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Investigating CSR practice and drivers in
Norwegian metal processing SMEs
Bjørg M. Granly
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Feedback wishes
 Suggestions of appropriate Journals (Journal of Cleaner Production)
 Suggestions of relevant projects/ literature
 Critigue of research design – how can I reduce errors/ uncertainties?
 Other suggestions of improvements
Bjørg M. Granly
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Background
 99% SMEs, still most literature on large enterprises
 Research area: How to adapt and/or develop management tools that increase
sustainability innovation capability of Manufacturing SMEs.
 Missing from literature; (& objective of paper)
 Drivers, challenges, practices SPECIFIC TO sub-group:
Manufacturing SMEs
 LINK between drivers/challenges and practices
 Holistic view of sustainability / CSR
Bjørg M. Granly
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Research design – selection of respondents
 Selection of respondents
 < 100 employees company, < 250 group of
companies
 Turnover of less than € 50 million
 Registered in ”Brønnøysundregisteret”
 Ind.code 25: ‘Manufacture of fabricated
metal products, except machinery and
equipment’
 Ind.code 28: ‘Manufacture of machinery
and equipment for general use, not
1) ISO 14001
- 3 small
- 2 medium
2) EcoLighthouse
- 2 small
- 2 medium
3) No cert. EMS
- 2 small
- 2 medium
4) ”SMEs”
- 1 small/large
Suggestion of
companies?
included elsewhere’
Bjørg M. Granly
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Research design
 Research questions:
 RQ1: What is the current CSR practice (topics next page) in the case
companies, and what are the drivers linked to the different actions?
 RQ2: Is there a difference in practice between business category 1-4?
 RQ3: What are the experienced benefits and challenges of CSR-related
actions in case companies?
 Method: Multiple case study
 Semi-structural interviews with 14 companies (phone) , wants 17 in total.
 Literature review, web-information from governments, etc.
 Analysis though diplay, ordering, pattern-finding etc,
though matrices and networks
Bjørg M. Granly
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Practices – selection of topics
Organisational
governance
Environment
Labour
practices
Value chain
management
Local
community
- Formal strategy
- Changes
production /
products
- Reduction of
sick-leave
- Demands from
customer
- Initiatives
directed towards
local community
- Increase wellbeing
- Demands to
supplier (general
+ HSE)
- Performance
measurement
- Certifications
(EMS, QMS, etc)
- Risk
assessment
- Waste handling
- Material use
- Energy
- Chemicals/
hazardous
materials
- Water
- Emissions
- Involvement/
empowerment
- Turnover/
recruting
challenges
- HSE etc in
subsediary
companies
Bjørg M. Granly
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Questions or comments?
Bjørg M. Granly