Influence of managers' demographic characteristics on CSR practices in the restaurant industry: the case of Slovenia

Abstract

Purpose -The objective of this study is to investigate how restaurant managers' demographic characteristics influence Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) practices in the restaurant industry. Design/Methodology/Approach -In order to analyze the influence of managers' demographic characteristics on CSR practices, industry specific practices relevant to the Slovenian restaurant industry were identified: regular financial assistance to activities and projects of the local community, employment of local staff, cooperation with local producers, active separation of all types of waste, active recyclement, active energy savement, and payment of liabilities towards suppliers on time. The quantitative research focuses on the correlation between managers' demographics and CSR practices. Data were collected through quantitative field research by applying a structured self administerred questionnaire. Findings -Research results show that the main reason for acting responsibly is related to managers' years of age, experience, and level of education. The most obvious finding to emerge from this study is that all demographic variables included in the research have a statistically significant influence in explaining restaurants' CSR behaviour. The most strongly influenced CSR practice is "Payment of liabilities". This practice is driven by managers' age, years of experience, and level of education. By understanding both, managers' demographic characteristics and their influence on CSR practices, it is now possible to more successfully implement CSR policies in the restaurant industry. It is suggested that future studies focuse on the analysis of CSR practices and managers' psychographic characteristics. Originality -This is the very first study to analyse the influence of managers' demographic characteristics on CSR engagement in the restaurant industry.

Hotels and Halal-oriented Products: What Do Hotel Managers in Slovenia Think?

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The Stage of Corporate Social Responsibility in EU-CEE Countries

“…Golob and Podnar (2014) started from these premises in their research but found that the CSR practices are slightly different in Slovenia, even if there is a strong trade union movement that should be involved in increasing the working conditions of employees and implicitly in social activities, so unions should be more visible in relation to CSR. Kukanja et al (2016) investigated social responsibility practices in the restaurants industry, significant economic area in Slovenia, and the factors that influence them. In study managers' demographics were taken into account and the results were based on responses to direct interviews with 200 restaurant managers in the early part of 2015.…”

Corporate Social Responsibility Practices in Small and Medium Sized Tourism Enterprises: The Case of Slovenia

“…To date, the issue of CSR in tourism SMEs has received considerable critical attention in scientific literature. A considerable amount of literature has grown up around the theme of explaining the relationship between CSR and SMEs' financial performance (Garriga and Melé, 2004;Kang et al, 2010, Kukanja et al, 2016. According to Kang et al (2010) in most studies research results determined a positive relationship between CSR activities and companies' financial performance.…”

“…Recently, a considerable body of literature has grown up around the theme of CSR measurement. The literature has reviewed CSR practices extensively for the large manufacturing companies (Juščius and Snieška, 2015;KPMG, 2017;Rahman and Post, 2012), yet there is less evidence from the service sector (Kang, Lee and Huh, 2010;Tsai, Tsang and Cheng, 2012) and even less for tourism SMEs (Garay and Font, 2012;Kukanja, Planinc and Šuligoj, 2016).Previous studiesprimarily focused to developed economies, whilst there is a lack of empirical findings for tourism SMEs in post-transitional economies (Renko and Peštek, 2017).…”