Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), an invention of the West, is on the rise in China. This research paper examines the specific Chinese cultural elements that have influenced the mechanisms and...Show moreCorporate Social Responsibility (CSR), an invention of the West, is on the rise in China. This research paper examines the specific Chinese cultural elements that have influenced the mechanisms and implementation of CSR in China, and more specifically in Wenzhou. The cultural elements that will be discussed in this thesis are Confucianism and communism, as these have had a large impact on Chinese society and culture. A study of the stakeholder and social dimensions of private companies in Wenzhou showed connections between Chinese cultural factors and how CSR policies were adopted. The Chinese CSR policies did not differ radically from Western ones, but principles of Confucianism and communism could still be found in the CSR policies and outcomes of these private companies, in some cases more explicitly than in others. This Chinese form of CSR provides both advantages and challenges for the further development of CSR in China, and can serve as an example of non- Western CSR.Show less
