A Pathway to Corporate Social Responsibility: Contractors’ Major Moves in the Context of Post-Disaster Reconstruction

Abstract

Numerous studies have explored contractors’ corporate social responsibility (CSR) at the macro or enterprise levels. Few, however, have considered CSR at the project level or contextualized it in post-disaster reconstruction (PDR) projects. In the event of a disaster, contractors’ CSR in PDR projects (P-CSR) is beneficial for facilitating affected citizens in returning to normal life and improving their long-term disaster resilience. Therefore, this study aims to formulate strategies that promote the implementation of contractors’ P-CSR. Employing a mixed-methods research design within the context of Chinese PDR projects, the study identified 32 influencing factors, 24 measures, and 4 strategies. These strategies focus on (1) acquiring effective and efficient national emergency supports, (2) sharpening contractors’ internal capabilities to enhance disaster resilience, (3) valuing contractors’ P-CSR activities and outcomes, and (4) reducing PDR projects’ constraints and risks. Together, these measures and strategies form a Y-shaped framework to facilitate contractors’ P-CSR implementation. The study findings contribute to the literature by bridging the gap between contractors’ CSR implementation and their project-level PDR efforts in the event of natural disasters.