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Time to
Involve
Employee Involvement in CSR Activities -
A Qualitative Study Investigating Contributors to
Involvement in CSR among Employees
BACHELOR THESIS WITHIN: Business Administration N NUMBER OF CREDITS: 15 hp
R PROGRAM OF STUDY: Sustainable Enterprise Development and Marketing Management A TUTOR: Ellen Brengesjö and Eveline Eskengren
T AUTOR:Michal Zawadzki
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Ellen Brengesjö
Acknowledgements
There are many people we would like to thank for the support and contribution which enabled this research. First, we wish to send a warm thank you to our tutor, Michal Zawadzki, for his constructive feedback and provision of direction throughout this process. We would also like to show special gratitude to our participants for the sharing of valuable time and interesting reflections upon which relevant insights could be drawn. Alongside our participants, we are also thankful for the hosting companies for allowing employees to participate in our study despite the troubled circumstances of Covid-19. Additionally, we would like to thank Jenny Jacobson for introducing us to the members of CSR Småland, as well as her sharing of inspiring ideas and encouragement. Finally, we are grateful to our friends and families for their support and for constantly cheering us on.
Thank you! Ellen & Eveline
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Bachelor Thesis in Business Administration
Title: Time to Involve
Authors: Ellen Brengesjö & Eveline Eskengren Tutor: Michal Zawadzki
Date: 18 May 2020
Key Terms: Corporate Social Responsibility, Employee Involvement, Employee Involvement in CSR, Internal Communication, Contributors to Employee Involvement
Abstract
Background: In recent years, the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has been widely studied. Scholars agree that employee involvement is crucial for successful implementation of CSR, however complexities exist as employee involvement in CSR is not always evident in organisations. While existing literature commonly address the importance of employee involvement, it seldomly devote attention to what factors affect this involvement and as such, does not focus of why certain factors are brought up. Moreover, as employees are key stakeholders in organisations, there is a need of including their voice to contribute with valuable insights to the field.
Purpose: The purpose of this study is first to examine what factors contribute to employee involvement in CSR activities, followed by the second aim of understanding why these factors are considered important with regard to employee involvement.
Method: As the nature of the study is qualitative, an interpretivist design is applied, with four companies acting as foundation for data. Primary data is collected through semi-structured interviews with the use of open-ended questions. A thematic approach is applied for analysing data.
Findings: The empirical findings reveal five factors contributing to employee involvement in CSR and why those factors are important. These are (1) Coordination, as it helps provide clear guidelines anchored in deeper purposes, (2) Conditions, since varying tools enable those guidelines to be implemented, (3) Communication, because it allows employees to learn and be updated regarding CSR, (4) Concretisation of actions, by making CSR visible and easier to apply, and finally, (5) Community, since it fosters the mindset of shared responsibility and solidarity. These findings are visually presented in Figure 2 - The 5C-Model for Employee Involvement in CSR.
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Table of Content
Tables ... vi 1 Introduction ... 1 1.1 Background ... 1 1.2 Problem Discussion ... 3 1.4 Purpose ... 4 1.5 Research Question ... 4 2 Frame of Reference ... 5 2.1 Process of Frame of Reference ... 5 2.2 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) ... 7 2.2.1 Internal & External CSR on Employee Involvement ... 8 2.3 Employee Involvement in Business ... 9 2.3.1 Enablers for Employee Involvement ... 10 2.4 Employee Involvement in CSR ... 10 2.4.1 Obstacles for Employee Engagement in CSR ... 11 2.5 Internal Communication ... 12 2.5.1 The Need for Effective Internal Communication ... 12 2.6 Summary of Frame of Reference ... 14 3 Methodology ... 15 3.1 Research Paradigm ... 15 3.2 Research Approach ... 15 3.3 Research Design ... 16 4 Method ... 17 4.1 Research Method ... 17 4.2 Data Collection ... 17 4.2.1 Selection of Companies ... 17 4.2.2 Selection of Interviewees ... 19 4.2.3 Semi-structured Interviews ... 19 4.3 Data Quality ... 21 4.3.1 Construct Validity ... 21 4.3.2 External Validity & Transferability ... 21 4.3.3 Reliability ... 21 4.4 Data Analysis ... 22 4.5 Credibility ... 23 4.6 Ethical Considerations ... 24 5 Empirical Findings ... 26 5.1 Company A ... 26v 5.1.1 The Company Story of CSR ... 26 5.1.2 Employee Involvement in CSR ... 28 5.1.3 Obstacles with CSR and Employee Involvement ... 29 5.2 Company B ... 29 5.2.1 The Company Story of CSR ... 30 5.2.2 Employee Involvement in CSR ... 31 5.2.3 Obstacles with CSR and Employee Involvement ... 31 5.3 Company C ... 32 5.3.1 The Company Story of CSR ... 33 5.3.2 Employee Involvement in CSR ... 33 5.3.3 Obstacles with Employee Involvement ... 34 5.4 Company D ... 35 5.4.1 The Company Story of CSR ... 36 5.4.2 Employee Involvement in CSR ... 37 5.4.3 Obstacles with Employee Involvement ... 38 6 Analysis ... 39 6.1 Coordination ... 39 6.2 Conditions ... 42 6.3 Communication ... 44 6.4 Concretisation ... 46 6.5 Community ... 48 6.6 Deriving the 5C-Model ... 50 7 Conclusion ... 52 8 Discussion ... 53 8.1 Theoretical Contributions ... 53 8.2 Managerial Implications ... 53 8.3 Limitations ... 53 8.4 Suggestions for Future Research ... 54 8 References ... 56 9 Appendix ... 61 9.1 Appendix 1. Summarise of Articles ... 61 9.2 Appendix 2. Interview Guides ... 61 9.3 Appendix 3 - Overview of Interviews ... 63 9.4 Appendix 4 - Example of Coding ... 64
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Figures
Figure 1. Steps of Thematic Analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006) ... 23
Figure 2. 5C-Model for Employee Involvement in CSR ... 51
Tables
Table 1. Table of Keywords ... 6Table 2. Overview of Search Parameters for Frame of Reference ... 7
Table 3. Example of Coding ... 23
Table 4. Overview of Companies ... 26
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1 Introduction
This chapter provides an overview of the study by introducing the research topic through background, problem discussion, purpose and finally, the research question.
