Perceptions and practices of corporate social responsibility in saudi arabian small to medium size enterprise

Saleh, Adel, Peattie, Ken ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3969-0531 and Samuel, Anthony ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4483-4600 2025. Perceptions and practices of corporate social responsibility in saudi arabian small to medium size enterprise. International Journal of Business Governance and Ethics Item availability restricted.

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Abstract

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is an increasingly important practical challenge and research field for business governance globally. Existing theory is mainly derived from the study of large firms in developed economies. This risks a failure to properly understand the potential and practice of CSR amongst smaller companies operating in developing countries amidst very different institutional environments and value systems. This paper presents a qualitative and exploratory study of small firms’ CSR perceptions and practices in Saudi Arabia, a developing country with significant strategic importance and a governance environment based on Islamic values. The research revealed CSR to be relatively embryonic within a Saudi SME sector that the government is seeking to rapidly expand. Firm owner-managers typically pursue strategies based around complex value sets, a strong emphasis on religiously-inspired philanthropy, and an emerging consciousness about how business should be conducted, stakeholders treated, and the firms’ pro-social actions aligned with public policies.

Item Type:	Article
Status:	In Press
Schools:	Schools > Business (Including Economics)
Publisher:	Inderscience
ISSN:	1741-802X
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	18 December 2025
Date of Acceptance:	30 September 2025
Last Modified:	18 Dec 2025 10:46
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/183315

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