CSR and the Supply Chain: Effects on the Results of SMEs

Psychological improvement in Employee Productivity by Maintaining Attendance System using Machine Learning Behavior

For a very long time, researchers, educationists, practitioners, and psychologists have tried to conduct extensive research on employee productivity at the workplace. It was firmly believed that positive traits of the employees positively affect the performance of employees at the workplace and, at the same time, increase the productivity of the organization. A few organizations have changed their organizational policies to improve employee performance by identifying individuals' positive traits. Positive psychology (PS), unlike traditional psychology, focuses on the positive traits of the individuals rather than on their negative aspects. Hence, this paper intends to analyze the important role of PS in improving employee productivity as well as analyze the psychological improvement in Employee Productivity by Maintaining Attendance Systems, Implementing Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR activities), Entrepreneurial Intentions (EI), and Machine Learning Behavior (MLB). This study paper investigates the role of attendance systems, CSR, EI, and MLB in enhancing the employees' productivity in a positive manner, which will eventually increase organizational productivity. This study proposes a research framework and hypothesis that explains the relationship between employee productivity and organizational attendance system, CSR, EI, and MLB. For this study, a questionnaire was prepared and distributed among the employees working in the selected organizations. These data verify the validity of the proposed hypothesis and research framework. Statistical approaches were employed to analyze the results of the proposed hypothesis. Results of the study found that by maintaining an attendance system, implementing CSR, EI, and MLB, employee performance can be improved positively, thereby increasing organizational productivity.

Integrating corporate social responsibility into business functions and its impact on company performance: evidence from the Indonesian manufacturing industry

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the integration of corporate social responsibility (CSR) at a functional level and examine its impact on company performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Using data from 435 Indonesian manufacturing companies, 11 hypotheses were tested on direct, indirect and total effects of the relationship between functional CSR integration and its impact on company performance. The stakeholder and contingency theories were applied.

Findings

The findings of this study reveal that functional CSR integration has a significant impact on customer, employee, operational and financial performances. The findings show that the relationship between functional CSR integration and financial performance can be mediated by customer, employee and operational performances. The results of this study also highlight that functional CSR integration has a stronger total effect on both customer and financial performances in environmentally non-sensitive industries than in environmentally sensitive ones.

Research limitations/implications

This study expands the prior studies by providing a theoretical framework for the relationship between CSR integration and company performance, as well as testing the framework using quantitative research.

Practical implications

The findings can encourage managers to effectively integrate CSR into business functions to achieve superior social and financial performance, particularly in a developing country context.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is one of the first to empirically investigate the performance implications of integrating CSR into business functions and reveals new findings on how such integration can substantially improve company performance.

Enabling Open Innovation in Digital Startups through the Incubation Program—A Case of Qatar

Researchers have studied open innovation by focusing primarily on big organizations. With digitization, the adoption of open innovation has become widespread, as there is broader access to cheaper and better information and communication technology. Private or public companies will also support individuals, or a group of individuals, to promote an innovative economy. Some countries also provide incubation opportunities and technical and financial support to encourage digital startups. This paper presents insights on the incubation program organized by one of the prominent centers in Qatar that incubate interested potential entrepreneurs to utilize open innovation for digital startups. The paper uses a qualitative analysis method on the data obtained from the interviews with the trainers (staff) of the center and the entrepreneurs who went through the incubation process. Four hypotheses were developed to understand various aspects of open innovation, the collaboration of startups, and the role of the incubation center. A nonparametric statistical test was used to assess the validity of the hypotheses. The results show that incubation and open innovation can contribute to digital startups. The paper concludes with suggested enhancements for incubation. This paper complements the literature by providing a study of open innovation in digital startups and introducing future research in this field.

