The Effect of the Internal Side of Social Responsibility on Firm Competitive Success in the Business Services Industry

M. Isabel Sánchez-Hernández, Dolores Gallardo-Vázquez, Agnieszka Barcik and Piotr Dziwiński
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M. Isabel Sánchez-Hernández: Business Administration and Sociology Department, School of Economics, University of Extremadura, Ave. Elvas s/n, Badajoz 06006, Spain
Dolores Gallardo-Vázquez: Financial Economics and Accountancy Department, School of Economics, University of Extremadura, Ave. Elvas s/n, Badajoz 06006, Spain
Agnieszka Barcik: Department of Management and Transport, University of Bielsko-Biała, Willowa 2, Bielsko-Biala 43-309, Poland
Piotr Dziwiński: Department of Law and Administration, The University of Dąbrowa Górnicza, Cieplaka 1c, Dąbrowa Górnicza 43-300, Poland

Sustainability, 2016, vol. 8, issue 2, 1-15

Abstract: This work focuses on the internal side of social responsibility of organizations in a regional context. Through a survey of 590 managers in classical business services (human-capital intensive) and representative of the productive economy of the Region of Extremadura (Spain), an empirical analysis is conducted. First, a factor analysis is conducted to explore the main dimensions of the internal face of Social Responsibility and second, a structural equations model is developed to look for a relationship with business competitiveness. Business performance and innovation are also considered in the model. The main contribution of the article is the establishment of a set of indicators that will help to build an ongoing and meaningful dialogue with employees improving their quality of life at work that will also serve as important guidance for the increasing of the firm’s competitiveness through responsible human resources practices. Some suggestions for a research agenda emerge from this first attempt to approach the internal side of responsibility in business.

Keywords: human recources management (HRM); internal social responsibility (ISR); service sector; social responsibility (SR) (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (10)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:8:y:2016:i:2:p:179-:d:64026

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