IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/pal/abaman/v22y2023i1d10.1057_s41291-021-00147-1.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

CSR reporting in China’s private and state-owned enterprises: A mixed methods comparative analysis

Author

Listed:
  • Irina Ervits

    (Cologne Business School)

Abstract

The paper pursues a mixed methods approach of conducting both quantitative and qualitative content analysis of corporate social responsibility (CSR) reports in two types of Chinese companies: State-owned (SOE) and non-state-owned (non-SOE) enterprises. Quantitative content analysis revealed overall homogeneity in CSR reporting among SOEs and non-SOEs in China, which can be explained by coercive isomorphism on a national scale. The Chinese government has created an intricate system of incentives encouraging both SOEs and non-SOEs to engage in socially responsive behavior and disclosure. As a result of qualitative analysis, a recurring theme of “strategic emerging industries” (SEI) was identified in the CSR reports of predominantly state-owned banks. This finding provides empirical evidence of the link between the social and economic objectives of the Chinese government, and it shows how state-owned banks mediate between the state and business (SOEs and non-SOEs) as part of a coercive isomorphism apparatus.

Suggested Citation

  • Irina Ervits, 2023. "CSR reporting in China’s private and state-owned enterprises: A mixed methods comparative analysis," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 22(1), pages 55-83, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:abaman:v:22:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1057_s41291-021-00147-1
    DOI: 10.1057/s41291-021-00147-1
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1057/s41291-021-00147-1
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1057/s41291-021-00147-1?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Wenjing Li & Ran Zhang, 2010. "Corporate Social Responsibility, Ownership Structure, and Political Interference: Evidence from China," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 96(4), pages 631-645, November.
    2. Michael C. Jensen, 2010. "Value Maximization, Stakeholder Theory, and the Corporate Objective Function," Journal of Applied Corporate Finance, Morgan Stanley, vol. 22(1), pages 32-42, January.
    3. Philippe Gugler & Jacylyn Shi, 2009. "Corporate Social Responsibility for Developing Country Multinational Corporations: Lost War in Pertaining Global Competitiveness?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 87(1), pages 3-24, April.
    4. Massimo Florio, 2014. "Contemporary public enterprises: innovation, accountability, governance," Journal of Economic Policy Reform, Taylor and Francis Journals, vol. 17(3), pages 201-208, July.
    5. Andy Lockett & Jeremy Moon & Wayne Visser, 2006. "Corporate Social Responsibility in Management Research: Focus, Nature, Salience and Sources of Influence," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(1), pages 115-136, January.
    6. Stefano CLO & Chiara F. DEL BO & Matteo FERRARIS & Massimo FLORIO & Daniela VANDONE & Carlo FIORIO, 2015. "Public Enterprises In The Market For Corporate Control: Recent Worldwide Evidence," Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 86(4), pages 559-583, December.
    7. Ha-Joon Chang, 2003. "Kicking Away the Ladder: Infant Industry Promotion in Historical Perspective 1," Oxford Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 31(1), pages 21-32.
    8. Massimo Florio, 2013. "Rethinking on public enterprise: editorial introduction and some personal remarks on the research agenda," International Review of Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 27(2), pages 135-149, March.
    9. Meng Zhao, 2012. "CSR-Based Political Legitimacy Strategy: Managing the State by Doing Good in China and Russia," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 111(4), pages 439-460, December.
    10. Michael L. Barnett & Robert M. Salomon, 2012. "Does it pay to be really good? addressing the shape of the relationship between social and financial performance," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(11), pages 1304-1320, November.
    11. Liangrong Zu & Lina Song, 2009. "Determinants of Managerial Values on Corporate Social Responsibility: Evidence from China," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 88(1), pages 105-117, April.
    12. Christopher Marquis & Cuili Qian, 2014. "Corporate Social Responsibility Reporting in China: Symbol or Substance?," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 25(1), pages 127-148, February.
    13. Alvaro Cuervo-Cazurra & Andrew Inkpen & Aldo Musacchio & Kannan Ramaswamy, 2014. "Governments as owners: State-owned multinational companies," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 45(8), pages 919-942, October.
    14. Zongshi Chen & Douglas B. Fuller & Lu Zheng, 2018. "Institutional isomorphism and Chinese private corporate philanthropy: state coercion, corruption, and other institutional effects," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 17(2), pages 83-111, April.
