Exploring Corporate Community Engagement in Switzerland: Activities, Motivations, and Processes. (April 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lorenz, Christian; Gentile, Gian-Claudio; Wehner, Theo
• Is Part Of: Business and society. Volume 55:Number 4(2016)
• Page Start: 594
• Page End: 631
• Publication Date: 2016-04
• Subjects: voluntary corporate community engagement -- corporate citizenship (CC) -- corporate social responsibility (CSR) -- culture systems -- small and medium enterprises (SMEs) -- Switzerland; Industries -- Social aspects -- Periodicals; Industrial sociology -- Periodicals; Business ethics -- Periodicals; 306.3
• DOI: 10.1177/0007650313482549
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0007-6503

Abstract

This research note presents data concerning the community engagement activities of 2, 096 Swiss companies as reported by a single company respondent in an online survey. Switzerland affords an interesting opportunity to compare engagement activities in a single country with multiple culture systems across companies varying in size from large to small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Study results show that 78% of the surveyed firms pursue some community engagement activities. While engagement is mostly practiced in traditional forms (e.g., donations), more active forms (e.g., supporting employees' private volunteering) are not uncommon. The main motivating factor is a concern for the communities in which the firms operate. Engagement activities are mostly employed independent of financial considerations and are conducted flexibly to serve personal interests of the firms' decision makers. Swiss firms' reported environmental assessment activities show no specific patterning. Perceiving engagement to be on the rise globally and in Switzerland is associated with a greater likelihood to be involved. Accordingly, knowing other engagement pursuing firms increases the individual firm engagement probability. The German speaking part of Switzerland is more active in engagement than the French and Italian speaking parts. Bigger companies pursue engagement activities more intensively and strategically than do SMEs.