Title of Dissertation:
The Role of CSR for Recruiting and Retaining Key Talent: A Comparative Case Study of Germany and South Korea
Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Philipp Schreck
University: Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg
Scholarship: SDW Scholarship
Cohort: 4. Cohort, 2017-2020
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Short Abstract
Research Project I: The Effect of Moral Disengagement on Corporate Attractiveness in the Job Market – An Experimental Approach
This research project is the first part of an overarching research theme aiming to contribute to the current discussion of why good people are working for bad firms. The term “good people” refers to people with a positive self-concept, whereas “bad firms” comprises companies that engage in morally repugnant behaviour. There will be a second research project focusing on “The Role of CSR for Recruiting and Retaining Key Talent: A Comparative Case Study of Germany and South Korea”.
It is a ubiquitous phenomenon that firms publish glossy brochures promoting their sophisticated corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts, while at the same time being engaged in morally repugnant behaviour. Although facing significant legal and medial repercussions, often companies do not seem to suffer equally negative effects on their attractiveness on the job market.
Much of the literature concerned with signalling theory – which states that companies can attract potential employees through the signals they send to the job market (Turban & Greening, 1997) – would predict a negative influence of adverse moral behaviour on company attractiveness. After all, according to social identity theory, people who uphold a positive image of themselves and their value system are likely to face cognitive dissonance when applying for jobs at firms that do not represent them (Tajfel & Turner, 1979; Ashforth & Mael, 1989). This results from a clash of their positive self-image and the incongruent corporate behaviour. By combining Bandura’s theory of moral disengagement (Bandura, 2002) with job market signalling and social identity theory, this paper explores whether or not moral disengagement can be induced and how this interacts with high- and low salary signals. The aim is to contribute to the debate of what motivates decent people to work for firms that openly engage in morally repugnant behaviour.
This study applies an experimental design in which the participants are asked to rate the attractiveness of a fictional company, which previously engaged in unethical behaviour. A 2x2 factorial design is applied, consisting a moral disengagement treatment and a high salary treatment. Additionally, a personality test on Machiavellianism is conducted as a proxy for integrity to explore whether corporate irresponsible behaviour has a selection effect on employees, i.e. whether immoral corporations attract immoral employees.
The tested hypotheses are as follows:
1. The high salary treatment correlates positively with corporate attractiveness.
2. The moral disengagement treatment correlates positively with corporate attractive-ness in combination with the high salary treatment, and negatively in combination with the low salary treatment.
3. Corporate attractiveness in the context of corporate social irresponsibility correlates positively with Machiavellianism.
References
- Ashforth, B. E., & Mael, F. (1989). Social identity theory and the organization. Academy of Management Review, 14(1), 20-39.
- Bandura, A. (2002). Selective moral disengagement in the exercise of moral agency. Journal of moral education, 31(2), 101-119.
- Tajfel, H., & Turner, J. C. (1979). An integrative theory of intergroup conflict. The social psychology of intergroup relations, 33(47), 74.
- Turban, D. B., & Greening, D. W. (1997). Corporate social performance and organizational attractiveness to prospective employees. Academy of Management Journal, 40(3), 658-672.
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PhD Related Publications
- Kruse, Nils & Otto, Jens-Peter: Langsameres Wachstum und Druck durch internationalen Wettbewerb: Chinas „neue Normalität“; PwC China Compass, Summer 2015; pp. 12-15. Link: download.pwc.com/de/epaper/china-compass-sommer2015/page15.html#/12
- Kruse, Nils & Otto, Jens-Peter: Wirtschaftskriminalität in China sowie in Hongkong und Macao; PwC China Compass, Summer 2014; pp. 17-20. Link: download.pwc.com/de/epaper/china-compass-sommer2014/page3.html#/16
- Kruse, Nils: Arms Strategies for Pariah States: A Case Study of Libya and North Korea; EAST Vol.4, No.1/ 2014.04, pp. 37-56. Link: www.koreagsis.com/uploads/3/7/2/4/37242931/east_-_volume_4.pdf
- Dürkopp, Colin & Kruse, Nils: Ernüchterndes Ergebnis für die Regierungspartei: Bericht zu den Regionalwahlen Südkorea 2010; Publisher: Konrad Adenauer Foundation. Link: www.kas.de/korea/de/publications/19785
- Dürkopp, Colin & Kruse, Nils: G20-Gipfel in Seoul: Korea ist im Zeitalter der Globalisierung angekommen; Publisher: Konrad Adenauer Foundation; Summer 2014. Link: www.kas.de/wf/doc/kas_21075-544-1-30.pdf?101110132123