Corporate Social Responsibility and Business Philosophies among Hungarian Business Students

This study attempts to identify a relationship between the perception of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and the business philosophies (Machiavellianism, moral objectivism, legalism, ethical relativism, social Darwinism) among Hungarian business students. The goals of the investigations are (1) to explore the perception of CSR, (2) to analyze which business philosophies describe the students, and (3) to characterize typical patterns by means of cluster analysis. The data collection was performed by means of a self-administered, voluntary online survey including the Attitudes Toward Business Ethics Questionnaire (ATBEQ) instrument. Grouping effects were tested with non-parametric analysis of variance; cluster analysis used the K-Means method. The research sample consisted of 865 responses. Machiavellianism was found to be the most dominant business philosophy among the respondents. The cluster analysis shows three patterns, namely (1) CSR believers, (2) large business-oriented, and (3) skeptic. The correlations between CSR perception and business philosophy scores confirm the relationship assumed. The understanding of the value system of the students allows targeted curriculum development for the higher education institutions and, as a result, a more effective approach to CSR applications. Moreover, the result on business philosophies itself provides a contribution to cross-national contribution in the field. Future research should include the extension of the analysis to other students and business practitioners.