Corporate responsibility practices among Swedish retailers - contrasting chains and single stores in view of the resource-based view

• Research on corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability is yet limited in regards to retail. A number of studies investigate the occurrence and nature of CSR in retail. However, the scope of retailers included is limited and many studies are descriptive. On account of business model variations in the retail industry, individual stores and store managers face different situations concerning resources and competencies. Presuming that a store’s resource base is related to its CSR strategy and management, this paper aims to investigate if single stores and stores belonging to a chain differ in their CSR practices. Results from a quantitative telephone survey, conducted with 200 Swedish store managers, confirm that individual stores and chain stores do, in many regards, differ in how they practice CSR. The significant differences are interpreted in relation to organizational resources, such as financial and human capital, supply chain control, and administrative tradition. In regards to retailing research, the study supports an expansion of CSR research in retail, from descriptive (what and how?) to exploratory (why?). On a theoretical level, the study supports the basic assumption that organizational factors like governance and accessibility of resources can explain variation in CSR management.

Ämnesord

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Ekonomi och näringsliv -- Företagsekonomi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Economics and Business -- Business Administration (hsv//eng)

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