Pushing forward SME CSR through a network: an account from the Catalan model

Abstract

This paper presents the results of a Catalan project in which an academic institution acted as a practitioner to promote corporate social responsibility (CSR) in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The project involved the establishment of a working network with intermediate organisations and the creation of specific tools for the purpose. The paper is set up as a case study, emphasising inclusion, representativity and legitimacy as key elements for the successful construction of a network to promote CSR in SMEs. It underlines the assumptions behind the functioning of this network and the learning findings from this public-private initiative. Presented from a public policy perspective, the paper emphasises the need for coordination in terms of the growing number of initiatives fostering CSR in SMEs. It presents a brief account of the material results, focusing on the process of creating a consensus within the network. It opens up a path for future research, exploring how network management and leadership can be seen as key issues when talking about corporate social responsibility (CSR) promotion in SMEs.

Greening competitiveness for hotels and restaurants

“…On the one hand, company size implies a close relationship between owner/manager and employees. Managerial philosophy and commitment are directly transferred from top management to staff, setting rules that cover daily operational activities mirroring the entrepreneurial system of values and principles (Murillo and Lozano, 2009). On the other hand, the second distinctive element is the type of activity: providing services that are not mediated, with a direct and close relationship with guests in order to influence their behavior.…”

Small Business Social Responsibility

“…Advancing the "business case," for example, is unhelpful when profit maximization is not a driver and small businesses are already operating with employee care and reputation management as high priorities whether or not they call this approach CSR (Baumann-Pauly et al, 2013). In contrast, awareness of the embedded nature and importance of relationships and promoting network, cluster, and trade-based CSR would be more meaningful (Murillo & Lozano, 2009;Perrini, 2006).…”

CSR within SMEs: Literature Review

“…However, although CSR was traditionally seen as the province of big business, because the SME business sector is such a significant sector worldwide in terms of the economic, environmental and social impact it makes, attention has been turned to discussion and analysis of the principles and practices in small and medium size businesses with the result that this sector no longer finds itself outside the CSR movement (Spence, 1999;Spence et al, 2003Spence et al, , 2004Jenkins, 2004Jenkins, , 2009Murillo & Lozano, 2009). Since SMEs are not just smaller versions of larger scale businesses (Jenkins, 2004) special attention needs to be paid to the specific ways in which they implement CSR measures, how these differ from practices in larger firms and how this explains different perceptions and behaviors in between the two in relation to sustainable development.…”