1.1 Background
The business market is changing dramatically. In recent years, there has been a huge transformational shift from the traditional business aim of being profitable, to increased expectations of also focusing on environmental and social aspects. This implies for a more effective management of sustainability initiatives and policies within organisations (Biedenbach & Manzhynski, 2016). In parallel to this shift, the world of employment is facing a substantial change as well, as employees are increasingly questioning their meaning of work. More than ever, companies need to utilise and understand their employees varying capabilities, concerns and talents (Casey & Sieber, 2016). In the light of these two current transitions, it becomes highly relevant to study the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in relation to employee involvement as it allows for employees to contribute to a greater cause, thus, experience meaningfulness.
CSR has been a widely discussed term and researched field during the 21st century and a major focus for many scholars and practitioners (Aguinis & Glavas, 2012). Almost all large corporations are working with CSR to some extent (Glavas, 2016) with 93% of the world’s largest companies formally reporting CSR activities in 2017 (KPMG, 2017). The application of CSR can imply different things for different firms, but involves overlapping aspects such as business ethics, corporate citizenship and responsibility as well as corporate sustainability (Bolton, Kim & O’Gorman, 2011). The inclusion of all stakeholders has received increased attention in CSR literature. Already back in the 90’s, Clarkson (1995) and Wood and Jones (1995) applied the stakeholder approach to the strategic management of CSR, implying that the perspective of stakeholders is key to better understand CSR initiatives taken by firms.
Andrei (2014) argues that the inclusion of stakeholders becomes an important aspect when a firm wishes to enjoy and experience the benefits of CSR. In alignment, Bédnarik (2019) emphasises
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that employees have received particular attention in CSR literature in recent years. Existing literature on the topic reveal that the importance of including employees is manifold. To start, employees are considered as highly valuable to organisations as they execute and maintain the operations at the firm, hence, need to be well aware of what is going on in the organisation. This is important given the need of employees being updated, moreover, enhancing the feeling of being involved and included in the firm’s activities to maximise results of activities (Therkelsen & Fiebich, 2004). When employees are aware of the firm’s environmental and social impacts, it becomes easier to apply CSR to their individual daily operations and routines. Additionally, if involving employees in CSR, it holds the potential to positively affect both the business and the society at large as it contributes to sustainable development (Andrei, 2014). Although, benefits of involving employees in CSR can be extended further. Chen and Hung-Beasecke (2014) present several positive outcomes likely to occur when involving employees in CSR activities. First, it enables firms to develop strategies and initiatives closer linked to the firm’s organisational values since employees themselves can contribute with ideas and perspectives, rather than CSR being a pure response to external pressure. Second, it enhances the employee’s personal development through the practice of acting upon moral stance along with increased job satisfaction. Finally, it holds the potential to strengthen the bond between the employee and the firm, through enhanced identification with the organisation and increased emotional attachment.
As such, it is evident that existing literature makes it clear that employee involvement is an important aspect of CSR implementation. Further, studies carried out on the topic of CSR and employees often address issues related to effects of CSR on employee engagement (Chaudhary, 2017; Rupp et al., 2018) the correlation between employee involvement and perceived motivation (Casey & Sieber, 2016), or the effect of CSR involvement on job performance (Lin et al., 2010; Dhanesh, 2014). Despite the growing body on literature addressing CSR and employees, it tends to mainly focus on the outcomes of employee involvement. Consequently, literature lacks to make any valuable exploration of the factors generating employee involvement in CSR, and why certain strategies or factors are considered important. Therefore, this study contributes to existing theory by developing a model of employee involvement in CSR, by investigating what factors are important when involving employees and why these are brought into light. To narrow down the term “employee involvement”, this paper will use the definition of Freeman (2013), stating that involved employees are those who implement new initiatives, take ownership of them and actively participate in driving organisational change.
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1.2 Problem Discussion
As understood, employee involvement in CSR is important, however, certain complexities exist. Literature indicates that employees are not engaged in CSR activities, at least not to the full extent. Bednárik (2019) found that 78% of all businesses state the importance of CSR implementation, whereas only 42% apply it in practice. Even if these numbers can be seen as one issue in itself, the following fact is concerning; out of the 42% businesses applying CSR, 72% of employees state that they are not timely informed or aware of such activities.
The problem of employees not being included in CSR activities rests on several grounds. Imagine a company developing an extensive CSR plan at the managerial level, however, lacks to involve or inform employees about it. In such scenario, the firm might miss to reap out benefits that otherwise could appear (Du, Bhattacharya & Sen, 2010). Additionally, Glavas & Godwin (2013) explain that if employees are unaware and left out, trust issues occur along with reduced credibility towards management. Moreover, CSR might end up being too disconnected to the core values of firms if employees are not involved, which in turn undermines a successful CSR implementation (Chen & Hung-Beasecke, 2014). Literature presents some potential reasons for why employees are not invited or does not want to be part of the firm’s CSR activities. Kuhn & Deetz (2009) argue that one main reason is managers lacking skills to include employees in CSR processes given that they use old forms of communication methods. Instead of actively seeking genuine decisional input, managers try to evoke participation on the grounds of simply increasing loyalty or reducing resistance. Additionally, firms sometimes neglect employees as an important stakeholder. Instead of paying attention to the potential value employees bring, firms place more resources on analysing outside-in influence on the firm in terms of external stakeholders such as society or investors (Bolton et al., 2011).
It is evident there is a problem of employees not being fully involved in CSR operations. Even though existing literature focus on either addressing the importance of employee involvement or identifying reasons for why employees might not be involved, there are few studies focusing on what contributes to involvement in CSR. If not understanding these factors, it becomes difficult to overcome the issue of employees not being involved. However, it would not be enough to solely understand what factors contribute to involvement, but also why these factors are considered important to actually be able to apply those insights. Further, among the studies addressing
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employee involvement in CSR, few are based on insights gained from employees themselves. This is concerning, given that employees are key stakeholders in CSR activities, and therefore, holds valuable insights (Slack et al., 2015).
If returning to the fact that there is a transformational shift in the business market as well the employment world, it further supports the need to investigate what makes employees involved in CSR, and why, in order to better understand how to make employees more involved. Thus, meeting the trends of both business markets as well as employees’ needs and expectations. This study will therefore investigate these complexities, by not only consider the managerial side of employee involvement, but also raising the voice of employees. As such, the study is of high relevance as it contributes to fulfilling the gaps identified in literature and brings in new perspectives.
1.4 Purpose
The purpose of this study is explanatory, as it addresses a particular phenomenon by shining light on why it is perceived the way it is. The aim of the study is twofold. First, to examine what factors contribute to employee involvement in CSR, followed with the second aim of understanding why these factors are considered important. By understanding these complexities, the study results in valuable insights helping to understand how to enhance employee involvement in CSR.
