Technologies, Moscow Technical University of Communications and Informatics, Aviamotornaya Str. 8a, 111024 Moscow, Russia)

  • Wadim Strielkowski

    (Department of Trade and Finance, Faculty of Economics and Management, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, Prague 6, 165 00 Prague, Czech Republic)

Abstract

Our paper focuses on the transformation of the concept of sustainable business leadership (especially regarding the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)) and corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the post-COVID-19 era. The COVID-19 pandemic is without question posing a generation-defining challenge for public health and the global economy. Moreover, the pandemic has revived some old and introduced many new threats that today’s business leaders will have to face in the years to come. Despite the fact that the COVID-19 crisis was a humanitarian tragedy that continues to ravage millions of lives, it can also be viewed as an excellent opportunity to restart sustainable economic development as well as to help our business and economy to shift towards real business corporate social responsibility and ethical decision-making (thanks to the reduction in carbon emissions as a result of reduced economic activity and travel, increasing investments into healthcare and education, or finding the new ways for working and learning, such as remote work and online education). Our paper examines the effect of small entrepreneurs’ perceptions of CSR on their daily business under the conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic. The paper features an empirical model that assesses the implementation of CSR practices and principles (social responsibility, environmental sustainability, or ecological governance) after the COVID-19 pandemic. The model investigates whether the factors internal to the company might influence the enhancement of the CSR principles. The model is based on our own data obtained from the 450 online questionnaire surveys conducted with managers of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the Czech Republic and the Russian Federation. The two countries in question have been selected due to their similarities and, at the same time, differences regarding their geopolitical orientation, pathways of economic transformation, and attitudes to sustainable development policies and embracing SDGs. Our results demonstrate that the business type, as well as the ownership structure, positively impacts the introduction of CSR and sustainable development principles in SMEs in question, while the company’s age has a negative impact. Our results might be of special importance for the stakeholders and business owners wishing to enhance CSR practices and promote sustainable economic development in their enterprises in the post-COVID era.

Suggested Citation

  • Tatiana Freze & Artem Korneev & Raisa Krayneva & Tatiana Oruch & Wadim Kandalov & Wadim Strielkowski, 2023. "Business Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility in the Post-COVID Era," Economies, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-16, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jecomi:v:11:y:2023:i:3:p:98-:d:1102509
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. William Hynes & Benjamin Trump & Patrick Love & Igor Linkov, 2020. "Bouncing forward: a resilience approach to dealing with COVID-19 and future systemic shocks," Environment Systems and Decisions, Springer, vol. 40(2), pages 174-184, June.
    2. Suparak Suriyankietkaew & Krittawit Krittayaruangroj & Nacharee Iamsawan, 2022. "Sustainable Leadership Practices and Competencies of SMEs for Sustainability and Resilience: A Community-Based Social Enterprise Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-36, May.
    3. Liangrong Zu, 2019. "Purpose-driven leadership for sustainable business: From the Perspective of Taoism," International Journal of Corporate Social Responsibility, Springer, vol. 4(1), pages 1-31, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Larisa Gorina & Marina Gordova & Irina Khristoforova & Lyudmila Sundeeva & Wadim Strielkowski, 2023. "Sustainable Education and Digitalization through the Prism of the COVID-19 Pandemic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-18, April.
    2. Wadim Strielkowski & Oxana Mukhoryanova & Oxana Kuznetsova & Yury Syrov, 2024. "Sustainable regional economic development and land use: a case of Russia," Papers 2404.12477, arXiv.org.
    3. Borcosi Corina Ana, 2024. "The Challenges Of Business Managers In The Digital Era. Categories Of Digital Managers," Annals - Economy Series, Constantin Brancusi University, Faculty of Economics, vol. 1, pages 178-185, February.
    4. Najib Bouzakhem & Panteha Farmanesh & Pouya Zargar & Muhieddine Ramadan & Hala Baydoun & Amira Daouk & Ali Mouazen, 2023. "Rebuilding the Workplace in the Post-Pandemic Age through Human Capital Development Programs: A Moderated Mediation Model," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-19, July.

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