    15. Ravi Ramamurti, 1987. "Performance Evaluation of State-Owned Enterprises in Theory and Practice," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 33(7), pages 876-893, July.
    16. Melitz, Marc J., 2005. "When and how should infant industries be protected?," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 66(1), pages 177-196, May.
    17. Shuping Liao & Yongsheng Zhang, 2014. "A new context for managing overseas direct investment by Chinese state-owned enterprises," China Economic Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 7(1), pages 126-140, January.
    18. Bin Xu, 2006. "Infant Industry And Political Economy Of Trade Protection," Pacific Economic Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 11(3), pages 363-378, October.
    19. Shangkun Xu & Rudai Yang, 2010. "Indigenous Characteristics of Chinese Corporate Social Responsibility Conceptual Paradigm," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 93(2), pages 321-333, May.
    20. Grant Turner & Nicholas Tan & Dena Sadeghian, 2012. "The Chinese Banking System," RBA Bulletin (Print copy discontinued), Reserve Bank of Australia, pages 53-64, September.
    21. Erming Xu & Hui Yang & J. Quan & Yuan Lu, 2015. "Organizational slack and corporate social performance: Empirical evidence from China’s public firms," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 32(1), pages 181-198, March.
    22. Banik, Dan & Lin, Ka, 2019. "Business and morals: Corporate strategies for sustainable development in China," Business and Politics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 21(4), pages 514-539, December.
    23. Lixin Colin Xu & Tian Zhu & Yi‐min Lin, 2005. "Politician control, agency problems and ownership reform," The Economics of Transition, The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, vol. 13(1), pages 1-24, January.
    24. Miska, Christof & Witt, Michael A. & Stahl, Günter K., 2016. "Drivers of Global CSR Integration and Local CSR Responsiveness: Evidence from Chinese MNEs," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 26(3), pages 317-345, July.
    25. Lei Wang & Heikki Juslin, 2009. "The Impact of Chinese Culture on Corporate Social Responsibility: The Harmony Approach," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 88(3), pages 433-451, October.
    26. Raquel Garde-Sanchez & María Victoria López-Pérez & Antonio M. López-Hernández, 2018. "Current Trends in Research on Social Responsibility in State-Owned Enterprises: A Review of the Literature from 2000 to 2017," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-21, July.
    27. Fabian Jintae Froese & Dylan Sutherland & Jeoung Yul Lee & Yipeng Liu & Yuan Pan, 2019. "Challenges for foreign companies in China: implications for research and practice," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 18(4), pages 249-262, September.
    28. Lopin Kuo & Chin‐Chen Yeh & Hui‐Cheng Yu, 2012. "Disclosure of Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management: Evidence from China," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 19(5), pages 273-287, September.
    29. Hong Bo & Tao Li & Linda A. Toolsema, 2009. "Corporate Social Responsibility Investment And Social Objectives: An Examination On Social Welfare Investment Of Chinese State Owned Enterprises," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 56(3), pages 267-295, July.
    30. Chong-En Bai & Jiangyong Lu & Zhigang Tao, 2006. "The Multitask Theory of State Enterprise Reform: Empirical Evidence from China," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 96(2), pages 353-357, May.
    31. Richard D. MALLON, 1981. "Performance Evaluation And Compensation Of The Social Burdens Of Public Enterprise In Less Developed Countries," Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 52(3), pages 281-300, September.
    32. Fuming Jiang & Tatiana Zalan & Herman H. M. Tse & Jie Shen, 2018. "Mapping the Relationship Among Political Ideology, CSR Mindset, and CSR Strategy: A Contingency Perspective Applied to Chinese Managers," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 147(2), pages 419-444, January.
    33. Jeremy Moon & Xi Shen, 2010. "CSR in China Research: Salience, Focus and Nature," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 94(4), pages 613-629, July.
    34. Massimo Florio & Fabienne Fecher, 2011. "The Future Of Public Enterprises: Contributions To A New Discourse," Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 82(4), pages 361-373, December.
    35. Juelin Yin & Yuli Zhang, 2012. "Institutional Dynamics and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in an Emerging Country Context: Evidence from China," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 111(2), pages 301-316, December.
    36. Luc BERNIER & Louis SIMARD, 2007. "The Governance Of Public Enterprises: The Quebec Experience," Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 78(3), pages 455-474, September.