Driving innovation management to create shared value and sustainable growth

Creating shared value (CSV) is an opportunity for sustainable growth for small and medium-sized enterprises that entails jointly achieving both social and business value. Currently there are few practical approaches that underpin the importance of CSV and that explore which variables have a positive impact on SMEs. Our paper seeks to shed light on this issue by proposing a measuring and governance model to assess the benefits of CSV in SMEs, using a sample of Spanish SMEs for the empirical analysis, and PLS-SEM as the analysis technique. We first highlight innovation management as a key variable for CSV. It is essential to take innovative strategic decisions to identify which initiatives generate shared value. Our findings confirm that innovative business management helps cultural transformation processes to be implemented with high shared value, which is a source of opportunities in a global economy and, consequently, lead to sustainable growth. Secondly, we aim to highlight how innovative firms enhance their reputation, which in turn has an impact on the creation of social and business value. We also find that if SMEs emphasise social value, they boost the creation of business value, with their role as mediators proving to be vital. We present a strategic management model based on variables such as innovation management, social value and reputation, due to their impact on business value.

Strategic sourcing model for green supply chain management: an insight into automobile manufacturing units in India

Purpose

Supplier selection (SS) is one of the prime competencies in a sourcing decision. Taking into account the key role played by suppliers in facilitating the implementation of green supply chain management (GSCM), it is somewhat surprising that very little research attention has been imparted to the development of a strategic sourcing model for GSCM. This research aims to develop a strategic sourcing framework in which supplier organizations are prioritized and ranked based on their GSCM performance. Accordingly, the benchmark organization is identified and its strategy is explored for GSCM performance improvement.

Design/methodology/approach

The research develops an innovative GSCM performance evaluation framework using six parameters, namely, investment in corporate social responsibility, investment in research and development, utilization of renewable energy, total energy consumption, total carbon-di-oxide emissions and total waste generation. An integrated multicriteria decision-making (MCDM) approach is proposed in which the entropy method calculates criteria weights. The Complex Proportional Assessment (COPRAS) and the Grey relational analysis (GRA) methods are used to rank supplier organizations based on their performance scores. A real-world case of green supplier selection (GSS) is considered in which five leading India-based automobile manufacturing organizations (Supplier 1, Supplier 2, Supplier 3, Supplier 4 and Supplier 5) are selected. Surveys with industry experts at the strategic, tactical, and operational levels are carried out to collect relevant data.

Findings

The results reveal that total carbon dioxide emission is the most influential parameter, as it gains the highest weight. On the contrary, investment in research and development, and total waste generation have no significant impact on GSCM performance. Results show that Supplier 5 secures the top rank. Hence, it is the benchmark organization.

Research limitations/implications

The proposed methodology offers an easy and comprehensive approach to sourcing decisions in the field of GSCM. The entropy weight-based COPRAS and GRA methods offer an error-free channel of decision-making and can be proficiently used to outrank various industrial sectors based on their GSCM performances. This research is specific to the automobile manufacturing supply chain. Therefore, research outcomes may vary across supply chains with distinct characteristics.

Practical implications

The basic propositions of this research are based on a real-world case. Hence, the research findings are practically feasible. The less significant parameters identified in this study would enable managers to impart more attention to vulnerable areas for improvement. This research may help policymakers identify the influential parameters for effective GSCM implementation. As this research considers all aspects of sustainability, the strategies of the benchmark supplier have a direct impact on organizations' overall sustainability. The study would enable practitioners to make various strategies for GSCM performance improvement and to develop a cleaner production system.

Originality/value

The originality of this research lies in the consideration of both economic, social, environmental and operational aspects of sustainability for assessing the GSCM performance of supplier organizations. Quantitative criteria are considered so that vagueness can be removed from the decision. The use of an integrated grey-based approach for developing a strategic sourcing model is another unique feature of this study.

