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Abstract
Micro and small businesses contribute the majority of business activity in the most developed economies. They are typically
embedded in local communities and therefore well placed to influence community wellbeing. While there has been considerable
theoretical and empirical analysis of corporate citizenship and corporate social responsibility (CSR), the nature of micro-business
community responsibility (mBCR) remains relatively under-explored. This article presents findings from an exploratory study of mBCR that examined the approaches, motivations and barriers of this phenomenon. Analysis of data from 36 semi-structured interviews
with micro-business owner-operators in the Australian city of Brisbane revealed three mBCR approaches, suggesting an observable mBCR typology. Each mBCR type was at least partly driven by enlightened self-interest (ESI). In addition to a pure ESI approach, findings revealed
ESI combined with philanthropic approaches and ESI combined with social entrepreneurial approaches. The combination of doing
business and doing good found amongst participants in this study suggests that many micro-business owner-operators are supporters
of their local communities and, therefore, driven by more than profit. This study provides a fine-grained understanding of
micro-business involvement in community wellbeing through a lens of responsible business behaviour.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Pages 1-25
- DOI 10.1007/s10551-012-1396-1
- Authors
- Suzanne Campin, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Jo Barraket, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Belinda Luke, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Journal Journal of Business Ethics
- Online ISSN 1573-0697
- Print ISSN 0167-4544