    37. Rosa Chun, 2009. "Ethical Values and Environmentalism in China: Comparing Employees from State-Owned and Private Firms," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 84(3), pages 341-348, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Douglas Cumming & Wenxuan Hou & Edward Lee, 2016. "Business Ethics and Finance in Greater China: Synthesis and Future Directions in Sustainability, CSR, and Fraud," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 138(4), pages 601-626, November.
    2. Shu-Yun Du & Xiao-Chen Shao & Alfredo Jiménez & Jeoung Yul Lee, 2022. "Corporate Social Responsibility of Chinese Multinational Enterprises: A Review and Future Research Agenda," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-22, December.
    3. Raquel Garde-Sanchez & María Victoria López-Pérez & Antonio M. López-Hernández, 2018. "Current Trends in Research on Social Responsibility in State-Owned Enterprises: A Review of the Literature from 2000 to 2017," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-21, July.
    4. Yanhong Tang & Yanling Ma & Christina W.Y. Wong & Xin Miao, 2018. "Evolution of Government Policies on Guiding Corporate Social Responsibility in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-20, March.
    5. Juelin Yin & Ali Quazi, 2018. "Business Ethics in the Greater China Region: Past, Present, and Future Research," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 150(3), pages 815-835, July.
    6. Juelin Yin & Anusorn Singhapakdi & Yunzhou Du, 2016. "Causes and moderators of corporate social responsibility in China: The influence of personal values and institutional logics," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 15(3), pages 226-254, July.
    7. Irina Ervits, 2021. "CSR reporting by Chinese and Western MNEs: patterns combining formal homogenization and substantive differences," International Journal of Corporate Social Responsibility, Springer, vol. 6(1), pages 1-24, December.
    8. Juelin Yin & Yuli Zhang, 2012. "Institutional Dynamics and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in an Emerging Country Context: Evidence from China," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 111(2), pages 301-316, December.
    9. Garanina, Tatiana & Kim, Oksana, 2023. "The relationship between CSR disclosure and accounting conservatism: The role of state ownership," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 50(C).
    10. Figueira, Sandra & Gauthier, Caroline & Torres de Oliveira, Rui, 2023. "CSR and stakeholder salience in MNE subsidiaries in emerging markets," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(5).
    11. Wen, Wen & Ke, Yun & Liu, Xuejiao, 2021. "Customer concentration and corporate social responsibility performance: Evidence from China," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 46(C).
    12. Lee, Jihyun & Lee, Yuri, 2015. "The interactions of CSR, self-congruity and purchase intention among Chinese consumers," Australasian marketing journal, Elsevier, vol. 23(1), pages 19-26.
    13. Yang Liu & Weiqi Dai & Mingqing Liao & Jiang Wei, 2021. "Social Status and Corporate Social Responsibility: Evidence from Chinese Privately Owned Firms," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 169(4), pages 651-672, April.
    14. Sora Kim & Yingru Ji, 2017. "Chinese Consumers' Expectations of Corporate Communication on CSR and Sustainability," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 24(6), pages 570-588, November.
    15. Hui-Cheng Yu & Lopin Kuo, 2021. "Corporate Philanthropy Strategy and Sustainable Development Goals," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-10, May.
    16. Susannah M. Davis & Dirk C. Moosmayer, 2014. "Greening the Field? How NGOs Are Shaping Corporate Social Responsibility in China," Journal of Current Chinese Affairs - China aktuell, Institute of Asian Studies, GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies, Hamburg, vol. 43(4), pages 75-110.
    17. Dan Shen & Jin Jun Bo, 2014. "Corporate Social Responsibility And Emancipatory Accounting: Roles Of Non-Governmental Organisations In Transformative Change In China," Economy & Business Journal, International Scientific Publications, Bulgaria, vol. 8(1), pages 96-110.
    18. WANG Jifu & GUPTA Vipin & LYBOLT Liza & WANG Xiuli, 2022. "Corrected Game Model In Csr: Mnc Strategies And Chinese Practice," Studies in Business and Economics, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Faculty of Economic Sciences, vol. 17(3), pages 269-287, December.
    19. Farman Ullah Khan & Junrui Zhang & Nanyan Dong & Muhammad Usman & Sajid Ullah & Shahid Ali, 2021. "Does privatization matter for corporate social responsibility? Evidence from China," Eurasian Business Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 11(3), pages 497-515, September.
    20. Min Zhang & Biying Jin & G. Alan Wang & Thong Ngee Goh & Zhen He, 2016. "A Study of Key Success Factors of Service Enterprises in China," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 134(1), pages 1-14, March.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:pal:abaman:v:22:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1057_s41291-021-00147-1. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.palgrave.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.