Executives' Values As Motives For Socially Responsible Management
Type
conference paper
Date Issued
2010-05-19
Author(s)
Abstract
Individual managers exert a significant influence over the adoption of Socially Responsible Management practices. Previous studies have shown that executives exercise managerial discretion when it comes to the choice of specific Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policies and programs. Our study analyzes the link between personal values and attitudes towards CSR among Swiss executives. Based on a survey of 152 top managers, this paper will map different CSR-orientations among executives, and then proceed to identify significant differences in the value sets underlying these attitudes. Our findings reveal that most managers adhere to a modern or socio-economic view of CSR, expecting that businesses can profit from CSR activities. Furthermore, our results show significant differences between the value sets of managers adhering to classical vs. non-classical views of CSR. Executives ascribing to modern or more altruistic CSR-orientations score consistently higher on other-regarding values. Thereby this study supports the notion that personal values are significant drivers of CSR choices by individual managers.
Language
English
Keywords
Corporate Social Responsibility
Sustainability
Business Ethics
HSG Classification
contribution to scientific community
Refereed
Yes
Book title
EURAM 2010: Back to the Future
Publisher
EURAM European Academy of Management
Publisher place
Brüssel
Start page
31
Event Title
10th Annual European Academy of Management Conference (EURAM) 2010
Event Location
Rom
Event Date
19.-22.05.2010
Subject(s)
Division(s)
Eprints ID
69941