1.5 Research Question
The following research question has been developed for the study to successfully meet its purpose:
1. What overarching factors contribute to employee involvement in CSR activities, and why are these factors considered important for involvement in CSR?
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2 Frame of Reference
This chapter provides an overview of previous research and literature related to the field of CSR. Firstly, it commences with a section explaining the process of frame of reference, followed by a review of existing literature on CSR and employee involvement.
2.1 Process of Frame of Reference
The following Frame of Reference is the result of a systematic review of research, where literature on the given topic has been identified, analysed and summarised using peer-reviewed articles. The use of peer-reviewed articles ensures high quality research with credible data (Collis and Hussey, 2014). The intention with the Frame of Reference is first, to bring the reader from the bigger picture to narrow topic. Second, to identify a research gap, which in turn enables the research to contribute with significant insights to the field. Third, it helps develop a detailed background contributing to a more comprehensive analysis.
This Frame of Reference is a critical review summarising research related to the research topic. A descriptive-analysis method was applied, meaning that the authors moved from one author’s idea to another’s. Consequently, a comprehensible analysis was conducted with the authors comparing perspectives by identifying similarities and differences between sources (Collis and Hussey, 2014). This method was chosen due to the belief it would result in gaps being easier to identify and explain for the reader, moreover, to provide an extensive background for the study. To gain an overview of the field, the authors initially searched through the data bases Primo and Google Scholar within the topic of CSR to identify common topics in CSR research. While skimming the articles, the authors identified employees as a common denominator. Consequently, the interest of understanding the relationship between CSR and employees appeared.
Upon collecting the initial assortment of literature in CSR and the role of employees, articles were again skimmed through to narrow down the selection to the most relevant ones. A five-year period was originally selected to gain the most updated knowledge and theories. However, the year span did not yield enough substantive data for research to be sufficient. Therefore, the majority of
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articles are published within a 10-year range. Nonetheless, four exceptions appear as the authors returned to some original sources found among references in the articles that were reviewed.
While reviewing literature, a keyword table was developed. The key concepts employee, involvement, and CSR were divided into synonyms, alternative spelling, and narrower/broader/related terms to increase the scope of relevant hits, explained in Table 1. The keywords were combined by using AND, OR, and NOT, to find relevant articles. Abstracts, conclusions and headings were red to easier discard articles laying too far from the chosen topic. From the relevant articles, key points were collected in a document, where comments and tables of the main findings, theories, and identified gaps were made. See Appendix 1.
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Table 2 acts as a final summary over the search parameters:
Table 2. Overview of Search Parameters for Frame of Reference
2.2 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
The number of businesses that have adopted modern strategies, policies and programs in relation to sustainability has grown rapidly recent years (Klettner, Clarke & Boersma, 2013). Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a concept firms adopt to consider all three aspects of sustainability; economic, environmental and social (Andrei, 2014). According to the ISO 26000:2010 international standard, CSR is defined as ”the responsibility of an organisation in relation to the impact of its decisions and activities on society and the environment, manifested through an ethical and transparent behaviour” (ISO, 26000:2010). Some scholars prefer using a simpler definition that builds on the concept of the Triple Bottom Line; a firm’s commitment to operate on economically, environmentally and socially sustainable grounds. For the remainder of this paper, “CSR” and “CSR activities/initiatives” will refer to specific organisational activities undertaken to show socially and environmentally conscious behaviour.
There is extensive research made in the field of CSR, with focus often placed on its effect on financial performance, its drivers and its effects on stakeholders (Klettner et al., 2013). One reason for the great amount of research being executed on the topic of CSR is because the complex, dynamic and challenging business environment existing today has resulted in a need of more efficient initiatives of future organisations, which makes the topic highly relevant and interesting to investigate (Nelu, 2014). In literature, CSR is often explained as an umbrella term, covering corporate citizenship, stakeholder theory, business ethics and corporate sustainability (Lin-Hi &
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Müller, 2013). Andrei (2014) argues that when implementing CSR, the vision and the core values of the enterprise should be changed to reflect its commitment to sustainability. This cannot be made through a simple, linear process, rather through a developing practice driven by a dynamic approach (Bolton et al., 2011).
The reason why firms choose to engage employees in CSR is because it brings several opportunities. Kuhn and Deetz (2009) present the benefits as many, such as increased employee commitment, enhanced coordination, and greater creativity at the workplace as more people collaborate. Bolton et al. (2011) also emphasise the importance of involving employees in CSR as it holds the potential of creating value in terms of affecting and influencing stakeholder behaviour. However, issues can arise when CSR becomes too disconnected to a corporation’s daily routines and operations as might be the case when it is only executed on higher levels in business. Bednárik (2019) therefore stresses the relevance of applying CSR in the entire organisation.
2.2.1 Internal & External CSR on Employee Involvement
In literature, CSR is distinguished by internal and external application. These two approaches are differentiated by the direction of implication; namely internal or external stakeholders. Internal CSR is most commonly referred to organisational policies and processes relating to the well-being of employees, on both psychological and physiological levels (Hameed, Riaz, Arain & Farooq, 2016). Gond et al. (2011) and Shen and Jiujua Zhu (2011) provide some examples of internal CSR, such as respecting human rights, the safety and general health of employees, balance between work and leisure and training of employees. Jia, Yan, Liu & Huang (2019) add to this explanation by stating that internal CSR comprises those actions taken by a firm to satisfy the expectations of employees, where the core idea is not to fulfil and seek corporate interests, but rather benefit employees. In contrast, external CSR refers to the responsibility taken towards local communities, natural environments and consumers (Jia et al., 2019). It could involve practices on the environmental and social level enhancing the firm’s legitimacy by strengthening the relationship and reputation with and among external stakeholders. Examples of concrete actions are corporate philanthropy, protection of wildlife and volunteerism (Hameed et al., 2016) as well as ensuring high-quality goods and services towards customers (Jia et al., 2019).
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Studied literature commonly uses these differences when discussing the impact of CSR on employees and their involvement. Jia et al. (2019) found that external CSR often influence employees positively in terms of enhanced pride towards the firm and employer. Internal CSR instead influence employees to engage further, by strengthening the feeling of having managerial support in in-house activities. Yoon and Chung (2018) expand the view of internal and external CSR by arguing that external initiatives are not always as effective and efficient as internal ones when wishing to enhance engagement and productivity in work activities. The reason, they claimed, is because internal CSR practices often contribute to a positive corporate culture, which increases motivation and commitment among employees.
