Corporate social responsibility in China

Purpose This paper aims to report on a study that contributes to the understanding of the determinants of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the largest emerging market, namely China. Design/methodology/approach The approach is a survey of 600 hotels that resulted in 143 returned responses from top managers. Findings Market orientation is the most significant predicator of CSR followed by government regulations. In contrast, ownership structure is found to have little effect. Originality/value Previous research on CSR focuses on its nature and impact on business performance, and is carried out mainly in developed countries. This research contributes to one's understanding of the determinants of CSR in emerging markets like China.