PRELIMINARY RESEARCH AGENDA

Definition

• Define CSR in the context of sustainable tourism (scope/limits)
• Different stakeholders´ definitions of CSR
• Different cultures’/regions’ definitions of CSR  

Ethical bases

• Examination of underlying ethical approaches and belief systems
• Who should decide what determines the ethical beliefs?
• Issues of participatory decisions
• Ethical paradigm shifts  

Research methodology/approaches

• Eclectic approach to literature search and methodologies
• What methodology/approach, explanatory model
• Identification of best practices

Perspectives : Scope of concept

• Types of Stakeholder: governments, communities, companies, DMOs, NGOs, employees, customers, suppliers, associations, media
• Linkage between various stakeholders (partnerships, clusters, networks, sponsorships, interactions etc.)
• Roles and responsibilities of different stakeholders
• Geographic scope
• Temporal scope  

Drivers of CSR

• Identification of main trends: political, demographic, economic, social, environmental
• Stakeholders: governments, competitors, communities, customers, lobby groups, minority groups, financial groups, philanthropists, social entrepreneurs
• Social entrepreneurship
• Government intervention, market forces, voluntary compliance,
• Role of international agencies

Factors affecting adoption

• Identification of facilitators and inhibitors
• Implications for budgets and resources
• Changing corporate values
• Added burden of auditing
• Role of intermediaries
• Role models and examples of success
• Decision making process
• Role of HR in CSR
• Risk analysis
• Tools for implementation
• Special consideration for SMEs, family businesses etc.
• Regulation versus voluntary compliance
• Standards and guidelines, who should set them

Consequences of CSR

• Identification of costs and benefits
• Who gains and who loses?
• How can CSR provide a company with a competitive advantage?

Information dissemination, communication and PR

• How to communicate the added value of CSR
• Change to corporate image, vision, mission, etc.
• Identification of factors enhancing transparency of communications / Gap analysis
• Examination of power distance relationship

How does CSR promote Sustainable Tourism

• Examination of links between CSR and economic, social, cultural, environmental issues

CSR as part of corporate strategy

• CSR in strategy formulation and long term planning process
• CSR in strategy implementation
• CSR in evaluation and monitoring
• CSR in organisation performance
• Cross cultural issues
• Incorporation of sense of place into CSR strategy
• How do DMOs and NGOs incorporate CSR
• CSR and marketing strategy (positioning, branding)

Is tourism different

• Can tourism be used as a role model for other industries?
• Are tourism sectors different in their adoption of CSR?

Evaluation/monitoring

• Development of measures of success and KPIs
• CSR indices, reliability and usability
• Consumer attitudes
• Communities’ reaction to a company’s implementation of CSR