IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v13y2021i17p9754-d625658.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Twalk Your Talk: On the (Non)-Formative Influence of Corporate Social Responsibility Communication on Supply Chain Sustainability Measures

Author

Listed:
  • Stephan Blaha

    (Department of Marketing & Supply Chain Management, Open Universiteit, 6401 DL Heerlen, The Netherlands)

  • Wim Lambrechts

    (Department of Marketing & Supply Chain Management, Open Universiteit, 6401 DL Heerlen, The Netherlands)

  • Jelle Mampaey

    (Department of Marketing & Supply Chain Management, Open Universiteit, 6401 DL Heerlen, The Netherlands)

Abstract

Corporate Social Responsibility has multiple faces that contradict each other. On the one hand there is the communication of great aspirations and ambitions. On the other hand, there is the unruly practice that complicates living up to those ambitions. These contradictions are, without being exhaustive, caused by a focus on economic performance, organizational behavior, adherence to leading supply chain paradigms, and reputation management. In general, corporate communication about social responsibility is perceived as hypocritical. This research looks at how these communications initiate sustainability measures in the distribution and supply chain functions of a large multinational company. In a single embedded case study, data collection took place using semi-structured interviews complemented with document research. The empirical results show that the supply chain managers were positively critical of the communication about implemented sustainability measures and considered them as an invitation to act. However, they assessed the organization that surrounded them to be less lenient due to the different objectives of the various functions. The respondents diverged about which sustainability measures to apply and embed in the supply chain organization. It became clear that the knowledge base of the respondents was fragmented and incoherent. Reflecting on the research results, the role of top management seems crucial when it comes to coherent policy, knowledge development, and the prioritization of sustainability measures.