CSR and Workplace Autonomy as Enablers of Workplace Innovation in SMEs through Employees: Extending the Boundary Conditions of Self-Determination Theory

The current business environment characterized by high uncertainty, volatility, and stiff situation of competitiveness that is evident in almost every sector has increased the importance of workplace innovation for contemporary businesses. In this regard, a considerable attention in realizing employees of an organization as a source of innovation is not evident from the existing literature. In this aspect, the current study is an attempt to foster workplace innovation through employees in the SME sector of an emerging economy. In doing so, the authors propose that corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives of an SME, along with workplace autonomy, are helpful in creating an environment at the workplace that fosters innovative employee behavior (IEB). Furthermore, the current study also extends the boundary condition of the theory of self-determination by arguing that this theory provides a comprehensive framework to explain employees’ motivation for workplace innovation. The data of the current survey was obtained from the SME sector situated in two large cities of a developing country through a self-administered questionnaire which was then analyzed through structural-equation-modeling (SEM) using the AMOS software. The results confirmed that CSR directly relates to IEB and workplace autonomy mediates this relationship. The study also discusses the implications of this survey for theory and practice.

On Earth as It Is in Heaven: Proxy Measurements to Assess Sustainable Development Goals at the Company Level through CSR Indicators

In recent years, we have witnessed dramatic changes in the following two regards: First, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) practices have become ubiquitous in companies, and second, the challenge that Sustainable Development (SD) presents to society and to the planet has been illustrated in the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In this context, this study aims to identify the extent to which companies address the SDGs through their CSR practices. We conducted the present research by first performing a content analysis to determine the communalities between CSR practices and the SDGs. Then, we performed a quantitative analysis to assess the performance of various companies in terms of common aspects of CSR and SDGs. The main findings are as follows: (1) Not all SDGs are related to CSR practices; (2) companies perform differently in their CSR practices and, consequently, make different contributions to the SDGs; and (3) there is little difference among company profiles regarding their performances in CSR practices towards the SDGs. The main contributions of this study are, first, that it provides a new perspective on the relationship between CSR and SD and, second, the creation of a list of what can be considered the minimum requirements for CSR practices if the SDGs are to be reached.

The Role of Standards in the Development and Delivery of Sustainable Products: A Research Framework

The progress towards sustainable development could be accelerated by the adoption of progressive technologies and the development of new “green” products. The anecdotal evidence suggests that the acceptance of these products is, in part, affected by the development and acceptance of new standards as well as by the management of standardization in firms. Yet, there is a lack of a clearly focused research agenda that would systematically address the management of standardization in firms–particularly from a sustainability perspective. This paper addresses this gap and develops a research framework that is organized in three areas—intrafirm capabilities (the role of standards in the development of firms’ capabilities in—and through—standardization-related activities), interorganizational relationships (the role of standards in the development of interorganizational relationships) and accountability (the role of standards for accountability in firms and supply chains). Each area provides a set of representative research questions for future research. The paper also aims to encourage scholars in the field to address standardization from a strategic perspective, to develop an understanding about the complex nature of the management of standardization and trace its economic and sustainability consequences.

Corporate social sustainability in supply chain management: a literature review

Purpose

Recently, sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) has generated significant interest and gained attention of practitioners and academics. The purpose of this paper is to explore different themes in the existing literature, which pertains to social sustainability (SS) in supply chains, to argue for the use of SS model and suggest further research directions.

Design/methodology/approach

In the study, the authors have undertaken extensive literature review (n = 171) and used thematic analysis to propose a model.

Findings

Through the extensive review and thematic analysis, the paper identifies eight themes, which include stakeholder pressure, sustainability culture, contingencies, sustainability practices, partnerships, drivers and barriers, sustainability performance and optimization, and develops a SS model called “five-factor sustainability model.” Furthermore, a list of potential research directions for five-factor sustainability model is discussed.

Research limitations/implications

The research is an attempt to explore different themes related to SS in supply chain and develop a model that is also applicable to economic and environmental sustainability.

Originality/value

The paper offers a new approach to SSCM literature, arguing for five-factor sustainability model and providing further research directions. Moreover, this model will help sustainability scholars to position and integrate their research within social, economic and environmental sustainability literature.

