The Manager’s Vision of CSR in an Emerging Economy: From Implementation to Market Impact

Abstract

Society in general, and markets in particular, are increasingly sensitive to principles linked to corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability. The literature is prolific in this vein—providing a broad range of research covering the terms’ meaning, implementation processes, drivers and brakes and the impact on variables of interest for business management. Far fewer studies, however, address these phenomena in the context of emerging economies. In response to the growing interest in developing countries in terms of the population and market, this study aims to deepen the vision of large-firm managers in an emerging LATAM economy—namely, Peru—while providing insights into the potential impact of a number of different cross-cultural traits. To this end, we opted for a grounded theory-based approach. Data were collected by way of nine semi-structured interviews with managers at the same number of Peruvian firms. Our findings both coincide with and differ from the extant CSR literature in terms of signification, implementation and intensity, perceived benefits and consumer behavior. Key theoretical and practical implications of our research are discussed in the final section.

Keywords

• CSR
• brand image
• reputation
• buying behavior
• emerging economies