Is there a coherence between organizational culture and changes in corporate social responsibility in an economic downturn?

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore how different types of organizational culture (OC) manifest in certain corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities and to uncover how the presence of certain OC types induces changes in CSR caused by drastic shifts in the economic environment.Design/methodology/approachThe analysis relies on a case study and uses qualitative and quantitative data obtained via interviews, employee survey and analysis of documents. The paper focuses on Ecoprint Ltd, a small printing house in Estonia, and analyzes its reactions to the economic downturn in 2008 and 2009 in terms of CSR. The authors then analyze the concurrence of these changes with its OC, based on a survey that relies on the Competing Values Framework.FindingsThe dominant type of OC in the organization did not predict all its CSR practices, but described rather well how adaptation in the sphere of CSR took place as a result of economic downturn. The case demonstrated that CSR activities that relate to dominant OC types are less likely to be reduced in a recession; moreover, some were even intensified. On the other hand, there were certain CSR activities that reflected less prevalent types of OC, nevertheless these were not withdrawn either.Research limitations/implicationsThe method used, single case study, serves as an exploratory study. The relationship between unchanged CSR activities related to less dominant OC types is not easy to interpret and needs further investigation.Originality/valueThere is abundant literature referring to a connection between OC and CSR, but related empirical research is hard to find. The current paper empirically explores the relationship between these concepts under the extraordinary economic situation that existed in Estonia in 2008‐2009.

One Rule to Rule Them All? Organisational Sensemaking of Corporate Responsibility

“…As our results showed, integration strategy dominated the official policy discourse but was not used to illustrate how these policies translate into everyday practices. Although emphasis on integration is often suggested as a mean towards strongly embedded and coupled CR policy (e.g., Baumgartner, 2009;Benn and Martin, 2010;Constantinescu and Kaptein, 2015;Halme, 2002;Jaakson et al, 2012;Wolf, 2013, Ubius and Alas, 2009), our results pointed out its inherent limitations in constructing daily activities in organizations. Thus, we find that the advantage of an integration strategy is in its ability to provide aspirational targets, opportunities for success and legitimacy for CR targets and policies by presenting achievable scenarios.…”

“…Formal rules are assumed to be clarified through shared policies on taking responsibility. These rules are assumed to result in mutual, consensual, and shared experiences of learning responsibility in which a holistic understanding of responsibility is emphasised (Baumgartner, 2009;Benn and Martin, 2010;Constantinescu and Kaptein, 2015;Demuijnck, 2009;Galbreath, 2010;Halme, 1997;Halme, 2002;Haugh and Talwar, 2010;Jaakson et al, 2012;Siebenhuner and Arnold, 2007;Wolf, 2013, Ubius andAlas, 2009). …”

Human resources in a draught: how managers construed the role and meaning of human resource management during the 2008 economic crisis in Slovenia

“…Also, a current market position (stable, increasing, decreasing) may influence perceptions of HRM (Uyargil andŐzcelik, 2001, in Őzcelik &Aydınlı, 2006). As suggested by Jaakson, Reino, and Mõtsmees (2012), different types of organisational culture manifest in certain corporate social responsibility reports. Moreover, their case study demonstrated how corporate social responsibility activities that were related to dominant organisational culture types were less likely to be reduced in a recession but some were even intensified.…”

“…Crucial HR variables that were suggested by Gregorc, Meško, Videmšek, and Štihec (2012) as well as elements of organisational culture that were analysed by Jaakson et al, 2012 andMeško Štok, Markič, Bertoncelj, &Meško, 2010 and their relative impact on changing interpretive schemas of HRM will be analysed.…”

The Challenges of Managing an Organisation during and after the Economic Crisis

“…Some companies where not experiencing growth at all, they were just trying to stay in business and not go out of the game, but even that was difficult. No new client came to the market: growth was only possible at the expense of competitors and financial institutions where struggling to stay afloat as well [9]. This companies tried to follow what other companies did in older to survive.…”