Corporate social responsibility practices developed by Mexican family and non-family businesses

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify the CSR practices developed by Mexican family and non-family MSMEs. The study also aims to compare the CSR practices carried out by family and non-family businesses in a country with an emergent economy.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper opted for an exploratory study using a sample of 384 businesses was selected in the southern state of Quintana Roo, Mexico, distributed in 245 family and 139 non-family businesses and a questionnaire was applied directly to the managers/owners.

Findings

The results show that family MSMEs develop CSR practices to a higher extent than non-family ones, mainly on environment and societal dimensions. In addition, CSR practices in family-owned enterprises develop to a higher extent when the manager/owner has more years of experience in the business, has a higher university education and the size of the business is larger.

Research limitations/implications

The study was developed exclusively with a MSMEs sample with a scope only on the southern part of Quintana Roo, Mexico; the shortage of business databases and the stratification of businesses based exclusively on the number of employees. This work presents information that contributes to the state of the art, broadening the existing literature related to CSR in businesses of a country with an emergent economy and an environment where the tourism and commercial sectors predominate.

Practical implications

This paper provides information to government institutions for the establishment of public policies targeted for an increase of CSR activities by businesses in the area. Manager and/or owners can understand the importance of implementing CSR activities within the business as a competitive strategy. It is also important for universities, professors/researchers and for all interested parties.

Originality/value

This paper provides theoretical and empirical evidence about CSR practices carried out among family and non-family MSMEs in an emergent economy.

Citation

Esparza Aguilar, J.L. (2019), "Corporate social responsibility practices developed by Mexican family and non-family businesses", Journal of Family Business Management, Vol. 9 No. 1, pp. 40-53. https://doi.org/10.1108/JFBM-05-2018-0016