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The Importance of Customer Expectations: An Analysis of CSR in Container Shipping

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  • Lijun Tang

    (University of Plymouth)

  • Victor Gekara

    (RMIT University)

Abstract

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has been increasingly embraced by corporations to demonstrate effort to reduce negative environmental and social externalities resulting from their business activities. CSR covers a wide range of issues, including environmental concerns, occupational health and safety, local community social-economic welfare and workers’ rights and welfare issues. Through a detailed content analysis of the CSR-related documents on the websites of the top container shipping companies in the world, this paper examines CSR adoption in the container shipping business. The analysis reveals that while institutional pressure plays an important role, shipping companies are more sensitive to market demands and their focus on CSR elements is selective depending on anticipated customer expectations.

Suggested Citation

  • Lijun Tang & Victor Gekara, 2020. "The Importance of Customer Expectations: An Analysis of CSR in Container Shipping," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 165(3), pages 383-393, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:165:y:2020:i:3:d:10.1007_s10551-018-4062-4
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-018-4062-4
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Egle Jakunskiene, 2021. "Assessment of the Impact of Social Responsibility on Poverty," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-19, August.
    3. Xue, Yuemei & Lai, Kee-hung, 2023. "Responsible shipping for sustainable development: Adoption and performance value," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 89-99.
    4. Zhang, Dengjun & Xie, Yifan, 2022. "Customer environmental concerns and profit margin: Evidence from manufacturing firms," Journal of Economics and Business, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    5. Natalia Wagner & Bogusz Wiśnicki, 2022. "The Importance of Emerging Technologies to the Increasing of Corporate Sustainability in Shipping Companies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-20, September.
    6. Zeeshan Raza & Johan Woxenius, 2023. "Customer‐driven sustainable business practices and their relationships with environmental and business performance—Insights from the European shipping industry," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(8), pages 6138-6153, December.
    7. Arthur J. Lin & Hai-Yen Chang & Brian Hung, 2022. "Identifying Key Financial, Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG), Bond, and COVID-19 Factors Affecting Global Shipping Companies—A Hybrid Multiple-Criteria Decision-Making Method," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-29, April.
    8. Amandine Godet & George Panagakos & Michael Bruhn Barfod, 2021. "Voluntary Reporting in Decarbonizing Container Shipping: The Clean Cargo Case," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-18, July.
    9. Jason Monios, 2023. "The Moral Limits of Market-Based Mechanisms: An Application to the International Maritime Sector," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 187(2), pages 283-299, October.
    10. Saridakis, Charalampos & Angelidou, Sofia & Woodside, Arch G., 2023. "How historical and social aspirations reshape the relationship between corporate financial performance and corporate social responsibility," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).

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