Corporate Social Responsibility Activities: Similarities and Differences between Small and Medium Sized Enterprises

Abstract

Though the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has been widely investigated, recent research suggests the need to focus more on the CSR-based activities in Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs). As such, there exists a lack of consensus on a generally accepted theoretical framework for CSR. Additionally there is a dominance of informal CSR-based activities and strategies occurring in SMEs as opposed to the existence of formal CSR-based activities and strategies in large corporate firms. In this context, based on 31 qualitative in-depth interviews conducted with the regional small and medium sized accountancy firms (NSW) in Australia reveal certain similarities and differences. Moreover, results indicate small firms predominantly use that stakeholder framework. Whereas medium sized firms differ in their focus by using a combination of stakeholder and social capital frameworks.