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Corporate Social Responsibility in the Context of Small Businesses: A Systematic Review of Foundational Antecedents and Strategic Impacts
Dongre, Sandeep Nayak, Suresh Chandra Nagabhushan, Manjunath Ahmad, Azhar Sadqua, Zahbee Rabha, Florence Handique Susmitha, B
Dongre, Sandeep
Nayak, Suresh Chandra
Nagabhushan, Manjunath
Ahmad, Azhar
Sadqua, Zahbee
Rabha, Florence Handique
Susmitha, B
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Supervisor
Date
2026-01-03
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Abstract
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in small businesses constitutes an emerging paradigm
that integrates ethical governance, community engagement, and environmental accountability
within inherently constrained operational and resource contexts. While Corporate Social
Responsibility (CSR) is traditionally associated with large corporations, it is equally critical for
small businesses. This study examines the key antecedents and influencing factors underlying
CSR adoption in small businesses. The findings indicate that such enterprises frequently
founder-managed demonstrate a strong commitment to corporate purpose shaped by personal
values, close stakeholder relationships, and deep-rooted community ties. The study employs a
systematic literature review, analyzing articles from Scopus and Web of Science databases,
focusing on the period from 2013 to 2023. The findings reveal that CSR adoption is driven by
stakeholder pressure, business environment, governance values, and owners’ personal values
clustering into four thematic strands (strategic, financial, sustainability, ethical) via VOSviewer
analysis and underscore its multifaceted nature by proposing an eight-pathway, context-sensitive
framework for guiding future research and policy. The study is underpinned by Stakeholder
Theory and Institutional Theory, offering a structured lens to interpret CSR engagement in small
businesses
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CC0 1.0 Universal