Determinants of Corporate Social Responsibility Disclosure Ratings by Spanish Listed Firms

The aim of this paper is to analyze whether a number of firm and industry characteristics, as well as media exposure, are potential determinants of corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosure practices by Spanish listed firms. Empirical studies have shown that CSR disclosure activism varies across companies, industries, and time (Gray et al., Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal 8(2), 47–77, 1995; Journal of Business Finance & Accounting 28(3/4), 327–356, 2001; Hackston and Milne, Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal 9(1), 77–108, 1996; Cormier and Magnan, Journal of International Financial Management and Accounting 1(2), 171–195, 2003; Cormier et al., European Accounting Review 14(1), 3–39, 2005), which is usually justified by reference to several theoretical constructs, such as the legitimacy, stakeholder, and agency theories. Our findings evidence that firms with higher CSR ratings present a statistically significant larger size and a higher media exposure, and belong to more environmentally sensitive industries, as compared to firms with lower CSR ratings. However, neither profitability nor leverage seem to explain differences in CSR disclosure practices between Spanish listed firms. The most influential variable for explaining firms’ variation in CSR ratings is media exposure, followed by size and industry. Therefore, it seems that the legitimacy theory, as captured by those variables related to public or social visibility, is the most relevant theory for explaining CSR disclosure practices of Spanish listed firms.     

浅议我国中小企业文化建设的相关问题及举措

中小企业文化建设的目的是提升中小企业核心竞争力、加速k 小企业发展的动力。通过分析我国中小企业文化在中小企业发展中的重要作用、存在的问题,并提出相关举措,为企业的快速发展提供良好的文化氛围。     

Social identity in MNCs based on language and nationality

The existence of multiple languages in a multinational corporation (MNC) causes tensions in the firm both by causing problems in communicating and by creating social groups. MNCs that adopt a common corporate language that is not their home language will find a problem of competing languages. Nationality is another cultural feature that leads to perceived biases that favor home‐country nationals. We explore both of these influences using social identity theory. Our research was conducted in a Spanish MNC that has subsidiaries in 42 countries and has adopted English as its corporate language. We used a mixed‐method approach with a mailed survey of 216 managers across 42 subsidiaries in the MNC and personal interviews of headquarters executives. We found that Spanish speakers enjoyed advantages in terms of access to resources for themselves and their subsidiaries, relative to non‐Spanish speakers. This access was greater when the Spanish speakers were Spanish nationals and was moderated by geographic proximity of the subsidiary to the headquarters and age of the subsidiary.     

Ethics and the Board of Directors in Spain: The Olivencia Code of Good Governance

In an open, unregulated and globalised economy, it is logical that the problem of corporate government not only occupy the time of academics, but also preoccupy both companies and the public administration. Corporate governance varies depending on several factors, such as the culture of a particular country, the economic situation and the organisational structures. Thus, there is no single recipe which can be applied automatically and is universally valid in all contexts. However, it is possible to propose some general principles which have duly stood the test of experience and are recognised as providing valuable guidance for efficient corporate governance.The aim of this article is to present the Spanish "Olivencia Report", which is an attempt to draft an "ethical code" containing a number of practices and principles, which, if they were to be applied, could improve the governance of the larger Spanish companies listed on the Stock Market.The pages which follow narrate the story of the making of the report, and highlight those features which distinguish this report from other analogous reports published in other countries, and which inspired the Olivencia Report. These reports, which include the "Cadbury Report", the "Viénot Report" and the "Peters Report" among others will also be dealt with. Once the more outstanding aspects of the Spanish report have been highlighted, the article closes with a brief concluding section, which goes beyond the case in question and stresses the relationship between ethics, corporate governance and the mission of the enterprise. This focus is of some importance as the literature on corporate governance rarely brings the ethical problem to the fore.     

Analysis of Social Performance in the Spanish Financial Industry Through Public Data. A Proposal

Banking firms are becoming increasingly aware that their clients’ management of environmental and social risks may in term threaten their own business as lenders and investors. In addition, stakeholders are requiring banks to improve their social performance. As a result, some banks are developing corporate social responsibility (CSR) policies and management systems to reduce potential risks and improve their performance. In the Spanish financial system, half of the banking firms are savings banks, most of which have always used some Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) criteria in their management. Private Banks have only recently started to integrate social aspects in their performance. However, no formal analysis has been carried out on the impact of CSR strategies. Various initiatives have been launched nationally and internationally to include the social dimension in management systems. The purpose of this research is to analyse the social performance of the main Spanish financial companies through public data such as social or sustainability reports and media sources. In order to do this, we need to determine which CSR criteria most greatly affect banking firms and to choose the most accurate quantitative and qualitative indicators to measure social performance.     

Blame and culpability in explaining changes in perceptions of corporate social responsibility and credibility

This study uses the sequential updating mechanism and draws on several theories, such as the attribution theory, the self-perception theory and the shame theory, to explain the interplay between consumers' perceptions of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and corporate credibility. It contends that both CSR and corporate credibility undergo the sequential updating mechanism. A two-stage model (before and after a corporate public relation [PR] crisis) is used to investigate how individuals' perceptions of CSR and credibility are determined by their blame attribution to the firm, their self-culpability, as well as their prior perceptions of CSR and credibility. To test the research hypotheses, four samples were collected from Spain (224 and 244) and the United Kingdom (307 and 236). Respondents had to state their opinions in relation to a Spanish and a British company operating in the fashion industry. For the model estimation, the SmartPLS 3 was used. The results show that consumers' perception of a firm's liability has a significant impact on their feeling of culpability, which in turn strongly and negatively affects their perceptions of the firm's CSR and credibility. In addition, consumers' prior perceptions of CSR and credibility play a relevant role in regulating and offsetting the final effect of a corporate PR crisis.     

Business and Social Reputation: Exploring the Concept and Main Dimensions of Corporate Reputation

Different theoretical approaches highlight the growing relevance of corporate reputation as strategic factor. Among these approaches the arguments of the Resource-Based View are special worthwhile (Grant, 1991, California Management Review 33(3), 114–135; Barney, 1999, Sloan Management Review Spring, 137–145). Nevertheless, this topic poses several methodological problems (Barney et al., 2001), as the unavailability to identify and measure this organizational factor, that is “socially complex” and intangible in its nature. In this work, using the findings of our empirical research on Spanish biotechnology firms, we carry out an identification and measurement of corporate reputation, highlighting its two key components: “business reputation” and “social reputation”. Dr. Gregorio Martín de Castro is Assistant Professor at the Business Administration Department in Universidad Complutense de Madrid (Spain). He has several years of research experience at CIC Spanish Knowledge Society Research Centre, he holds an Expert Diploma in Intellectual Capital and Knowledge Management from INSEAD (France), and he was a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at Harvard University during 2004–2005. He is author and co-author of several papers concerning Resource-Based View, Intellectual Capital and Knowledge Management. Dr. José Emilio Navas López is Professor and Head of the Business Administration Department in Universidad Complutense de Madrid (Spain). He is author and co-author of several books and papers concerning Technology Management, Strategy and Knowledge Management. He has held the first Knowledge Management Chair in Spain at I.U. Euroforum Escorial. Dr. Pedro López Sáez is Assistant Professor at the Business Administration Department in Universidad Complutense de Madrid (Spain) and he was a Research Fellow at Harvard University during 2004–2005. He has several years of research experience at CIC Spanish Knowledge Society Research Centre and he is author and co-author of several papers concerning Resource-Based View, Intellectual Capital and Knowledge Management.     

浅述CI设计与企业文化

CI作为一种创造企业形象、增强企业形象影响力、改善企业管理的有效工具,已经被证明是一种功能强大的企业推进剂。CI系统构建的战略体系同企业文化各个层面密切相关。成功的企业正是在CI设计的过程中将企业文化与企业经营成功的相结合。     

创新企业价值理念 实现永续创新

企业价值观是企业文化的基石 ,企业价值理念的创新是企业适应激烈竞争环境的必然要求。现代企业只有切实贯彻能够促进企业可持续发展的价值理念 ,才能够实现永续创新。     

质量文化与企业文化的关系

企业质量文化是企业文化的核心和重要内涵,是创建和实现优秀企业文化的必由之路。质量文化与企业文化的联系主要是内涵具有相互渗透性;表现形式具有相似性;质量文化与企业外部环境具有不可分性。但在范围、功能和不同发展阶段上有所不同。质量文化是企业文化发展到一定阶段的产物,是企业文化的高级形式。质量文化倡导全面质量管理,致力于提高企业全体员工的质量意识、质量理念、质量管理的理论和技能水平;企业文化则侧重于涵盖企业整体活动。质量文化与企业文化之间相互作用,能够共同促进企业的发展和整体效益的提高。     

花旗银行企业文化的特点及其启示

优秀的企业文化是统领银行一切资源的灵魂,一个企业的所有资源调动及高效配置要靠企业文化来引导。借鉴花旗银行企业文化的特点:以人为本是花旗银行企业文化的核心,客户至上是花旗银行企业文化的命脉,推陈出新是花旗银行企业文化的灵魂,这些使我国的金融企业文化建设能得到有益启示。     

