Corporate Digital Responsibility

: does it pay to be good? Understanding how active CDR can lead to a competitive advantage for firms

Abstract

The objective of this research is to determine, using a mixed-method approach with pre-filled surveys and interviews, to what extent active corporate digital responsibility can lead to a competitive advantage for companies. To this end, the following three research questions were posed: Can active CDR lead to a competitive advantage for businesses? What factors have an influence on the impact of CDR on business performance? What impact will CDR have on future business?Initially, a survey for companies was created based on the literature research and filled with secondary research. Also, to answer the research questions, a guided interview was conducted with seven respondents. The survey showed that mainly performance benefits can arise for the companies through active CDR. Presumed advantages could be identified that have a positive impact on access to certain markets, differentiation, stakeholder involvement or compliance. Furthermore, factors were identified that could have an influence on the impact of active CDR on performance. The company size is suspected to influence the impact of CDR on business performance. The study also explored the future impact of CDR on future business. Significant impacts from legislative changes and a change from "voluntary" to "mandatory" are captured. Based on this foundation, it is advisable to conduct further investigations and studies to evaluate and assess the issue on a company-specific basis.

Date of Award	27 Jun 2023
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	René Bohnsack (Supervisor)