Entrepreneurial CSR in the context of a regional family firm: a stakeholder analysis

The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the extant literature of family firms and corporate social responsibility (CSR), examining the case of West’n Fresh, a regional Western Australian family firm. Moreover, in adopting stakeholder theory (ST) the firm’s involvement in and resulting benefits from CSR are investigated.

In-depth telephone and face-to-face interviews with three members of the firm, including one of its two owners, were further complemented through onsite observations and secondary data from the firm’s website and media reports.

Entrepreneurial CSR emerges as a critical element in the family firm’s business philosophy, whereby through innovative practices the ownership is able to create a balance between the firm’s financial objectives and socially responsible initiatives. In particular, the development of food products creates business opportunities while at the same time addresses the needs of different consumer groups, in particular, aged care individuals. These findings have alignments with the four theses of ST; for instance, the recognition of various stakeholder groups by the firm’s ownership, and the initiatives to improve their quality of life clearly suggest associations with normative thesis.

Although the field of family entrepreneurship has grown significantly, many under-researched aspects of this discipline remain. For instance, family business research, including on CSR conducted in Western Australia, a state with a very strong economic significance, and with multiple links to the outside world is very limited.