2.3 Employee Involvement in Business
Studied literature indicates that the subject of employee involvement in business has received increased recognition and attention in the recent years. The reason being that employees are no longer viewed as solely passive cost centres (Shukla & Singh, 2014) but instead employee involvement has been shown to result in exceptional organisational performance (Qi, Wang, Swianievicz & Teles, 2018). In contrast to traditional thinking of employees as passive actors in an organisation, many scholars now focus on the benefits gained when employees are actively involved and empowered in various business activities (Shukla & Singh, 2014). Schaufeli, Salanova, Gonzáles-Romá and Bakker (2002) use the word dedication when talking about involved and engaged employees in business. The term dedication emphasises the feeling of being involved with a resulting sense of significance, inspiration and deeper meaning. Shukla and Singh (2014) add to the understanding of employee involvement by providing a simpler explanation of the concept. The authors state that the concept is used to demonstrate how power and authority are shared across people within an organisation, including those with both formal and informal authority.
Qi et al. (2018) identify some reasons for why employee involvement is necessary and beneficial for companies. It contributes to improved financial performance, firm productivity, and enhances service quality. Simultaneously, it decreases employee turnover as employees become more engaged in organisational procedures and therefore wish to remain longer in their workplace. Involvement processes enable employees to engage in and take part of key information. It further involves being part in various decision-making operations, which consequently provides
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employees with greater control over their individual tasks. Lin (2010) also identifies some important features of employee involvement. The author argues that internal integration of opinions is essential given that procedures always will be more important than results. Moreover, that employee involvement mirrors how management succeeds with respecting and considering multicultural values as they might differ. Lastly, the author argues that the employee is not solely an important stakeholder for the organisation, but also an element that contributes greatly to the proficiency and skilfulness of the firm.
2.3.1 Enablers for Employee Involvement
In a study of antecedents of employee involvement, Lin (2010) refers to four elements comprising employee involvement presented by Lawler back in 1986. These are (1) Power, which implies the distribution of power to make decisions, (2) Information, in terms of the transfer of knowledge and other relevant affairs communicated between various levels in organisations, (3) Knowledge, which concerns the technical and professional knowledge attained by employees and lastly, (4) Reward, explained as one fundamental component contributing to employee involvement which then reinforces the employee’s acquisition of the prior elements; power, information and knowledge. In alignment with the third element of knowledge, Eldor and Harpaz (2016) build their study on the concept of a “learning climate”, which they define as “the organisation’s beneficial activities in helping employees create, acquire, and transfer knowledge” (p. 215). The authors use this concept as a means for demonstrating the importance of knowledge sharing across employees in an organisation to foster employee involvement.
2.4 Employee Involvement in CSR
Employee involvement allows CSR to be part of the organisational core, rather than as a response to external pressure, by changing the culture and value at the company (Chen & Hung-Baesecke, 2014). Slack et al. (2015) argue the reason for engaging employees in CSR is based on the premises that employees are the ones carrying out the main burden of responsibility for implementing ethical behaviour in CSR operations, as they execute the CSR activities. Hence, they enact the social activities and policies in organisations. The authors expand this further by stating that employees are one of the most important stakeholders in CSR activities. In alignment with this, Koch, Bekmeier-Feuerhahn, Bögel and Adam (2019) state that employees, being key stakeholders, influence the firm’s CSR ambitions tremendously and that their involvement is crucial for
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successful implementation. Moreover, it is important that employees are aware of the environmental impacts of their organisation, both actual and potential impact, as their daily decisions also have an environmental impact (Andrei, 2014).
The studied literature emphasises the positive correlation between CSR and employee involvement in various ways. While some authors simply state their insights regarding positive effects of involving employees in CSR activities, such as enhanced employee morale (Mamantov, 2009), self-development (Mirvis, 2012), positive perception of organisational performance, job satisfaction (Lee, Park & Lee, 2013), identification with the organisation (Glavas & Godwin, 2013), and commitment and emotional attachment to the organisation (Chong, 2009), others provide further explanations of why engaging employees is beneficial. Glavas (2012) explains that employees have an easier time finding meaningfulness and value compliance with performed work activities while being involved in CSR. On a more detailed level, the author demonstrates that CSR allows for firms to move away from simply formulating value statements on paper to actually living out these values in practice, which foster employee involvement as talk transforms to practice. The view of enhanced meaningfulness is further supported by Rosso, Dekas and Wrzesniewski (2010), explaining that CSR can act as a pathway through which employees can experience meaningfulness, due to that they feel part of something bigger. Drawing on similar insights, Grant et al. (2008) found that contribution to greater causes makes employees feel better about themselves, hence, enhances the personal self-concept.
2.4.1 Obstacles for Employee Engagement in CSR
Despite the positive outcomes of involving employees in CSR, it is not unusual that employees have low awareness and are not as involved, which results in firms missing to reap strategic benefits from its CSR activities (Du et al., 2010). The issue of not engaging employees becomes further evident when studying the consequences of CSR initiatives being decided at the top level of an organisation and not implemented at lower levels in the firm. Chong (2009) argues that simply deciding on a CSR program is not enough; there has to be a plan for implementation. Moreover, local managers must experience full support to empower employees at their particular departments. If not providing such empowerment, the author identifies the risk of employees losing their dedication and devotion as a result of not feeling that their companies support them to the full extent. However, what previous studies often acknowledge is the fact that employees are different and the extent to which they will conform to CSR initiatives is dependent on their individual
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willingness to do so (Slack et al., 2015). Rodrigo & Arenas (2008) support this view further, stating that it is misleading to view employees as one homogenous group given that they will engage in CSR initiatives to various levels. Bolton et al. (2011) identified another issue; of not engaging employees early on in the process. Although, the authors explained that companies usually start to recognise the crucial role of employee participation later in the process, which then often leads to successively increased awareness among employees as time passes.
Throughout literature, it is without doubt that internal communication is one major factor either contributing to, or undermining, employee involvement in CSR. Given that this factor is repeatedly brought into light in multiple articles, if comparing with other potential factors contributing to employee involvement, it will now be addressed separately in the following section.
2.5 Internal Communication
There is an extensive amount of research carried out on the correlation between internal communication and CSR operations (Kuhn & Deetz, 2009; Powell, 2011; Welch & Jackson, 2007; Duthler & Shanesh, 2018) and in many other studies regarding CSR, the concept of internal communication is repeatedly brought up. In research, internal communication is regarded as one particularly important aspect of employee involvement, as it can either increase or reduce involvement, depending on its nature and execution (Duthler & Shanesh, 2018; Welch & Jackson, 2007). Internal communication can be defined as the strategic management of communication and relationship between stakeholders at all levels within an organisation (Welch & Jackson, 2007). Bednárik (2019) goes further by explaining internal communication as a basic, fundamental part of business performance, and defines it as in-house communication between various people and organisational levels. The author further claims ineffective communication often is one reason for problems found in management structures and in relationships between people in the workplace.