Suggested Citation

  • Stephan Blaha & Wim Lambrechts & Jelle Mampaey, 2021. "Twalk Your Talk: On the (Non)-Formative Influence of Corporate Social Responsibility Communication on Supply Chain Sustainability Measures," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-21, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:17:p:9754-:d:625658
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/17/9754/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/17/9754/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Rodrigo Lozano, 2015. "A Holistic Perspective on Corporate Sustainability Drivers," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 22(1), pages 32-44, January.
    2. Stefan Schaltegger & Dorli Harms & Sarah Elena Windolph & Jacob Hörisch, 2014. "Involving Corporate Functions: Who Contributes to Sustainable Development?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(5), pages 1-22, May.
    3. Catherine Le Roux & Marius Pretorius, 2016. "Conceptualizing the Limiting Issues Inhibiting Sustainability Embeddedness," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(4), pages 1-22, April.
    4. Jean-Pascal Gond & Valérie Swaen & Assâad El Akremi, 2011. "The Human Resources Contribution to Responsible Leadership: An Exploration of the CSR-HR Interface," Post-Print halshs-00738192, HAL.
    5. Riikkinen, Rilana & Kauppi, Katri & Salmi, Asta, 2017. "Learning Sustainability? Absorptive capacities as drivers of sustainability in MNCs’ purchasing," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 26(6), pages 1075-1087.
    6. Wojciech Piotrowicz & Richard Cuthbertson, 2015. "Performance measurement and metrics in supply chains: an exploratory study," International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 64(8), pages 1068-1091, November.
    7. Jean-Pascal Gond & Jacques Igalens & Valérie Swaen & Assâad El Akremi, 2011. "The Human Resources Contribution to Responsible Leadership: An Exploration of the CSR–HR Interface," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 98(1), pages 115-132, January.
    8. Andrew S. Mitchell & Mark Lemon & Wim Lambrechts, 2020. "Learning from the Anthropocene: Adaptive Epistemology and Complexity in Strategic Managerial Thinking," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-16, May.
    9. Andrew Crane & Sarah Glozer, 2016. "Researching Corporate Social Responsibility Communication: Themes, Opportunities and Challenges," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 53(7), pages 1223-1252, November.
    10. Christian Geisler Asmussen & Andrea Fosfuri, 2019. "Orchestrating corporate social responsibility in the multinational enterprise," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(6), pages 894-916, June.
    11. Diane-Laure Arjaliès & Julia Mundy, 2013. "The use of management control systems to manage CSR strategy: A levers of control perspective," Post-Print hal-00980329, HAL.
    12. Sadaat Ali Yawar & Stefan Seuring, 2017. "Management of Social Issues in Supply Chains: A Literature Review Exploring Social Issues, Actions and Performance Outcomes," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 141(3), pages 621-643, March.
    13. Ole Thyssen, 2009. "Business Ethics and Organizational Values," Palgrave Macmillan Books, Palgrave Macmillan, number 978-0-230-25093-2, February.
    14. J.P. Gond & J. Igalens & V. Swaen & A. El Akremi, 2011. "The human resources contribution to responsible leadership : an exploration of the CSR-HR interface," Post-Print hal-00798471, HAL.
    15. Madeleine Feder & Barbara E. Weißenberger, 2019. "Understanding the behavioral gap: Why would managers (not) engage in CSR-related activities?," Journal of Management Control: Zeitschrift für Planung und Unternehmenssteuerung, Springer, vol. 30(1), pages 95-126, April.
    16. Christopher Wickert & Andreas Georg Scherer & Laura J. Spence, 2016. "Walking and Talking Corporate Social Responsibility: Implications of Firm Size and Organizational Cost," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 53(7), pages 1169-1196, November.
    17. Joost de Haan-Hoek & Wim Lambrechts & Janjaap Semeijn & Marjolein C. J. Caniëls, 2020. "Levers of Control for Supply Chain Sustainability: Control and Governance Mechanisms in a Cross-Boundary Setting," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-22, April.
    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. Gregorio Sánchez-Marín & Gabriel Lozano-Reina & Mané Beglaryan, 2022. "HRM Policies and SMEs Performance: The Moderating Role of CSR Orientation," Central European Business Review, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2022(1), pages 85-110.
    2. Sandra Castro-González & Belén Bande & Pilar Fernández-Ferrín, 2019. "Responsible Leadership and Salespeople’s Creativity: The Mediating Effects of CSR Perceptions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-17, April.
    3. M. Guerci & Giovanni Radaelli & Elena Siletti & Stefano Cirella & A. Rami Shani, 2015. "The Impact of Human Resource Management Practices and Corporate Sustainability on Organizational Ethical Climates: An Employee Perspective," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 126(2), pages 325-342, January.
    4. Nagamani Subramanian & M. Suresh, 2022. "Social Sustainability Factors Influencing the Implementation of Sustainable HRM in Manufacturing SMEs," Humanistic Management Journal, Springer, vol. 7(3), pages 469-507, December.
    5. Christof Miska & Mark E. Mendenhall, 2018. "Responsible Leadership: A Mapping of Extant Research and Future Directions," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 148(1), pages 117-134, March.
    6. Edyta Bombiak & Anna Marciniuk-Kluska, 2019. "Socially Responsible Human Resource Management as a Concept of Fostering Sustainable Organization-Building: Experiences of Young Polish Companies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-28, February.
    7. Tommy Borglund & Magnus Frostenson & Sven Helin & Katarina Arbin, 2023. "The Professional Logic of Sustainability Managers: Finding Underlying Dynamics," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 182(1), pages 59-76, January.
    8. Sophie Lythreatis & Ahmed Mohammed Sayed Mostafa & Xiaojun Wang, 2019. "Participative Leadership and Organizational Identification in SMEs in the MENA Region: Testing the Roles of CSR Perceptions and Pride in Membership," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 156(3), pages 635-650, May.
    9. Jacqueline C. Wisler, 2018. "U.S. CEOs of SBUs in Luxury Goods Organizations: A Mixed Methods Comparison of Ethical Decision-Making Profiles," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 149(2), pages 443-518, May.
    10. Amrita Hari, 2017. "Who Gets to ‘Work Hard, Play Hard’? Gendering the Work–Life Balance Rhetoric in Canadian Tech Companies," Gender, Work and Organization, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(2), pages 99-114, March.
    11. Harsha Sarvaiya & Gabriel Eweje & Jim Arrowsmith, 2018. "The Roles of HRM in CSR: Strategic Partnership or Operational Support?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 153(3), pages 825-837, December.
    12. Cheng, Ken & Wei, Feng & Lin, Yinghui, 2019. "The trickle-down effect of responsible leadership on unethical pro-organizational behavior: The moderating role of leader-follower value congruence," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 34-43.
    13. M. Mingione & G. Mattia & K. Podnar & L. Capranica, 2025. "Can I be a sportsperson and a worker? Analytics on athlete and coach dual careers," Journal of Marketing Analytics, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 13(2), pages 467-482, June.
    14. Mollie Painter & Sareh Pouryousefi & Sally Hibbert & Jo-Anna Russon, 2019. "Sharing Vocabularies: Towards Horizontal Alignment of Values-Driven Business Functions," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 155(4), pages 965-979, April.
    15. Olivier Meier & Philippe Naccache & Guillaume Schier, 2021. "Exploring the Curvature of the Relationship Between HRM–CSR and Corporate Financial Performance," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 170(4), pages 857-873, May.
    16. Christian Voegtlin & Michelle Greenwood, 2016. "Corporate social responsibility and human resource management: A systematic review and conceptual analysis," Post-Print hal-01481479, HAL.
    17. María Fernández-Muiños & Kevin Money & Anastasiya Saraeva & Irene Garnelo-Gomez & Luis Vázquez-Suárez, 2022. "Are the Sins of the Father the Sins of the Sons, but Not the Daughters? Exploring How Leadership Gender and Generation Impact the Corporate Social Responsibility of Franchise Firms," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-20, July.
    18. Ioannis E. Nikolaou, 2019. "A Framework to Explicate the Relationship Between CSER and Financial Performance: an Intellectual Capital-Based Approach and Knowledge-Based View of Firm," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 10(4), pages 1427-1446, December.
    19. María Isabel Saz-Gil & José Paulo Cosenza & Anabel Zardoya-Alegría & Ana I. Gil-Lacruz, 2020. "Exploring Corporate Social Responsibility under the Background of Sustainable Development Goals: A Proposal to Corporate Volunteering," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-21, June.
    20. Úbeda-García, Mercedes & Claver-Cortés, Enrique & Marco-Lajara, Bartolomé & Zaragoza-Sáez, Patrocinio, 2021. "Corporate social responsibility and firm performance in the hotel industry. The mediating role of green human resource management and environmental outcomes," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 57-69.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    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:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:17:p:9754-:d:625658. 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.