Belas, Ja osla ; Balce zak, Adam P.; D o sky, Jan; S eimikis, Jus as
A icle
In luencing ESG pe cep ion in SMEs h ough CSR, business
e hics, and HRM: An empi ical s udy in V4 coun ies
Am i ea u Economic Jou nal
P o ided in Coope a ion wi h:
The Bucha es Uni e si y o Economic S udies
Sugges ed Ci a ion: Belas, Ja osla ; Balce zak, Adam P.; D o sky, Jan; S eimikis, Jus as (2024) :
In luencing ESG pe cep ion in SMEs h ough CSR, business e hics, and HRM: An empi ical s udy in
V4 coun ies, Am i ea u Economic Jou nal, ISSN 2247-9104, The Bucha es Uni e si y o Economic
S udies, Bucha es , Vol. 26, Iss. 66, pp. 532-549,
h ps://doi.o g/10.24818/EA/2024/66/532
This Ve sion is a ailable a :
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AE
In luencing ESG Pe cep ion in SMEs h ough CSR, Business E hics,
and HRM: An Empi ical S udy in V4 Coun ies
532 Am i ea u Economic
INFLUENCING ESG PERCEPTION IN SMES THROUGH CSR, BUSINESS
ETHICS, AND HRM: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY IN V4 COUNTRIES
Ja osla Belas1
*
, Adam P. Balce zak2, Jan D o sky3
and Jus as S eimikis4
1)Alexande Dubček Uni e si y in T enčin, Slo akia
2)Uni e si y Wa mia and Mazu y in Olsz yn, Poland and B no Uni e si y
o Technology, Czechia
3)Uni e si y o Žilina, Slo akia
4)Li huanian Cen e o Social Sciences, Kaunas, Li huania
Please ci e his a icle as:
Belas, J., Balce zak, A.P., D o sky, J. and S eimikis,
J., 2024. In luencing ESG Pe cep ion in SMEs
h ough CSR, Business E hics, and HRM: An
Empi ical S udy in V4 Coun ies. Am i ea u
Economic, 26(66), pp. 532-549.
DOI: h ps://doi.o g/10.24818/EA/2024/66/532
A icle His o y
Recei ed: 20 Decembe 2023
Re ised: 27 Feb ua y 2024
Accep ed: 30 Ma ch 2024
Abs ac
The aim o he pape is o de ine he impo an ac o s o Co po a e Social Responsibili y
(CSR), Business E hics (BE), and Human Resou ce Managemen (HRM), and o quan i y
hei impac on he o ma ion o posi i e a i udes o SMEs owa ds he concep o
En i onmen al, Social, Go e nance (ESG) and i s accep ance. To suppo he achie emen
o his goal, empi ical esea ch was conduc ed in he Viseg ad G oup (V4 coun ies) wi h a
sample o 1,056 esponden s in Ma ch 2024. The de ined scien i ic hypo heses we e e i ied
h ough he O de ed Leas Model (OLM). The esea ch esul s indica e he ollowing ends.
Selec ed ac o s om CSR, BE, and HRM demons a ed an in luence on shaping he posi i e
a i udes o SMEs owa d unde s anding and accep ing he ESG concep . Empi ical esea ch
con i med ha he CSR domain signi ican ly in luences he posi i e app oach o SMEs
owa ds ESG. This s udy in he HRM ield emphasises he impo ance o a pa icipa o y
leade ship s yle o employees. This app oach, among o he bene i s, con ibu es o a posi i e
a i ude o SMEs owa ds unde s anding and accep ing he ESG concep . Planning he
quali ica ion and ca ee g ow h o employees does no ep esen signi ican ac o s in shaping
he posi i e s ance o SMEs owa ds ESG. SMEs’ a i udes in he BE ield clea ly indica e
*
Co esponding au ho , Jan D o sky – e-mail: jan.d o [email protected]
This is an Open Access a icle dis ibu ed unde he e ms o he C ea i e Commons
A ibu ion License, which pe mi s un es ic ed use, dis ibu ion, and ep oduc ion in
any medium, p o ided he o iginal wo k is p ope ly ci ed. © 2024 The Au ho (s).