2.5.1 The Need for Effective Internal Communication
As mentioned, poor communication can be an undermining factor for employee involvement in CSR (Slack et al., 2015; Duthler & Dhanesh, 2018). To overcome this issue, Slack et al. (2015) propose to view communication from two perspectives; (1) general communication regarding the company’s activities, in terms of what and when, needs to be clarified to enhance employee involvement. Also, (2) information regarding the value of CSR initiatives must be communicated
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clearly to ensure that employees are aware of why processes are undertaken. Bucur and Cosmin (2011) share this view, by stating that information must emphasise and identify how development will affect the environment and society at large to be effective. Further, the reason for potential changes must be explained and communicated, otherwise, employees might only see the negative aspect of forced changes without grasping the underlying issue. Additionally, the firm might face the challenge of employees resisting to participate in CSR initiatives and activities (Bucur & Cosmin, 2011).
Even though internal communication may look differently across businesses, Andrei (2014) suggests that communication channels should inform employees regarding relevant news and other things impacting them, to ensure they know the expectations placed on them. According to Bucur & Cosmin (2011) communication strategies should also be systematic and planned, anchored in a deeper purpose with the aim to increase knowledge and awareness. In turn, internal communication holds the potential to change attitudes and behaviour in the firm. Powell (2011) presents similar findings but emphasises that information also should be timely and relevant to influence attitudes. Further, argues that communication should be used in such a manner that it enhances deeper knowledge among employees.
However, literature reveals several obstacles and pitfalls with internal communication; if it is not timely, not trustworthy or does not satisfies employees, it might have the opposite effect compared to what it was intended for (Bednárik, 2019). Duthler & Dhanesh (2018) place particular attention to the issue of dissonance between a firm’s communication and actions. When a gap exists between these two, it could result in scepticism from key stakeholders, such as employees, and seriously damage relationships and trust. As a consequence, employee involvement is harmed. In the light of the potential problems with internal communication, Kuhn and Deetz (2009) emphasise that there is growing need for a better communication model that includes all stakeholders, and not solely shareholders which for a long time has been the traditional strategy. The reason why stakeholders should be subject for a firm’s internal communication with regard to CSR, is that open communication with stakeholder has become a fundamental feature within social responsibility. When applying CSR, companies cannot only have a dialogue with the shareholders, but need to put emphasis on their employees and other stakeholders (Bednárik, 2019). This is further supported by Andrei (2014), who states that communication with employees is one of the most important tasks in an organisation. The author continues with arguing that organisations should realise that
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their employees are the corporation’s most valuable resource and are entitled to high-quality internal communication.
2.6 Summary of Frame of Reference
As understood in the studied literature, firms should place time and effort to involve employees when working with CSR practices. The reason being that it holds the potential for CSR to easier be incorporated across departments which generates benefits and creates value. However, some firms do not succeed with employee involvement to full extent. There are studies focusing on what factors influence employee involvement in general in business and decision-making. Although, few studies investigate what factors can be identified as contributors to employee involvement when looking at CSR contexts. Even if internal communication is one evident factor, this study aims to grasp the bigger picture of what factors contribute to employee involvement in CSR activities and why these are considered as important.
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3 Methodology
The following section presents the methodology of research, including the chosen philosophy, approach and design of study.
3.1 Research Paradigm
Paradigms are explained as guiding frameworks helping to direct researchers towards the structure and coordination of study (Collis & Hussey, 2014). It mirrors the researcher’s beliefs about the world and their assumptions of how to collect, analyse and interpret data (Saunders, Lewis & Thornhill, 2016). This study attempts to enhance the understanding of CSR involvement from a human perspective. Hence, the nature of this research is subjective, and therefore, the interpretivist paradigm is applied. The interpretivist paradigm implies that reality is dependent on the observer which consequently results in the findings not being universal and applicable to all. Thus, the paradigm entails that individuals and phenomenon must be studied in their specific contexts as their circumstances affects them, in contrast to the positive paradigm where reality is objective (Collis & Hussey, 2014). Hence, for the interpretivist paradigm, a humanistic approach is applied, whereas for the positivist paradigm, a scientific approach is used. Additionally, the interpretivist approach allows for a closer interaction with the studied topic, which is believed as valuable in this study given the aim of collecting opinions and meanings of realities held by employees.
3.2 Research Approach
Scholars bring up two common models for social science research, called induction and deduction, that to a large extent cover the models for how scientific knowledge is assumed to be achieved (Eriksson & Kovalainen, 2008). An inductive reasoning involves learning from experience while moving from empirical findings to the adding and building of theory. A deductive approach on the contrary is concerned with formulation of hypotheses, deduced from a theoretically known phenomenon, which are then tested through empirical studies (Collis & Hussey, 2014). There is also one approach constituting a combination of these two, namely abduction. Abduction involves constant movement between theory and field, consequently affecting the methods for data collection and data analysis (Eriksson & Kovalainen, 2008). The authors did not make such
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movement between theory and field to make required adjustments and changes as new insights emerged, meaning that an abductive approach is not applied. Since there is little existing knowledge regarding what factors contribute to employee involvement in CSR and why certain factors are considered important, a deductive approach is hindered as it aims to test hypotheses regarding existing theories. Instead, since the authors will use empirical data to develop theory and as such, contribute to existing literature, an inductive approach is applied (Bryman & Bell, 2015).
Furthermore, the interpretivist approach also supports the choice of an inductive approach (Collis & Hussey, 2014).
3.3 Research Design
Given that there is little existing theory regarding what factors contribute to employee involvement, the nature of research is exploratory. Hence, the study contributes to existing literature by discovering new insights adding to previous knowledge. Further, it is appropriate to apply an exploratory design as it aims to increase understanding of the phenomenon as well as allows for flexibility. To conduct an exploratory study, a case study design was chosen, which is a methodology used to examine a research phenomenon in its natural setting (Collis & Hussey, 2014). The reason for this choice is due to its flexibility and allowance of studying the phenomena within a particular context. Four companies are used as foundation for the case study, with the aspiration of gaining a wider perspective of the phenomenon. Additionally, since the topic of study is comprehensive due to its subjective nature, the authors wished to integrate varying perspectives from different companies as this would enhance the opportunity of comparing findings across data, and as such, result in valuable insights. Consequently, findings derived from several companies can often be applied to a wider scope (Yin, 2014).
