Determinants of Corporate Social Responsibility: A Study in Jimma University

Abstract

The starting place of Corporate Social Responsibility is Institutions of higher education. Institutions of higher education are as diverse as the countries in which they are found and they are different in their focus on educational issues and their relation to society. The main objective of this study was to examine the determinants of corporate social responsibility of Jimma University. The dependent variable of the study was corporate social responsibility whereas independent variables were employee demand, student perception, community demand, ethical education, social license, and government policy. To accomplish the objective, a cross-sectional research design and quantitative research approach were used in which 340 closed-ended questionnaires were distributed and 324 (95.3%) were collected. The data has been collected from both academic and administrative staff of Jimma University. The researcher employed stratified and random sampling methods to collect data from respondents through a questionnaire. The data were analysed by using SPSS (Version-20) and a multiple linear regression model was applied. Descriptive and inferential research designs were used for data analysis. In descriptive; frequencies, percentages, mean scores, Standard Deviations, and inferential statistics; Pearson’s correlation and regression analysis were used to assess both relationships and effects between dependent and independent variables. The study concluded that employee demand, student perception, community demand, and government policy were significant determinants of CSR, while ethical education and social license were insignificant determinants of CSR. It has been recommended that Jimma university management is advised to give due emphasis on employee demand, student perception, community demand, and government policy to improve corporate social responsibility. Finally, the study provided a direction for future related studies.