Economic In e e ences
AE
Vol. 26 • No. 66 • May 2024 533
ha a consis en app oach by manage s in implemen ing an i-co up ion measu es shapes he
igh app oaches o SMEs owa ds ESG. On he o he hand, he o mal decla a ion o
applying BE in he ac i i ies o SMEs and he exis ence o a mo al code do no posi i ely
in luence he pe cep ion on ESG.
Keywo ds: business e hics, co po a e social esponsibili y, en i onmen al social
go e nance, human esou ces managemen , small and medium-sized en e p ises
JEL Classi ica ion: L26, A13, M14
In oduc ion
The concep o ESG (En i onmen al, Social, Go e nance) is highly popula wi hin he ealm
o la ge companies, as con i med by nume ous scien i ic s udies ( o example, Sahin e al.,
2023; Agnese e al., 2023; Liu e al., 2023). ESG ocuses on h ee c ucial a eas ha con ibu e
o he sus ainable g ow h o companies. La ge companies a e obliga ed o disclose epo s
con aining non- inancial in o ma ion ela ed o ESG ac i i ies. ESG maps a company's
pe o mance ac oss i s h ee dimensions and is used by in es o s, buye s, egula o s, and
o he s akeholde s (Fu e al., 2023).
Co po a e social esponsibili y (CSR) is a apidly de eloping ield wi hin business
managemen , he e ec s o which mani es hemsel es in he p ac ical managemen o
o ganisa ions (Be ako a e al., 2023; Balce zak e al., 2023). The ESG concep builds upon
he CSR concep , albei wi h some di e ences. The c ea ion and implemen a ion o he CSR
concep is in luenced by he Human Resou ce Managemen (HRM) sys em and business
e hics (BE).
ESG issues a e pe cei ed di e en ly in he SMEs segmen due o he ac ha ESG epo ing,
based on speci ied me ics, becomes a manda o y pa o epo ing o la ge en e p ises and
only a selec ed g oup o small and medium-sized en e p ises ( hose lis ed on he s ock
exchange). Fo o he SMEs, ESG epo ing is cu en ly no c ucial, and hese companies a e
likely no paying a en ion o his issue.
The a icle aims o in es iga e he impac o signi ican ac o s in CSR, BE, and HRM on
how SMEs app oach he ESG concep and i s accep ance. I is assumed ha he a i udes o
SMEs owa ds ESG will signi ican ly di e om he app oach o la ge i ms. The e o e, ou
esea ch is ocused on SMEs ha cu en ly do no ha e an obliga ion o epo on ESG
me ics. I can also be p esumed ha he ESG concep will a ec hem in he u u e in
connec ion wi h supply chains and p essu e om inancial ins i u ions, highligh ing he need
o de elop his di ec ion in scien i ic esea ch.
The p esen ed a icle is o iginal in ha i s ems om obus empi ical esea ch in he Viseg ad
G oup (V4 coun ies) and quan i ies he in luence o signi ican ac o s in CSR, HRM, and
BE on shaping a i udes owa ds unde s anding and posi i ely accep ing he ESG concep in
he SME segmen . Quali a i e and quan i a i e analysis o published a icles in global
da abases such as Web o Science and Scopus con i med ha esea ch in his a ea is minimal.
The p oposed scien i ic esea ch can con ibu e insigh ul esul s ha may se e as a
ounda ion o subsequen scien i ic s udies.
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In luencing ESG Pe cep ion in SMEs h ough CSR, Business E hics,
and HRM: An Empi ical S udy in V4 Coun ies
534 Am i ea u Economic
The s uc u e o he a icle is as ollows. In he i s pa o he esea ch, we p esen he
opinions and conclusions o s udies ha ha e been published in majo wo ld da abases. The
second pa o he esea ch p esen s he aim o he esea ch and desc ibes he me hodology
and da a. The nex sec ion p esen s he esul s o he empi ical esea ch, ollowed by a
discussion and he main conclusions o he esea ch.
