Corporate Social Responsibility : A study of Swedish Organizations and Companies operating in China

Abstract: Bachelor Thesis School of Business and Economics, Linnaeus University, Business Administation, Spring 2013 Authors : Emelie Glaser and Frida Eskilsson Subject : Business Administration III Tutor : Kjell Arvidsson Examiner : Mikael Lundgren Title : Corporate Social Responsibility - A study of Swedish Organizations and Companies operating in China Problem : China has grown and is still growing toward becoming one of the world’s leading economies but in the shadow of this rapid advancement, the country has had to make sacrifices regarding the environment and people’s health, safety and well-being at their work places. The social responsibility discussion is constantly being debated by companies and their representatives world-wide. Companies need to act responsibly in order for businesses to be competitive and remain successful in the global economy. Companies’ operations also have to be based on sustainable thinking and acting. We find that CSR can be used by companies as a strategy for working with social responsibility toward both employees and society. In 2007, an agreement between the Swedish and the Chinese government was established with the purpose to raise awareness about efforts that can contribute to more sustainable development among companies operating in China. This study looks into how Swedish organizations and companies support sustainable ways of working within the Chinese labor market. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to achieve an understanding of, and to describe why, Swedish organizations and companies in the Chinese labor market act in order to be socially responsible. We also aim to analyze and present how the studied organizations and companies in question work practically towards their responsibility to society and how their operations affect people. Method: This study is based on an abductive strategy with a qualitative research stance. The empirical findings are based on information from seven interview respondents working within Swedish organizations and companies in the Chinese labor market. Result, Conclusion: Our basic rights and needs have to be fulfilled in order to be socially responsible toward others. Chinese growth is aimed at building a strong economy for their citizens and fulfilling their basic needs as a first priority. Because the country has focused on building a strong economy, there has not been enough emphasis given to social responsibility thinking. There is a need for all kinds of sustainable solutions that can contribute to supporting economic growth which can lead to advancement in a long-term perspective. However there is a positive aspect in this issue; there is growing interest within companies in China to learn about, and practice CSR activities.