University of Vaasa - Vaasan yliopisto

Conclusion
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The described perception and behavioural patterns, routines the decision-makers are
stuck in, pose a threat for SMEs. Both the presented ideal roles in which decisions
are made more impede than support a timely preparation for an intensified discourse
and demands regarding CR. SMEs have to make up leeway and need to take a closer
look at what different stakeholders demand. They need to work on CR in core
business activities, organisational integration and have to prepare for increasing
importance of certification and labels and accompanying management systems and
instruments, even though this is not considered the way SMEs work.
It is no surprise that most SMEs don’t associate their social and environmental values
and measures with the concept of CR (because it is normal for the responsible
businessman) and regard CR as a threat (from a management point of view). „In
most cases, the term CSR is not a concept that makes people feel comfortable or one
with which they can identify“ (Murillo & Lozano 2006). There has been research on
how the concept CR can be made useful for SMEs, how small- and medium-sized
management can be supported etc., but what we tried to highlight is that established
patterns of perception and SMEs’ culture have to change too.
As we observe robust patterns of perception and behaviour, structural influences
much more than individual aspects should offer explanations. These have to be
analysed in more depth. Global and national society’s view on sustainability issues
and corporate responsibility influence decision-makers in large companies as well.
But we also know that the professional social environment that corporate actors
move in differs with company size. The global business-class elite of big companies’
management (incidentally including the leaders of the bigger NGOs, Shell 2002)
most likely develops different structures of meaning than SMEs’ owner-managers,
much more embedded in the local community. Also, it has to be asked whether
society has different expectations and views on the scope for actions of differentsized
companies. The much bigger trust in SMEs regarding social and environmental
aspects for example is not backed up by the width and depth of CR performance and
reporting. Last but not least we have to observe the structures emerging right now, as
CR still is in a very dynamic state of uncertainty and change (of meaning, power and
rules).