1. Theo e ical backg ound
1.1. CSR and ESG
In he heo e ical ield, he e is a di e se and a ied app oach o he o mula ion and
cha ac e isa ion o he concep s o ESG and CSR. A concise cha ac e isa ion o ESG is
p o ided by Gu e al. (2023). Acco ding o he au ho s, he en i onmen al dimension
(E pilla ) o ESG explo es how a company in luences he en i onmen in e ms o was e,
biodi e si y, wa e quali y, ai pollu ion, ca bon emissions, and o he s. The social dimension
(S pilla ) o ESG e lec s how a company collabo a es wi h ela ed s akeholde s and
communi ies, such as examining he di e si y o i s employees, app oaches o p ese ing
human igh s, and adhe ence o business e hics. The go e nance dimension (G pilla ) is
de ined by he company's s a egy, business e hics, in e nal con ol mechanisms, and
execu i e compensa ion policy. CSR can be de ined as a concep in which companies
in eg a e social and en i onmen al in e es s in o hei business ac i i ies and in e ac ions wi h
s akeholde s olun a ily (Apospo i, 2018; Teng e al., 2023). The ole o CSR is o exe
socie al p essu e on businesses o minimise he nega i e impac s o hei business ac i i ies
(Szczanowicz and Saniuk, 2016; Alekne ičienė and S alku ė, 2023).
I is e iden ha bo h concep s ocus on simila a eas bu in di e en ways. Some au ho s
cau ion ha he concep s o ESG and CSR a e some imes ea ed in e changeably in se e al
empi ical s udies, emphasising he need o g ea e cau ion in dis inguishing hem (Jun, 2023).
The ela ionship be ween CSR and ESG is pe cei ed om a ious pe spec i es, whe e he
au ho s ocus on he simila i ies and di e ences be ween hese concep s. Nielsen and
Villadsen (2023) compa ed he undamen al a ibu es o bo h concep s and p esen ed hei
di e ences o e ime, in he con ex o hei commi men and egula ion. Acco ding o he
au ho s, he ESG concep , eme ging much la e , esponds o he limi a ions o CSR,
p omising solu ions o a ious p oblems a ising om en i onmen al, social, and go e nance
aspec s o business ac i i ies. The au ho s highligh a signi ican ac ha , compa ed o CSR's
olun a y and inconsis en app oach o disclosing non- inancial indica o s, ESG aspi es o
p o ide consis en and manda o y da a epo ing based on s ic egula ions. Kneže ić e al.
(2023) s a e simila conclusions. Acco ding o Liu e al. (2023), he ESG concep is closely
ela ed o CSR, wi h bo h concep s se ing as ools o co po a e sus ainabili y, and obus
CSR ini ia i es con ibu e o high ESG pe o mance in companies. The au ho s p esen
di e ences be ween hese concep s in ha CSR e lec s in e nal a i udes o companies
owa d sus ainabili y, while ESG ocuses on measu able and manda o y indica o s. ESG
explici ly emb aces co po a e go e nance (CG), whe eas CSR mani es s an independen
ela ionship wi h go e nance issues. Companies o en disclose ESG ac i i ies wi hin CSR
in o ma ion (Ki iu and Nozaki, 2020; Naomi and Akba , 2021); on he o he hand, ESG
me ics ha e been shown o be ele an o CSR in o ma ion disclosu e p ac ices (Albi a e
al., 2023). Engagemen in CSR and CG is in e connec ed in se e al dimensions, whe e CG
Economic In e e ences
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Vol. 26 • No. 66 • May 2024 535
can be a pilla o CSR, and, con e sely, CSR can be a dimension o CG in a company
(Ba aiba -Diez and Od iozola, 2019).
The ole o CSR is o lead all economic ac o s o minimize he nega i e impac s o hei
ac i i ies, enhance he alue o companies, and gain compe i i e ad an ages (León-Gómez
e al., 2022). This is pa icula ly c ucial o SMEs, as i becomes inc easingly challenging o
hese businesses o compe e wi h la ge in e na ional co po a ions (Me zke e al., 2023). In
his case, hei small size and simple o ganiza ional s uc u e p o ide a po en ial ad an age
in he local ma ke . SMEs o en ha e di ec con ac wi h he local communi y, so hey a e
able o espond quickly h ough meaning ul CSR ac ions, hus building good ela ionships
and compe i i e ad an age. Acco ding o Szczanowicz and Saniuk (2016), consume
expec a ions, sus ainabili y-o ien ed ends, and conce ns abou social aspec s lead o he
in oduc ion o CSR in he SME sec o .
