Stakeholder Pressures, CSR Practices, and Business Outcomes in Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands

This cross-country study investigates the antecedents and outcomes of corporate social and environmental responsibility (CSER) practices. Based on institutional theory and stakeholder theory we conducted an empirical study among 519 firms in Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands. We found evidence supporting a significant positive relationship between stakeholder pressures, CSER practices, and business outcomes in the total sample. While our data reveals similarities between the three countries, thus supporting the assumption of a pan-European approach of CSER, differences in some areas can be observed as well. Implications for institutional theory and for CSER are derived