Leader, context and CSR : evidence from Taiwan

Purpose - This study examines the influence of context on Taiwanese senior managers' corporate social responsibility (CSR) decisions. The study seeks to identify the current profiles of managerial CSR perspectives and organizational CSR investments in Taiwan. In particular, whether a non-Friedman perspective is more prevalent than a Friedman perspective and whether community-related CSR is more prevalent than other CSR practices in Taiwan remain unclear. The study also seeks to identify the relationship between managers' CSR perspective profiles and organizational CSR investment profiles in Taiwan. Design/methodology/approach - The sample was selected from the Taiwanese top companies list. Altogether, 150 valid responses from senior managers of 150 companies were returned. Findings - The reported evidence shows that senior managers' Friedman/non-Friedman CSR perspective has a great influence in directing a firm's CSR decision in Taiwan. Managers holding the Friedman perspective are slightly more than those holding the non-Friedman CSR perspective, but both perspectives are popular. There is a tendency for firms to make either more or less investments in all CSR dimensions. A Friedman perspective tends to be associated with low CSR investments, and a non-Friedman perspective tends to be associated with high CSR investments. Originality/value - A major contribution of this study is to offer a different perspective from the Western view regarding CSR implementation in a Chinese-dominant culture society. The study extends the upper echelon theory that managerial CSR perspectives can be a driver of a firm's CSR decision-making. The study also offers further evidence for the institutional theory that CSR is contextually dependent.