略论绿色企业文化

开展绿色管理是企业适应绿色经济时代的必然选择,而绿色企业文化是绿色管理的重要内容,构建绿色企业文化将成为企业赢在绿色起跑线的有力武器。因此,加强绿色企业文化建设是企业绿色管理的重要部分,进而应从绿色价值观、绿色精神、绿色形象和绿色监管的角度制定培育绿色企业文化的对策。     

Fostering Corporate Social Responsibility Through Public Initiative: From the EU to the Spanish Case

Should CSR be approached only on a voluntary basis or should it be complemented with a compulsory regulatory framework? What type of government intervention is more effective in fostering CSR among companies? This paper is an attempt to answer these questions, reviewing the debate between proponents of the voluntary case and the obligatory case for CSR, and critically analysing current international government-led initiatives to foster CSR among companies, and national government-led initiatives in the EU area. Finally, the paper focuses on the Spanish case, as an example of the failure of an exclusively voluntary approach. Despite the rapid uprise of CSR, Spain is still far behind late in CSR promotion strategies. Most action has been undertaken by companies themselves with no common guidelines, governmental support, or independent verification. The lack of a regulatory framework for CSR or ethical investment issues and the virtual absence of other indirect incentives, explains the misbalance between private, public and Third Sector initiatives. Based on the Spanish context which is quite similar to other non-OECD countries, the authors call for a more proactive government position in CSR related issues. The conclusions of the paper detail the features of this regulatory framework and other policies to promote CSR in Spain as well as in other OECD countries.     

关于企业文化与国情的思考

企业文化既是企业发展的底蕴和灵魂,又是社会文化与企业管理实践相融合的产物,分析国外企业文化与国情、社会文化的关系及对我国的借鉴和启示,有助于思考建设有中国特色的现代企业文化问题,企业文化将成为未来企业的第一竞争力。     

企业文化状况的模糊综合评估

企业文化对于企业管理和企业发展的作用已在国内外形成共识,而要高效率、高效益地建设企业文化,应当先对企业文化状况进行评估。为此,建立企业文化状况的模糊综合评估模型,了解评估指标的选取和模型的应用及该方法在应用中的注意事项。     

麦当劳:"营"在文化,"赢"在本土化

本文认为,良好的企业文化及成功的本土化策略会给企业带来丰厚的收益。文章指出,麦当劳取得成功的关键就在于其善于经营企业文化并实施了一系列成功的本土化战略。它在进行管理尤其是人力资源管理时,重视培训,利用文化因素实现人与文化的融合,使企业文化成为员工、公司与社会之间的纽带。在将自己的品牌推向其他国家市场的时候,能够根据所在国的民族特点,促进产品标准化与本土化融合,通过促销、价格和服务的本土化,给自己的品牌注入新的创意,迎合所在国国情,立足文化,行动本土化。     

浅谈我国企业文化建设中存在的几个误区及解决对策

在不断学习和创新的时代,企业文化的创建受到了前所未有的重视。作为管理理论和管理方式的企业文化是一种更高层次的管理思想和管理方式,能给企业注入新的生机与活力,推动企业的经济增长和持续发展。企业应结合自身实际排除误区,要以强化系统培训、深化内涵及充分发挥榜样的带动作用,推动文化建设的健康发展。     

企业文化在现代企业发展中的作用

中国企业要在纷繁复杂的市场经济运行中求得生存和发展,必须更新经营理念和管理方式,实施企业文化战略,从而不断提升企业核心竞争力.发展有中国特色的企业文化,需要从理论和实践两方面来把握中国企业文化的发展方向,既要加强企业文化的研究,提出有中国特色的企业文化理论,又要将科学理论付诸于企业文化建设实践之中.坚持以人为本,建设“融合网”(即以人为本的企业结构);在借鉴国外先进企业文化的同时,吸收中国传统文化:确立富有自身特点的企业精神.     

从东西方文化差异看外派经理的文化冲突

东西方文化差异在企业联合管理的过程中对联合管理的质量常常带来巨大的消极影响 ,并进而导致联合管理质量的下降。以外派经理为研究的焦点 ,探讨外派经理在异国所面临冲突的文化根源 ,在一个与本民族文化完全不同的国家里建立一个与该国民族文化完全不同的企业文化是否可行进行理论上的探讨与分析。     

企业并购中的文化管理

在市场竞争日益激烈的情况下,企业面临着严峻的挑战。如今并购已日益成为企业快速成长之路,而文化管理则是企业并购中的重要一环。要成功实现并购,企业必须对两种不同的企业文化进行整合。有效的文化管理,可以提高并购成功的机率,降低并购成本,使并购双方真正形成一个有机整体。