Corporate Social Responsibility and NGO Activity in China and India: A Comparative Study of Corporate Website Reporting

Jones, Daniel F. (2009) Corporate Social Responsibility and NGO Activity in China and India: A Comparative Study of Corporate Website Reporting. [Dissertation (University of Nottingham only)] (Unpublished)

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Abstract

It is well recognised that CSR is not a uniformly homogenous concept. Rather, it varies between countries and supra-national regions. This work compares the salience and role of NGOs as agents for influencing the uptake and focus of CSR in China and India. Four hypotheses are addressed: i) Companies in India are more likely to engage with their stakeholders than are companies in China, ii) NGOs act as more salient stakeholders in India than in China, and thus are more capable of influencing CSR engagement, iii) Differences in the institutional environments cause different patterns of CSR to emerge in China and India, and iv) These institutional differences also define the difference in NGO salience.

Data was collected using a quantitative content analysis of fifty corporate websites from each of China and India. It was found that CSR does vary considerably between China and India, and this variance can be largely explained by the different institutional environments. Companies in India were found to be more likely to engage with their stakeholders, and to recognise a wider range of stakeholders than do companies in China. Also, NGOs were found to be more salient stakeholders in India than China. The work concludes that the differences in the institutional environments and NGO salience has lead to CSR being more systematic and institutionalised in India than in China, progressing beyond the traditional notion of corporate philanthropy. However, some evidence is found to suggest that NGOs are becoming more salient in China, and as more companies in China recognise NGOs as important stakeholders, it can be expected that similar advancement in CSR will follow.

Key Terms: Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR); Comparative; China; India; Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs).

Item Type: Dissertation (University of Nottingham only)
Keywords: Key Terms: Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR); Comparative; China; India; Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs).
Depositing User: EP, Services
Date Deposited: 06 Jul 2010 13:35
Last Modified: 28 Dec 2017 17:33
URI: https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/id/eprint/23275

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