The concep o CSR has he po en ial o s eng hen he compe i i eness o SMEs (Apospo i,
2018; Balce zak and MacG ego Pelikáno á, 2020; Rashi i and Skende i, 2023; D o ský e
al., 2023a). SMEs pe cei e a posi i e ela ionship be ween CSR in eg a ion and he
sus ainable pe o mance o he business (Wen zel e al., 2023), CSR p ac ices posi i ely
impac he inancial pe o mance o he company (Rossi e al., 2021) and consume
expec a ions. On he o he hand, SMEs ace di e se challenges in implemen ing CSR in all
managemen a eas (Wen zel e al., 2023; D o ský e al., 2023b), hey engage o a limi ed
ex en in CSR ac i i ies (Be niak-Wozny e al., 2023) and o en conside CSR policies mo e
as cons ain s han oppo uni ies (Ham ouni e al., 2019; Çe a, e al., 2022).
Based on he p esen ed insigh s, he ollowing scien i ic hypo hesis was o mula ed:
H1: CSR indica o s in luence he awa eness and accep ance o he ESG concep in he SMEs
segmen .
1.2. BE and ESG
BE plays a signi ican ole in a company's success in he cu en business en i onmen
cha ac e ised by in ense compe i ion and s ic public sc u iny (Belas e al., 2020; Chouaibi
and Chouaibi, 2021; Z a iko a e al., 2023). Cheung and Lai (2023) emphasise ha BE se s
s anda ds o beha iou and decision-making c i e ia o s akeholde s and business
managemen . The le el o he o ganisa ional e hical clima e has a signi ican impac on he
pe cep ion o he impo ance o CSR/ESG ac i i ies. In his con ex , he op managemen o
he company plays a c ucial ole. The au ho s assume ha i he boa d o di ec o s se s high
e hical s anda ds, he company’s managemen may be discou aged om ac i i ies ha ha m
s akeholde s and may inc ease he le el o ESG in o ma ion disclosu e. This iew is
con i med by he indings o Hich i (2023), who also emphasises he impo ance o BE o
inc easing he ma ke alue o he company due o imp o ed compe i i e capabili y o he
p o ision o ele an ESG in o ma ion.
BE, CSR, and CG a e signi ican d i ing o ces o he pe o mance, g ow h, and sus ainable
de elopmen o o ganisa ions. Howe e , all h ee concep s mus pe mea e o ganisa ional
s uc u es a all le els o ensu e hei e ec i e impac on he business. Manage s and hei
subo dina es mus be esponsible o hei e hical beha iou in he wo kplace. When
consume s, employees, and o he s akeholde s ecei e accu a e in o ma ion abou a
company's ope a ions and pe cei e i s e hical ac i i ies posi i ely, his e lec s well on he
company's image, epu a ion, and sus ainabili y. The ela ionships be ween CSR, CG, and
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In luencing ESG Pe cep ion in SMEs h ough CSR, Business E hics,
and HRM: An Empi ical S udy in V4 Coun ies
536 Am i ea u Economic
BE a e complex and closely in e connec ed. Companies wi h highe e hical s anda ds a e
mo e likely o implemen mo e in ensi e CSR ac i i ies. CSR, CG and BE a e a i al
p e equisi e o o ganisa ional g ow h and company success. BE leads o posi i e
ela ionships be ween employees, cus ome s, and he communi y, c ea ing a be e image and
public epu a ion o he o ganisa ion, inc easing cus ome loyal y, and building s onge and
heal hie communi y ela ionships (Va za u e al., 2021).
BE has a signi ican impac on he inancial pe o mance o he company (Chouaibi e al.,
2022). Va iables ela ed o e hical company beha io ha e a s a is ically signi ican and
nega i e ela ionship wi h he le el o eal ea nings managemen . Highe in ensi y o BE and
CSR ac i i ies leads companies o adop less agg essi e eal ea nings managemen s a egies
(Chouaibi and Zoua i, 2022).