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4 Method
In this section, a detailed explanation regarding the qualitative nature of study is provided, covering data collection, structure of interviews, data quality, data analysis and credibility of data. Finally, ethical considerations are discussed.
4.1 Research Method
Qualitative and quantitative methods are common concepts when deciding how to construct the strategy for a research process. A qualitative method attempts to bring understanding regarding a social phenomenon and tries to analyse how human beings interpret and make meaning of their experiences. Consequently, the method is sensitive to particular settings and tries to understand a smaller number of participant’s worldviews, rather than investigating one objective reality as done in quantitative research (Azungha, 2018). Further, qualitative strategies usually emphasise the use of words rather than quantification, as done in quantitative research (Bryman & Bell, 2015). The goal of this research is to gain comprehensive in-depth views and perspectives of employee involvement in CSR. This requires a dialogue with respondents (Farber, 2006) which supports the justification for adopting a qualitative approach, given its allowance of delving into people’s underlying assumptions and beliefs (Azungha, 2018) that shape their involvement in CSR. Additionally, the interpretivist approach applied further supports the choice of using qualitative method (Collis & Hussey, 2014). The application of qualitative research has consequences for how data will be collected and treated, which now will be demonstrated.
4.2 Data Collection
4.2.1 Selection of Companies
In qualitative research, primary data is preferable as it is the most authoritative source given that information has not yet been filtered or categorised by another party (Cooper & Schindler, 2011).
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To collect primary data for this study, the method of purposive sampling is applied. It is one of the most common sampling strategies in qualitative studies and suitable for this research as it allows for choosing participants according to preselected criteria relevant to the research question (Suen, Huang & Lee, 2014).
The process of data collection began with deciding criteria for the selection of appropriate companies to fit with the purpose of study. As the study aims to understand employee involvement in CSR, recognised CSR operations was decided as the first criterion (1). Further, the authors wished for companies that are located within the Jönköping Region (2). This geographical specification was due to the feasibility of having a physical meeting with interviewees. To find companies suitable according to above criteria, the non-profit association CSR Småland was taken into consideration. CSR Småland helps companies take their social, economic and environmental responsibility (CSR Småland, 2019). It can be argued that a membership in CSR Småland does not guarantee companies working actively with CSR. Yet, it sends the signal that companies wish to engage further within the field, moreover, implies a basic understanding of CSR, which is assumed to be an important feature for the study. Further, as the authors wished to reap out the benefit of a case study design which is to study the phenomenon within varying contexts, companies of different sizes and industries were contacted. This choice rested on the assumption that differences in contexts would enable the authors to easier identify similarities and differences across companies, which in turn would enable for a deeper analysis on those grounds. Additionally, as the study does not focus on one particular CSR activity, but instead on CSR and employee in general, the authors perceived the differences of sizes and industries as strengths, contributing to diverse and valuable findings. At last, keeping the criteria in mind, applying a purposive sampling method, seven members of CSR Småland from varying industries and of varying sizes were contacted. Through CSR Småland, contact information was found and emails were sent. Out of the seven companies, four initially agreed to participate in this study. The authors made the choice to start interviewing those four and contact additional companies if more data felt necessary. However, after collecting data from the four companies, the authors perceived it to be sufficient. Therefore, no further companies were contacted.
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4.2.2 Selection of Interviewees
To reach the aim of the study, different perspectives were requested to enhance the understanding of what factors contribute to employee involvement and why these factors are considered
important. Therefore, the authors decided to conduct two separate interviews at each firm with employees acquiring different employment levels. The decision of interviewing two employees is due to the belief that including several companies, instead of employees working in the same firm, helps reach the purpose of study; to identify overarching factors contributing to CSR involvement. In each organisation, a key person who is knowledgeable in terms of CSR structures and policies was interviewed, along with one additional employee not being as involved with the managerial implications of CSR. This was not done to conduct a comparison between the two perspectives, rather to understand how and if employee involvement is
encouraged at the firm and how people working in the firm perceive their involvement. As such, the authors believed this strategy to result in a wider understanding of each context. However, due to the current situation of Covid-19, only one respondent was able to participate from Company D as the company had no possibility to withhold time and resources for one additional interview. Further, for this study to be inclusive, a balance of gender was requested. This was successfully met as four women and three men participated in the study. Consequently, seven respondents have contributed with their experiences and insights in this study.
4.2.3 Semi-structured Interviews
Semi-structured interviews were used to collect primary data as it implies for in-depth exploration of the respondents’ perceptions, allowing for new ideas to be recognised during the course of interviews (Collis & Hussey, 2014). Further, it fits the qualitative nature of research as it helps answer the questions “how” and “why” (Azungha, 2018). In contrast to closed-questions, open-ended questions are suitable for the semi-structured approach as it allows for follow-up questions, which helps foster the exploration of the phenomenon. Consequently, new topics and insights might emerge based on the proceedings of interviews, moreover, the possibility for respondents to speak freely. Therefore, this method is suitable for an interpretivist approach, to meet the aim of study. Even though semi-structured interviews are labour intensive, it is preferable as it yields deeper insights and more detailed information (Adams, 2015). One additional limitation with interviews may be that participants recall and remember the studied phenomena wrongly as they are to give responses right away, which might lead to distortion (Azungha, 2018). However, several
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perspectives were acquired as well as the use of “well-informed” employees to mitigate this potential issue, to further enhance confidence of findings. Additionally, all interviews were held in Swedish to ensure that respondents faced no obstacles when expressing their feelings and perceptions. All interviewees agreed to be recorded, which was beneficial as the authors could focus on the interview without worrying about documentation, as well as return to the primary source of data.
The plan was to visit each company, which was done successfully with company A and B. Meeting face-to-face is preferred as it enhances convenience for interviewees and is useful if wanting to ask complex questions (Collis & Hussey, 2014). However, due to the timing of research process, Covid-19 prevented the authors from conducting such interviews with company C and D. Instead, digital meetings were arranged with the desire to easier understand one another thanks to the visibility of facial expressions and body language, and thus obtain the benefits of human interaction. However, the method of digital meetings bears some shortcomings, such as requirement of internet and appropriate software. Also, the potential disturbance of low quality of sound and technical issues. Nevertheless, the authors had no other choice then to perform interviews online.
During the interviews, the authors applied a funnel approach with the initial aspiration of building trust before moving on to the relevant questions. To receive greater honesty and transparency, respondents were assured anonymity and confidentiality by ensuring that personal and company names would not be stated in this paper. Further, the aim of the study was clearly explained, as well as the planned use of data records. The interviews were structured beginning with personal questions such as name, profession, daily tasks at the company, educational background leading to the company’s CSR journey to finally focus on the current status of CSR and employee involvement as well as obstacles. An interview guide was developed in alignment with insights revealed through the reviewing of existing literature on the topic. This guide can be found in Appendix 2. For the interview session to be perceived as logical and easy to follow, questions regarding CSR were categorised into various themes as following; general questions regarding CSR, employee involvement in CSR activities, importance and obstacles with employee involvement, and internal CSR communication. However, given the application of open-ended questions, interviews did not follow the exact same pattern. Rather, respondents were encouraged to delve into specific areas of interest with regards to the studied phenomenon. An overview of interviews can be found in Appendix 3.
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4.3 Data Quality
Data quality is the degree to which data, including data collection, meet the needs of the users (Rouse, 2019). The data presented in this study must be of qualitative nature to be credible and help contribute to fulfilment of the identified research gap. To guarantee data quality in exploratory research, Yin (2014) presents three tests that are useful; construct validity, external validity and reliability. Within external validity, transferability is considered (Saunders et al., 2016).
4.3.1 Construct Validity
Construct validity concerns the accuracy of measurement (Yin, 2014). Hence, the extent to which a study mirrors the concepts investigated. One tactic to enhance construct validity is to use multiple sources of evidence. In this research, the frame of reference is conducted through identifying key findings in existing literature to define and discuss CSR and employee involvement, moreover, their correlation. This is done to theoretically demonstrate the basis of study. As earlier described, both primary data and data from previous research are used to increase construct validity further. This is in alignment with Yin (2014) who states that researchers are able to find connections between own findings and other similar studies, which enhances construct validity.
4.3.2 External Validity & Transferability
External validity is a measure helping understand whether results of a study can be generalised and applied in other contexts compared to those applied in the study (Yin, 2014). However, Saunders et al. (2016) recognise the difficulties with using external validity in qualitative research, and proposes an alternative way of ensuring quality, namely transferability. When the reader can follow a detailed description of the process of the study through background, purpose, research question, research design, results and interpretations, transferability is ensured. Therefore, an attempt was made by the authors to enhance transferability by providing a coherent explanation of the research, from beginning to end.
4.3.3 Reliability
Research reliability is the extent to which a research method produces consistent results if the study would be conducted again (Collis & Hussey, 2014). Both credibility and reliability are necessary
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components of quality in studies, with reliability being a presumption for credibility (Cypress, 2017). Reliability should not be confused with replication of results, as it rather emphasises the ability of re-conducting the research than duplicating the results by executing additionally case studies (Yin, 2014). The reliability of research increases if the process is possible to repeat, which is why the authors thoroughly have been documenting each step of the research. Additionally, they made sure to arrive timely to interviews, be well-prepared and avoid leading questions; all with the purpose to reduce researcher bias and error which in turn enhances reliability (Saunders el al., 2016).
4.4 Data Analysis
Multiple methods exist for analysing data, (Collis & Hussey, 2014) whereby this study applies thematic analysis. Braun and Clarke (2006) explain thematic analysis as a method for identifying, analysing and demonstrating various themes within data, which provides a flexible and clear way of deriving conclusion. It provides a good fit to qualitative research (Collis & Hussey, 2014), which further supports the choice. Braun and Clarke (2006) define themes as interesting or important features revealed in data in the light of the research question, further, as something representing a sort of pattern.
Braun and Clarke (2006) explain thematic analysis as consisting of six steps. The initial step is to become familiar with data. This was done through transcription of interviews immediately after they were held, which helped to develop an overview of data collected. Also, transcripts were carefully red through individually by both authors. The second step implies noting down initial codes across the entire data set, which was done through writing comments in margins of the transcripts. Here, interesting features were noted down while keeping the research question in mind, to remain focused on the purpose of study. Step three involves finding initial themes, which was done through mapping codes that were similar, or showed connection, into categories and subcategories. Step four implies review of themes, which the authors put a lot of effort on. Some themes, that initially were separated in two, eventually became one. This required removing some codes as well as adding others. To illustrate with an example, themes named “time” and “knowledge” were initially separated but later became the theme “tools”, before it finally was defined as “conditions”. This reveals the fifth step of defining and naming themes, which for the authors was a crucial task. For this particular study, the identification of themes in the data also
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represent the factors contributing to employee involvement in CSR, as such, are clearly aligned with the paper’s research question. Therefore, the aspiration was to define themes using words easy to comprehend, yet still clearly signalling what each theme encompasses. At the end of the thematic process, Coordination, Conditions, Communication, Concretisation and Community were
identified. The five themes were derived in all four companies, but to varying degrees and observed from varying angles. The figure below visually presents the steps taken of thematic analysis.
To understand how coding took place, an example is provided below in Table 3, of the theme Coordination. For a more extensive example showing all themes, see Appendix 4. The extracted themes will be analysed and explained through the use of empirical data in Analysis. At the b beginning of Analysis, a short general explanation of themes is provided, see Table 5 on page 38.
Figure 1. Steps of Thematic Analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006)
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4.5 Credibility
Ensuring credibility to establish trustworthiness of data collection and analysis of research is fundamental in all studies. Multiple steps in this research process have contributed to enhanced credibility. First, interviewing two employees from the same company was done to gain different perspectives. Second, to gain an extensive understanding of the topic, a case study design was chosen with four companies acting as foundation for empirical findings. It allows for an exploration of different work environments and organisational cultures, resulting in more accurate results to the study than if relying exclusively on one case. Third, concerning the interviews, the authors promised anonymity in order for the respondents to feel safe and be able to answer truthfully. This was further enhanced by clearly explaining the aim of the research along with how answers and recordings would be used in the study. Fourth, the interviews were recorded so that the authors could return to and confirm information from the primary source, to exclude the possibility of the researchers interpreting and remembering the respondents answers wrongly. Fifth, the findings of the study have been individually interpreted by the researchers before collectively being compared and analysed, to reduce the possibility of bias. Further, each company was analysed separately before being jointly analysed. To conclude, these steps were taken with the aspiration of increasing credibility and through that, reach more accurate findings (Yin, 2014).
4.6 Ethical Considerations
For the authors, it is of high priority to be respectful regardless of the insights and results that might appear throughout interviews, given that the research topic might be a sensitive area for the participative companies to be investigated upon. However, for the benefit of the study, results are presented truthfully, yet, with respect. The study further ensures confidentiality and anonymity. Moreover, consideration is directed towards the critical process of analysing data in a correct and truthful manner. Therefore, quotes and statements generated from interviews have not been reformulated or changed. However, since interviews were conducted in Swedish, there is a possibility of some quotes not being verbally identical with the original saying, given that they are translated into English. This applies mostly to proverbs, as some of them make no sense if being directly translated.
One additional aspect considered involves the objectiveness of researchers. As both authors are personally interested in the topic of CSR, there might be potential bias. While interviewing, this
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could imply an unconscious directness towards certain areas in combination with an ignorance of others that are perceived as irrelevant, or negative, for the study. However, this potential ethical issue was considered throughout the interviews to reduce the likelihood of occurrence. To further prevent this, the direction of interview questions was decided upon before the interviews took place, to make sure the questions acted as basis for what the researchers wanted to investigate. Lastly, fairness and neutrality are enhanced as this study is financially independent.
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5 Empirical Findings
This section presents the empirical findings and main features in data. It follows a systematic order with each company being individually presented in accordance to the flow of interviews and categorisation of questions. Also, an initial background of each company is provided. A quick overview of the companies is presented in table 4.
Table 4. Overview of Companies
5.1 Company A
Company A is an IT-consulting firm, located in the centre of Jönköping. Originally, it consisted of many small enterprises that emerged to become one big firm. Already from the start, much focus was placed on creating a culture where people felt welcomed and enjoyed their work. While interviewing the Site Manager, he explained that this has been core values ever since. Today, this mindset is what is being associated with CSR; to care about people and the world. The interviews at Company A were conducted with the Site Manager for the Jönköping Office, and one IT-Consultant.
5.1.1 The Company Story of CSR
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better apply sustainability practices while being a service focused enterprise. Today, CSR and sustainability are topics lying close to the heart of the company. According to the Consultant, CSR revolves around everything they do. The Site Manager thought reasons for this are clear structures and guidelines from the top management. Also, the Consultant supported this by mentioning the clear vision of the company.
“Since it comes from the management, there is very little acceptance to run in another direction. If the company set overall goals, then you either have to change company or get in line. It is not
very difficult! [...] They control the direction for us.” (Site Manager) -
“I clearly experience that everyone strives for working in the same direction as “Company A” wants. And I actually believe that this has a great penetrative power.” (Consultant)
The company has taken several efforts to show and practice CSR. Both respondents proudly showed the digital instruments present in the conference room in which interviews took place and explained that employees within the company basically has stopped traveling. The Consultant explained:
“We do not travel much, instead we do travel-free meetings. We have good sound systems, screens and microphones here at the office, so it feels as if we are in the same room even if we
are in different places.” (Consultant)
Further, the Site Manager explained that the reason the company had come far with its CSR journey is due to the sharing of input with one another and the deliberate hard work of making everybody feel equally important in the process of reaching CSR goals. Throughout the interview, he also emphasised the importance of constantly discussing and talking about the motive behind certain activities.
“I don’t think we can make any difference if not everyone is on board. Yes, we could do it on paper, but if we don’t include the entire business in what we do, then we may as well skip it.”
(Site Manager) [...]
“We have full-days planned when we only talk about how to transform goals into reality; the how is very important.” (Site Manager)
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5.1.2 Employee Involvement in CSR
According to the respondents, the firm involves their employees in CSR. One reason, the Consultant said, is based on the company’s capacity to integrate CSR in the daily operations. Examples of such integration has been various initiatives and events. The company arranges an initiative called “Helping Hands” where employees are encouraged to donate money for a greater cause. The consultant revealed emotions of pride of that particular initiative, whereas the Site Manager mentioned the consequences of such initiative on employees. Moreover, the company arranges various sport activities to foster health among employees.
“At the yearly kick-offs they then show us a reportage of what the money has been used for. When I saw that, I felt like: Wow, so cool! I got goose bumps hehe.” (Consultant)
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“Through “Helping Hands” the company then matches the contribution of what we have donated. [...] It gives really cool effects and proud co-workers. A positive helix.”
(Site Manager) [...]
“*Company A* has chosen to include initiatives, such as competitions, that take place for a couple of weeks to remain funny and relevant. Jerky initiatives increase the level of
participation!” (Site Manager)
Also, the Consultant expressed the benefits of working in a firm with a clear direction, that provides ways for employees to actually follow through those directives and guidelines. One example brought up was that the company has decided on a policy for environmental-friendly cars. He explained:
“And when *Company A* makes it possible for me through good deals to acquire such a car, then it becomes much easier.” (Consultant)
Additionally, both respondents clearly identified the raising of awareness and knowledge as crucial for employee involvement in CSR. The company has taken a particular effort in this matter through what they call the “driving license”. The Consultant explained that all employees are expected to comply with a “driving license” in sustainability and CSR. This licence must be repeated every time updates are made. According to him, the test enables employees to gain the same level of knowledge and better understand motives behind certain activities. Additionally, the employer
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provides time for employees to conduct the test during working hours, which increases the level of participation.
The Site Manager explained strategies of communicating CSR and sustainability initiatives to spark employee involvement. For example, on their yearly Kick-Off, they choose to announce certain bigger initiatives. He explained:
[...] Then we can communicate loudly and wide [...] to send the signal that this is important. We are good at making people devoted, to direct people in the same direction. Then, people start talking - ‘how can we contribute and reach our goals?’ It’s bursting from the bottom up.”(Site
Manager)
5.1.3 Obstacles with CSR and Employee Involvement
CSR and employee involvement did not however only come off as easy to manage. The Site Manager did reveal the complexity of having too many activities in the loop simultaneously, and that it could be beneficial to coordinate the work more efficiently.
“What we could do better is to not have 40 initiatives running at the same time. [...] We should narrow down, finish, and then do the next thing.” (Site Manager)
He further mentioned the classical issue of working with certain people that are not either convinced or supportive to the aspect of CSR in their daily operations. He mentioned that there will always be people who wish not to engage, but explained further that eventually, those people voluntarily leave the organisation because they feel as they do not really belong there.
5.2 Company B
Company B is a wholesale furniture distributor, located a few miles outside Jönköping. The manager leading the firm acquired the position from his father 14 years ago. A couple of years ago, he and his wife started working with issues and areas related to sustainability and CSR. For this study, the authors got the chance to meet with the Manager, as well as with the Sales Administrator at the company.