Social Responsibility Attitudes and Behaviors’ Influence on University Students’ Satisfaction

This study focused on university social responsibility (USR). Corporate social responsibility is currently an extremely common strategy implemented by organizations. Higher education institutions are also introducing this strategy to enhance their performance, seeking to ensure that every university action is socially responsible and oriented toward achieving advantages over competitors. This competitive advantage is the result of a social responsibility vision, which has an ethical core, that the University has implemented or is implementing among all its stakeholders. These institutions work in four areas: instruction, research, management, and projection to society. Universities must thus strive to meet the interests of different stakeholders’ interests. This research concentrated on university students as an important stakeholder. The main objective was to evaluate university students’ participation in USR activities, as well as assessing the impact of relevant university practices. In addition, the study sought to measure the existing causal relationship between students’ participation and their university’s practices in terms of student satisfaction. The fieldwork was conducted with an electronic survey distributed to a group of University of Extremadura students in Spain. A total of 362 valid questionnaires were collected, which were processed using structural equation modeling and partial least squares. The results have implications for university management in the area of social responsibility, with regard to the new USR trends are revealed. In terms of originality and value, this research emphasized a specific stakeholder in universities, namely students, and ways their satisfaction can be achieved through USR.

Systems Thinking Approach to Sustainable Performance in RAMSAR Sites

This article explores and validates the integrated use of the viable system model (VSM) and the partial least squares path modeling (PLS-PM) approach to assess the sustainable management of RAMSAR sites carrying out economic activities. This work adopts a systems-thinking approach integrating systemic methodologies in three phases: (1) the VSM was first used to develop a conceptual model of the organisational problem; (2) PLS-PM was used to propose a construct to outline a solution, as well as to statistically validate the relationships proposed in the conceptual model; finally, (3) through the VSM, the relationships between actors were rethought in order to promote sustainable performance. The results obtained suggest that the joint use of VSM and PLS-PM is an effective approach that aids in the identification of relational and structural pathologies affecting the observed RAMSAR systems. It also proved useful to suggest that relationships can lead to the sustainable performance of the sites under study. It should be noted that the framework of systemic tools is constrained in its application to the organisational domain: assessing two RAMSAR areas in Mexico. Methodologically, this is the first application of the integrated use of VSM and PLS-PM to analyse the management and viability/sustainability of RAMSAR areas from an organisational perspective, opening a new avenue for the analysis and optimisation of management of such areas. This study provides tools to support actors and academics related to RAMSAR sites and opens up a discussion on how to rethink the organisational interactions in order to improve RAMSAR sites’ adaptive capabilities.

Organizational Learning and Corporate Social Responsibility Drivers of Performance in SMEs in Northwestern Mexico

The main objective of this article is to examine the effects of the organizational learning and corporate social responsibility (social, economic and environmental) practices that exert on the financial performance of SMEs (small and medium enterprises). The research is based on a sample of 343 companies of which 19.8% belong to the primary sector, 26.6% to the secondary sector and 53.6% to the tertiary sector of the northwestern region of Mexico. The data were collected from February to May 2018 with the support of a self-directed structured survey of company managers. For the analysis and validation of the results, the statistical technique of the structural equations model (SEM) based on the variance was used to validate the structured relationships in this investigation through PLS (partial least squares). These analyses were prepared with the support of SmartPLS version 3.2.8 Professional. The results indicate that OLE (organizational learning) is a key element to strengthen CSR (corporate social responsibility) practices and increase financial performance in these types of companies, and that CSR is key to increasing financial performance. In addition, it was found that the OLE is a variable that mediates the relationship between CSR and financial performance. The work contributes to the development of the literature of organizational learning, the theory of resources and capabilities, and stakeholder theory

Corporate Social Responsibility as an Antecedent of Innovation, Reputation, Performance, and Competitive Success: A Multiple Mediation Analysis

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) facilitates increased innovation and enhanced reputation and business performance. Small and medium-sized enterprises are commonly acknowledged to be a driver of economic growth, so these firms’ CSR and the competitive advantages it generates are of great interest. This study examined whether corporate managers’ positive predisposition toward CSR initiatives explains their companies’ level of innovation, achieved performance, competitive success, and reputation. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze a sample of 109 companies operating in Spain’s Autonomous Community of Extremadura. The results confirm that companies generally have a favorable orientation toward CSR and this strategy’s benefits include developing and improving firms’ reputation.