BE, in he con ex o suppo ing CSR ac i i ies in a company, indi ec ly suppo s a highe
le el o ESG ac i i ies in he company. I can be assumed ha a company ha has
implemen ed high e hical s anda ds and CSR policies will end o exhibi quali y ESG
epo ing.
The p esen ed insigh s se ed as a basis o o mula ing he ollowing scien i ic hypo hesis:
H2: Business e hics indica o s in luence he awa eness and accep ance o he ESG concep
in he SMEs segmen .
1.3. HRM and ESG
Buciuniene and Kazlauskai e (2012) s a e ha he e is a p e ailing opinion ha o ganiza ions
wi h well-de eloped HRM ha e well-de eloped CSR policies, which subsequen ly ha e a
posi i e impac on o ganisa ional and inancial pe o mance h ough he implemen a ion o
s a egic HRM. The company's in es men s in he de elopmen o HRM sys ems lead o
highe employee engagemen in achie ing co po a e goals (Bo iso and Vinog ado , 2022).
Mo e in ense company engagemen in HRM in he con ex o a sha ed connec ion wi h CSR
should po en ially lead o highe wo k o ce s abili y due o educed employee u no e and
absences. The impo ance o employee engagemen is also emphasised by he esea ch o
Na ickas e al. (2023).
CSR has an in e nal and an ex e nal dimension. In e nal CSR p ac ices p ima ily ocus on
HRM ools (employee selec ion, aining, equal oppo uni ies, employee heal h and well-
being, e c.). On he o he hand, ex e nal CSR e e s o co po a e ac i i ies di ec ed beyond
i s bounda ies, such as ac i i ies owa d he local communi y, business pa ne s, cus ome s,
and public au ho i ies. In e nal CSR p omo es g ea e employee engagemen han ex e nal
CSR (Fe ei a and Real de Oli ei a, 2014).
Sánchez-Ma ín e al. (2022) a gue ha SMEs achie e be e esul s when HRM policies a e
o ien ed owa d he AMO model (A-abili ies, M-mo i a ion, and O-oppo uni y). The
in luence o HRM o ien a ion on i m pe o mance is posi i ely mode a ed by CSR
o ien a ion. The au ho s sugges ha he ela ionship be ween HRM and CSR is mu ual.
HRM is one o he ac o s ha in luence CSR (e.g. en i onmen al p o ec ion, compliance
wi h employee igh s), which in u n in luences he pe o mance o SMEs. The applica ion
o app op ia e HRM ools p omo es CSR ac i i ies and he posi i e p esen a ion o CSR
a i udes by SMEs in luences employe a ac i eness, which can be used o a ac and e ain
he bes alen . A dynamic balance o HRM and CSR bene i s bo h concep s. Di e se HRM
Economic In e e ences
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Vol. 26 • No. 66 • May 2024 537
oles in suppo ing CSR a e mo e limi ed in he SME segmen , as HRM and CSR unc ions
a e less de ined and o malised, wi h he same g oups o indi iduals esponsible o decision-
making in bo h sphe es. SMEs adi ionally exhibi in o mali y and a lowe le el o
managemen de elopmen compa ed o la ge companies. The AMO model can p o ide a
balance be ween in o mali y and he e iciency o human esou ce managemen in SMEs
h ough a syne gis ic e ec . Manage s should ca e ully design, implemen , and e alua e
HRM policies o suppo g ea e business g ow h. In his con ex , he adop ion o CSR is
signi ican .
Almu awa e al. (2016) s a e ha he e is a gene al belie ha he HRM sys em di ec ly and
signi ican ly in luences he abili ies, mo i a ion, and oppo uni y o pa icipa e o he
employees. Howe e , he au ho s p esen he idea ha mo i a ion is no signi ican ly ela ed
o HRM ools because i does no exhibi such a s ong co ela ion as he ela ionship ound
be ween mo i a ion and abili y o oppo uni y o pa icipa e in he human esou ce
managemen sys em.
