Research On Corporate Social Responsibility Of Different Life Stages

With the development of China market economy, Chinese enterprises are becoming mature gradually. The emerging issue of CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) that has come along is becoming increasingly prominent and drawing more and more attention in both academic and business circles. This thesis will study the CSR of different life stages from a new theoretical perspective, i.e. the Corporate Ecology Theory, focusing on resolving the two issues:whether there is any significant difference in CSR at different life stages; whether there exist any correlations between CSR and economic performance at different life stages. This thesis applies and combines, for the first time, the corporate ecology theory and social responsibility theory to the CSR study and concepts to conduct theoretical analysis on the CSR from the angle of the corporate ecological evolution. It also explores and discusses the motivations and characteristics of the CSR as well as the process of their variations accompanying with the evolution of corporate ecology. Further, it researches the relationship between the CSR and economic performance, establishes the theoretical models demonstrating the relationship between the Corporate Ecological Evolution, CSR and the Corporate Economic Performance, and selects China listing companies as the research instances to conduct the empirical study. The innovations and research in the theories of the thesis are mainly reflected in the following three aspects:First, based on the theoretical analysis of Corporate Ecology, the fundamental motivation of CSR is to maintain the dynamic balance of corporate ecosystem. Stakeholders are the most important ecological factors in corporate ecosystem. CSR reflects the relationship between corporate and stakeholders, and their relationship is an important condition for the corporate ecosystem balance. The process of discharging CSR is just the process of fulfilling responsibilities to the stakeholders, also is the process of pursuing the corporate dynamic balance. At the same time, following the enterprise ecology evolution, the corporate ecosystem members and conflict, strength and development capacity are changing correspondently, therefore, the motivation of CSR also shows different characteristics at its different life stages.Second, the positive response to the complicated environment is the essential characteristic of the CSR. The core of corporate ecosystem is the interaction of the enterprise and the environment. Stakeholders are the subjects of the enterprise environment. The responsibilities to stakeholders reflect the relationship between the enterprise and the environment. As one of the corporate strategies, the CSR helps corporate adapting to the environment and improving economic performance by that adaption. Corporate ecological evolution has a significant influence on the CSR. Also, priorities and characteristics of the CSR vary among the enterprises of different life stages.Third, the CSR and the Economic Performance mutually transmit with the help of corporate environment and strategy, the CSR and the Economic Performance interact with each other. The CSR impacts on Economic Performance and Economic Performance has the counteractiveforce to it. Their relationship changes in the process of corporate ecological evolution.Based on the above theoretical analysis, with 449 listing corporations selected as the study samples, this thesis conducts an scientific and comprehensive empirical study on the difference at different life stages of CSR and the relationship between the CSR and Economic Performance.Through theoretical analysis and empirical research, this thesis draw its conclusions that the CSR in different life cycle is different and has a positive correlation with its Economic Performance. However, the correlations of CSR to different stakeholders and Economic Performance present different features of different life stages.At last, this thesis points out the underlying problems in the CSR of China enterprises, and puts forward corresponding practical suggestions based on the forgoing conclusions.