National culture and corporate social responsibility

Abstract

Objective – To determine whether national cultural dimensions influence a company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CRS) performance. Theoretical Framework-Hofstede’s cultural dimensions and Stakeholder Theory were used as theoretical bases for the study. Methodology – The study uses the multiple linear regression method to analyze data from a sample of 4,598 companies from 41 countries. The data were collected from the CSRHub, Geert Hofstede, Transparency International, and Thomson Reuters websites. Results – The findings indicate a country’s cultural dimensions influence business CRS activities. More specifically, companies based in countries with cultures that feature (i) a high power distance, (ii) high individualism, (iii) more femininity, (iv) low uncertainty avoidance, and (v) a long-term orientation exhibit higher CRS performance. Practical & Social Implications of the Research – Prior knowledge of expected CRS engagement according to the country’s culture could contribute to formulating corporate strategies to expand a company’s activities to countries other than the one of its origin. This would ensure stakeholders’ expectations are met and improve competitiveness in the domestic market. Contributions – The culture of a country may determine whether stakeholders are interested in CRS practices.