A Comparative Analysis of Corporate Social Responsibility Awareness

Abstract

With CSR receiving increasing public attention in Asia, researchers have referred to the level of corporate social disclosure as an indicator of corporate social responsibility (CSR) development. The authors of this paper depart from the use of disclosure method and determine the CSR awareness level from the perspective of one important set of stakeholders-employees. They also study the characteristics of organisations that exhibit different levels of awareness. The authors compare employees' perception of CSR awareness levels in local organisations operating in Malaysia and Singapore. The results show a low level of awareness in both countries, although Singaporean companies tend to exhibit a relatively higher level of awareness. However, no significant differences in CSR awareness is detected when differences in company size and sector are accounted for. The findings suggest that emphasis on CSR education, particularly the impact on financial performance, is necessary in both countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]