Corporate Social Responsibility in China: Analysis of Key Drivers for the Implementation of CSR and Assessment of the Impacts on Company Performance

Bachelor Thesis from the year 2020 in the subject Business economics - Business Ethics, Corporate Ethics, grade: 1,0 (German system 1,0 best), Munich Business School University of Applied Sciences, language: English, abstract: In the course of China's rise to a significant player in the global economy, concerns are voiced regarding individual Chinese companies' irresponsible behaviors among the international communities, resulting in the Chinese government's introduction of strict regulations on social responsibility for companies operating in China. However, due to the decisive government interventions, further potential underlying reasons for Chinese companies' corporate social responsibility (CSR) involvement remain uncertain.

The goal of this thesis is to provide insights about CSR and its key drivers and the potential effects of CSR on Chinese companies' performances as well as to offer recommendations for managers of companies in China. The thesis first addressed CSR development in the US and in China by using relevant literature. The results of the literature review showed that legal requirements, government influence, and financial profitability were key drivers for both US and Chinese companies, and CSR had a positive impact on firm performance in both countries. Subsequently, eight semi-structured key informant interviews were conducted. The selected informants were all upper-level managers in their respective companies who were aware of China's CSR strategy and were performing related practices in their firms. The interview results indicated that while legal requirements and government involvement were still the driving forces behind companies' CSR implementation in China, financial profitability is an additional predominant factor for companies' decision-makers. Furthermore, both theoretical and empirical insights displayed a positive relationship between CSR and corporate social and economic performance, indicating that CSR practices benefit both companies and society.