The managemen o employee issues and wo king condi ions is g adually being inco po a ed
in o he main componen s o CSR/ESG ools (To es e al., 2023). HRM should p o ide
sui able and dynamic suppo o he implemen a ion o he ESG concep h ough he
media ing in luence o CSR and BE. Implemen ing CSR policies equi es he suppo o
manage s and employees and hei willingness o ini ia e changes in co po a e cul u e
(Sa aiya e al., 2018).
The p esen ed ideas we e he basis o o mula ing he ollowing scien i ic hypo hesis:
H3: HRM indica o s ha e an impac on he awa eness and accep ance o he ESG concep in
he SME segmen .
2. Aim, me hodology, and da a
The aim o he pape is o de ine he impo an ac o s o CSR, BE and HRM and o quan i y
hei impac on he o ming o posi i e a i udes o SMEs owa ds he concep o ESG and
i s accep ance.
2.1. Me hodology o da a collec ion
The esea ch was ca ied ou in he V4 coun ies (Poland, he Czech Republic, Hunga y, and
he Slo ak Republic). The esponden was de ined as he owne o op manage o a small
and medium-sized en e p ise (SMEs) ha does business in one o mo e V4 coun ies
(he eina e o as he “ esponden ”). The subjec i e pe cep ions o he esponden s we e
asce ained wi h using he me hod o inqui y in he o m o an online ques ionnai e. Da a
collec ion was ca ied ou in Ma ch 2024. The online ques ionnai e was illed ou by 1056 (n
– o al numbe o SMEs) esponden s. The collec ion o empi ical esea ch da a was p o ided
by he Eu opean Cen e o Economic and Social Resea ch (ECESR) in coope a ion wi h he
MSF Company. The selec ion o esponden s wi h he men ioned c i e ia was ca ied ou by
andom selec ion om he in e nal da abase o an ex e nal agency.
2.2. Ques ionnai e and ype o a iables
The ques ionnai e consis ed o : (i) demog aphic ques ions pe en e p ise and esponden (size
o en e p ise; coun y o business; legal o m o business; business sec o ; ime o business;
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In luencing ESG Pe cep ion in SMEs h ough CSR, Business E hics,
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538 Am i ea u Economic
gende and posi ion o he esponden in he SME); (ii) ques ions ega ding he unde s anding
o he e m ESG (En i onmen al, Social, Co po a e Go e nance); (iii) ques ions abou he
le el o implemen a ion o CSR (Co po a e Social Responsibili y); (i ) human esou ce
managemen ; and ( ) pe cep ions o sus ainable g ow h. The esponden had o answe he
ques ion (excep o demog aphics) wi h one o he ollowing ypes o answe s (acco ding o
he Like scale; nume ical: 1 – 5): I comple ely ag ee, I ag ee, I ha e no opinion, I disag ee,
I comple ely disag ee. The ques ionnai e was secu ed agains au oma ic compu e illing. The
ques ions in he ques ionnai e we e andomly a anged. I also con ained a con ol ques ion.
Responden s illed ou he ques ionnai e in he na ional language o a be e unde s anding
o he o mula ed ques ions. The subjec o s a is ical e alua ion (desc ip i e s a is ics) a e
he ollowing ypes o a iables (Table no. 1).
Table no. 1. Va iables used and desc ip i e s a is ics
Va iable
Explana ions
M
SD
K
S
Dependen a iable (Y)
KNW_ESG
I am amilia wi h he concep o ESG
(En i onmen al, Social, Co po a e
Go e nance) and I belie e ha ESG will
b ing companies an imp o ed image and a
posi i e pe cep ion by he communi y.
2.50
1.21
-0.43
0.57
Explana o y a iables
FOLL_CSR
I know he concep o co po a e social
esponsibili y (CSR) and I ollow i in my
business.
2.28
1.03
0.27
0.72
CSR_COM
CSR enables ou company o gain
compe i i e ad an ages in he ma ke .
2.42
1.00
-0.26
0.34
CSR_PER
I belie e ha he applica ion o CSR has a
posi i e impac on he long- e m
pe o mance o he company.
2.34
1.01
0.01
0.49
BE_APP
I conside he applica ion o he p inciples
o business e hics o be he igh app oach
in doing business.
