Corporate social responsibility: a cluster analysis of manufacturing firms in India
ISSN: 1747-1117
Article publication date: 7 March 2023
Issue publication date: 20 October 2023
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to identify the corporate social responsibility (CSR) patterns of Indian manufacturing firms using a CSR index based on ISO26000 and India’s National Voluntary CSR Guidelines.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 121 manufacturing enterprises in the national capital region (NCR) were surveyed. The questions related to the involvement of CSR in business strategy, involvement in CSR planning, involvement in environmental activities, involvement in social activities, monitoring, evaluation and involvement in CSR, reporting and policy and deployment of CSR. A two-step cluster analysis using log-likelihood measures was used to identify groupings in the data set based on their performance across the seven issues.
Findings
The two distinctive segments identified adopted intermediate CSR activities, and one undertook advanced CSR activities.
Research limitations/implications
This study has several limitations. First, the survey data were drawn exclusively from medium-sized enterprises in the NCR. Second, all the indicators in the CSR index were equally weighted.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to the literature by grouping manufacturers’ CSR activities based on seven dimensions suggested in ISO26000 and India’s National Voluntary Guidelines. The results of this study can help managers, boards and regulators better understand CSR and identify ways to improve it further.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The author expresses gratitude and appreciation for the valuable contributions of Dr Nichola Roberson in bringing the final version to completion.
The authors would like to acknowledge the efforts of Dr Nichola Roberson, Associate Professor, Deakin University, in finalising our manuscript.
Conflict of interest statement: The authors declare that there is no relevant financial or non-financial interest.
Data availability statement: The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author. The data are not publicly available due to (restrictions, e.g. their containing information that could compromise the privacy of research participants).
Funding for research: The current research received no grant from public, commercial or not-for-profit funding agencies.
Citation
Dawar, G., Polonsky, M.J. and Bhatia, S. (2023), "Corporate social responsibility: a cluster analysis of manufacturing firms in India", Social Responsibility Journal, Vol. 19 No. 9, pp. 1707-1727. https://doi.org/10.1108/SRJ-09-2022-0370
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited