Social Responsibility toward the Employees and Career Development Sustainability during Manufacturing Transformation in China

Xuemei Lu, Wenzhong Zhu and Fu-Sheng Tsai
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Xuemei Lu: School of English for International Business, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, Guangzhou 510420, China
Wenzhong Zhu: School of Business, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, Guangzhou 510006, China
Fu-Sheng Tsai: Department of Business Administration, Cheng Shiu University, Kaohsiung 83347, Taiwan

Sustainability, 2019, vol. 11, issue 17, 1-17

Abstract: In an era of industrial transformation, manufacturing employees have faced significant threats (e.g., Artificial Intelligence technologies). Against such a backdrop, this study empirically examined the relationship between social responsibility toward the employees (CSRe) and career development sustainability, since non-contractual organizational supports are as important for employees’ career development as those outlined within contracts. We examined relevant issues in the Chinese manufacturing industry by using decision tree analysis coupled with grey relation processing. CSRe was conceptualized by four dimensions: working benefit, working environment, working hours, and training, while career development sustainability was captured from the perspectives of career growth and employability. The results indicated that four factors of social responsibility toward employees were positively associated with career growth and employability under career development sustainability. In addition, the strongest correlation was between training and career growth as well as employability. This study contributes by enriching the current research on corporate social responsibility from the standpoint of employees, and also generates implications for career development sustainability. Studying in a context of timely importance, this paper has practical implications for manufacturers to respond to the human resource dilemma under the impact of new technology, and thus could help employees embark on a long-term career path, which is conducive to socially sustainable development.

Keywords: social responsibility toward the employees (CSRe); career development sustainability; manufacturing transformation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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