Using relational leadership theory to magnify actors' dynamic participation: the implementation of corporate social responsibility practices in the hospitality sector

Purpose: In this paper, we propose the application of relational leadership theory for magnifying the dynamics involving the individual who participates in the implementation of Corporate Social Responsibility practices in the hospitality sector. Dominant theories in this field, fail to show what drivers affect such dynamics. The key preoccupation of those frameworks is the extent to which CSR can attract, motivate, and retain employees. Design/methodology/approach: We use both qualitative and quantitative methods. Through a quantitative survey involving circa 1,300 hotels, and qualitative semi-structured interviews we seek to unpick what actors identify as sustainable practice driving motives, which in turn influence the implementation of corporate social responsibility initiatives. In this perspective, actors drift away from being mere receivers, or executors of sustainable practices, acquiring a more active role. We collect our qualitative data through semi-structured interviews in hotels in Italy, the UK and Pakistan, and run the quantitative survey across the same three countries. Findings: Our quantitative data showed a significant positive correlation between economic incentive, and teamwork on corporate social responsibility practices. This aligned with the qualitative data that showed two main drivers - responsibility and convenience – displaying characteristics of collectivity and collaboration, which tie to the principles of relational leadership theory. Research implications: We posit the relevance of relatedness at multiple levels to spot how corporate social responsibility initiatives can produce varying ‘hospitality work’ outcomes. Originality: By focusing on actors and identifying the driving motives of sustainable initiatives, our paper suggests that leaderful practice stands at the core of corporate social responsibility implementation