1.78
0.81
1.79
1.12
BE_CODE
The company has a code o e hics o
employees, p inciples o he p e en ion o
une hical p ac ices, and p epa es business
e hics epo s.
2.18
1.00
0.31
0.77
BE_CORR
The company has a documen on an i-
co up ion measu es, applies an i-
co up ion p ac ices in business ac i i ies,
p ocedu es o epo ing and in es iga ing
co up p ac ices a e in place, and he op
managemen is egula ly in o med abou
he esul s o he company’s an i-
co up ion policy.
2.27
1.06
-0.08
0.64
Economic In e e ences
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Vol. 26 • No. 66 • May 2024 539
Va iable
Explana ions
M
SD
K
S
Explana o y a iables
HRM_PAR
We apply a pa icipa o y managemen
sys em in he company. We ha e a quali y
sys em o e alua ion and ma e ial
in ol emen o employees.
2.11
0.97
0.36
0.75
HRM_QUA
We ha e plans o inc ease he
quali ica ions o ou employees and ensu e
hei ca ee g ow h in he company.
2.06
0.94
0.77
0.86
HRM_BEN
We p o ide ou employees wi h a ious
co po a e bene i s (e.g., possibili y o
ec ea ion, social insu ance bonuses,
co po a e e en s, spo s ac i i ies, cul u al
e en s, e c.).
2.22
1.02
0.17
0.72
No es: M – Mean; SD – S anda d De ia ion; K – Ku osis, S – Skewness
The esul s o desc ip i e s a is ics (Table no. 1) con i med ha he alues o ku osis and
skewness ange be ween -2 o 2. These a iables a e assumed o ha e a no mal dis ibu ion.
The s a emen BE_APP is he mos posi i e pe cep ion (BE_APP: M = 1.777) o he
esponden s om V4 coun ies. The s a emen KNW_ESG is he mos nega i e pe cep ion
(M = 2.497) o he esponden s. This s a emen (KNW_ESG; SD = 1.207) is pe cei ed by
he esponden s wi h he g ea es a iabili y.
2.3. S a is ical me hods
The s a is ical me hod O dina y Logi Model (OLM) was used o e alua e he s a is ical
hypo heses (see he “ heo e ical backg ound” sec ion). OLM is a sui able s a is ical me hod
because i e i ies he s a is ically signi ican impac o he independen a iable
(FOLL_CSR, …, HRM_BEN) on he dependen a iable (KNW_ESG). In addi ion o
e i ying he impac , LRA can be used o de e mine he di ec ion and s eng h o he impac
o he independen a iable on he dependen a iable. Due o he applica ion o he iden ical
Like scale o all ypes o a iables, OLM is a good s a is ical app oach. OLM was applied
because dependen a iable is disc e e. The dependence be ween a iables was quan i ied by
he coe icien o co ela ion ( ) using he co ela ion ma ix. The signi icance o he
co ela ion coe icien was e i ied by he - es . The eg ession unc ion (RF) is de ined as
ollows:
RF: KNW_ESG = I + RC1× FOLL_CSR + RC2× CSR_COM + RC3× CSR_PER + RC4×
BE_APP + RC5× BE_CODE + RC6× BE_CORR + RC7× HRM_PAR + RC8× HRM_QUA
+ RC9× HRM_BEN + Ɛ (1)
whe e: KNW_ESG – Dependen a iable; I – In e cep ; FOLL_CSR, …, HRM_BEN –
Independen a iables; Ɛ – Random e o .
The SPSS O dinal Reg ession p ocedu e, o PLUM (Poly omous Uni e sal Model), is an
ex ension o he gene al linea model o o dinal ca ego ical da a. O he eg ession
cha ac e is ics we e also calcula ed: Model Fi ing in o ma ion – 2 Log Likelihood; Chi-
Squa e; Deg ee o F eedom (d .); Signi icance (Sig); Pseudo R-Squa e – Cox and Snell;
Nagelke ke; McFadden. O dinal eg ession op ions we e de ined as ollows: Maximum
i e a ions: 100; maximum s ep-hal ing: 5; con idence in e al: 0.95; Link: Logi . The
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