CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY INITIATIVES OF TOBACCO AND LIQUOR COMPANY IN INDIA: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29121/shodhkosh.v5.i3.2024.5320Keywords:
Corporate Social Responsibility, Tobacco Company, Liquor Company, India, Ethical Marketing, Public Health, Stakeholder Analysis, Who, ParadoxAbstract [English]
This empirical study explores the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives undertaken by tobacco and liquor companies in India, analysing their strategies, areas of focus, and societal impact. Despite the controversial nature of these industries, many firms actively engage in CSR activities, often in education, health, rural development, and environmental sustainability. Using data collected from respondents, annual reports, CSR disclosures, and interviews with key stakeholders, this study assesses whether these initiatives are genuine attempts at social contribution or strategic efforts to enhance corporate image and mitigate regulatory scrutiny. The findings suggest a complex interplay between regulatory compliance, brand positioning, and ethical considerations. While some CSR activities create tangible social benefits, questions persist regarding their alignment with the core business impact on public health. The study offers policy recommendations and calls for more stringent evaluation mechanisms to ensure authenticity and accountability in CSR practices of these sectors.
References
Freeman, R. E. (1984). Strategic Management: A Stakeholder Approach. Boston: Pitman.
Suchman, M. C. (1995). Managing legitimacy: Strategic and institutional approaches. Academy of Management Review, 20(3), 571-610. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/258788
Matten, D., & Crane, A. (2005). Corporate citizenship: Toward an extended theoretical conceptualization. Academy of Management Review, 30(1), 166-179. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.2005.15281448
Yoon, Y., Gürhan-Canli, Z., & Schwarz, N. (2006). The effect of corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities on companies with bad reputations. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 16(4), 377-390. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327663jcp1604_9
Hastings, G. (2012). Why corporate power is a public health priority. BMJ, 345, e5124. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.e5124
Verma, P. (2018). Corporate ethics and CSR: The Indian sin industry. Journal of Business Ethics, 147(3), 585-597.
Ramasamy, B., & Yeung, M. (2009). Chinese consumers’ perception of corporate social responsibility (CSR). Journal of Business Ethics, 88(1), 119-132. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-008-9825-x
Marquis, C., & Qian, C. (2014). Corporate social responsibility reporting in China: Symbol or substance? Organization Science, 25(1), 127-148. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.2013.0837
Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Government of India. (2013). Companies Act 2013.
Rao, N. V. (2014). CSR practices in India: A case study of tobacco and liquor companies. Indian Journal of Corporate Governance, 7(2), 56-72.
Choudhury, M. (2017). Advertising bans and CSR: Navigating regulatory challenges in sin industries. Journal of Marketing Communications, 23(3), 224-241.
Srinivasan, R., & Arora, P. (2020). CSR and ethical marketing in India’s sin industries. Business and Society Review, 125(4), 497-516.
World Health Organization. (2014). Guidelines for implementation of Article 5.3 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
Consumer reactions to corporate social responsibility. Journal of Marketing Research, 38(2), 225-243.
KPMG. (2018). India CSR Study 2018: The road to inclusive growth.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Dr. Krishna C.P

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
With the licence CC-BY, authors retain the copyright, allowing anyone to download, reuse, re-print, modify, distribute, and/or copy their contribution. The work must be properly attributed to its author.
It is not necessary to ask for further permission from the author or journal board.
This journal provides immediate open access to its content on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge.