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CSR, Employee Commitment, and Survival During Crisis Period: The Case of Tunisia

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Responsible Organizations in the Global Context

Abstract

The 2011 Tunisian Revolution impacted companies’ stability and its internal environment. In this chapter, we aim to understand how CSR practices influenced employees’ commitment to allow for company survival during the crisis period caused by the Tunisian revolution.

To address this issue, a qualitative method based on four case studies with a thematic content analysis was conducted. Our results show that employees play a dual role in the societal pressures faced by companies. They can be a source of both pressure and stability in post-revolutionary Tunisia. Moreover, it appears that the nature of CSR practices dedicated to employees influences their behavior in terms of organizational commitment, thus allowing the association of a type of organizational commitment (Meyer and Allen, Human Resource Management Review, 1(1), 61–89, 1991) with different CSR practices adopted.

CSR: Corporate Social Responsibility

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Notes

  1. 1.

    “L’engagement des salariés repose sur la réciprocité et donc sur la crédibilité des engagements de l’entreprise. Un nouveau pacte social permet d’obtenir l’engagement des salariés en réponse aux engagements que prend l’entreprise” (translated by authors).

  2. 2.

    “L’employé éprouve le sentiment d’avoir effectué divers investissements dans son entreprise, qui seraient perdus s’il en partait” (translated by authors).

  3. 3.

    “Rente professionnelle” (translated by authors).

  4. 4.

    “Que le salarié se sent obligé de développer des conduites loyales envers son organisation, en adhérant notamment à ses normes” (translated by authors).

  5. 5.

    “Gérer l’engagement nécessite une approche multidimensionnelle, à la fois individuelle et collective” (translated by authors).

  6. 6.

    “A l’engagement des entreprises de favoriser le développement des talents et de garantir l’employabilité des salariés, répond l’engagement de ses salariés, gage de sa compétitivité” (translated by authors).

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. ESSEC Tunis, Tunis, Tunisia

    Menel Ben Mlouka & Rafla Hefaiedh

Authors
  1. Menel Ben Mlouka
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  2. Rafla Hefaiedh
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Versailles, Versailles, France

    Annie Bartoli  & Philippe Hermel  & 

  2. Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA

    Annie Bartoli , Jose-Luis Guerrero  & Philippe Hermel ,  & 

Appendices

Appendix 1

Company

Interviewee

Position held

Seniority

Alpha

Alpha 1

General manager

Since 2006 (founder)

Alpha 2

HRD

Since 2008

Alpha 3

TQM director

Since 2016

Alpha 4

Operator 1

Since 2009

Alpha 5

Operator 2

Since 2008

Beta

Beta 1

Financial director

Since 1992

Beta 2

HRD

Since 2013

Beta 3

Workshop foreman

Since 2006

Beta 4

Female worker 1

Since 2007

Beta 5

Female worker 2

Since 2009

Gamma

Gamma 1

Sales director

Since 1995

Gamma 2

HRD

Since 1992

Gamma 3

Director of communication

Since 2000

Gamma 4

Logistics manager

Since 1984

Gamma 5

Senior account manager

Since 1991

Epsilon

Epsilon 1

General director

Since 1977

Epsilon 2

HRD

Since 2004

Epsilon 3

Union representative

Since 2012

Epsilon 4

Communication manager

Since 2010

Epsilon 5

Worker

Since 2005

Appendix 2

Interview Guide

Introduction

  • Thanks, subject explanation and determination of the confidentiality terms

  • Organization/company presentation: Denomination, year of creation/activity sector/number of employees

  • Interviewee presentation: Missions and personal characteristics (age, training, experience)/academic and professional background/current functions/first responsibility as a general manager/director/HRM of the company

Theme 1

General knowledge of the concept

  • What is CSR according to you?

    • Questions of issues:

Economic dimension of the CSR:

[Assuring substantial financials benefits—controlling employees’ productivity—maximizing benefits—creating value for the stakeholders—establishing long-term financial strategies]

  • Have you ever heard about societal initiatives in Tunisia or any responsible company (examples)?

  • Is CSR a major concern in Tunisia? Why?

Theme 2

Top management CSR attitude/HRM/director: Identifying practices towards internal and external CSR stakeholders

Theme 2.1. CSR practices towards external stakeholders:

  • Do you have any CSR actions towards external stakeholders?

    • Questions of issues:

Ethical-legal dimension for the external stakeholders:

[My company doesn’t take part in human rights violation—respects laws—offers a complete and precise information for its costumers—doesn’t use corruption (bribes, extortion, etc.)—is faithful—preserves environment].

CSR philanthropic dimension:

[My company sponsors sports or cultural events—cares about reducing its negative impacts on environment—contributes to the development of the local industry—sponsors scientific research activities].

Theme 2.2. CSR practices towards internal stakeholders:

  • What about CSR practices towards internal stakeholders?

    • Do you involve them in the determination of organizational objectives?

    • Do you have any charters, values, or conducts shared by the entire company?

    • Do you have specific actions towards employees (social advantages, etc.)?

(Action area 1: Job and employee/top management relationship, Action area 2: Work conditions and social protection, Action area 3: Social dialogue, Action area 4: Health and work security, Action area 5: Human capital development)

  • Questions of issues:

Ethical-legal dimension towards internal stakeholders:

[Encouraging employees’ diversity (age, gender, race)—condemning unethical attitude of all members—considering chances equality as a principle in the employees’ promotion process—respecting rules in the recruiting, firing, and promotion processes—having an equal remuneration policy—offering opportunity for employees to handle between private and professional life—being careful about union demands

Theme 3

Managing over crisis period

  • Did you have to face crises in your company?

    • Did you have to face demands and pressures from employees because of the Tunisian revolution?

    • If yes, what was your employees’ attitude and reaction?

    • If yes, what was the union’s reaction?

  • How did you act facing crises? What kind of decisions did you make?

  • Did you set new actions dedicated to employees because of the revolution?

    • What was your employees’ reaction after those new actions?

Theme 4

Link between CSR practices and employees’ organizational commitment

  • Do you think that your CSR attitude could enhance employee satisfaction and organizational commitment?

  • Did your CSR practices help you to get more commitment from employees over crises?

  • If yes, what kind of commitment appears and how?

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Ben Mlouka, M., Hefaiedh, R. (2019). CSR, Employee Commitment, and Survival During Crisis Period: The Case of Tunisia. In: Bartoli, A., Guerrero, JL., Hermel, P. (eds) Responsible Organizations in the Global Context. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-11458-9_4

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