Corporate Social Responsibility and Business Ethics in Barclays Bank Dissertation

Corporate Social Responsibility and Business Ethics in Barclays Bank - Dissertation Example The three concepts were discussed in relation to the roles they play in the strategic management of businesses, indicating that while they are generally viewed as peripheral issues to the maximisation of profits – the generally conceded principal aim of going into business – these concerns are actually central to the generation of revenues that lead to higher profits. CSR and stakeholder satisfaction, in particular regarding employees and customers, appeal to the market and therefore contribute significantly to the strategic and, ultimately, the financial success of the business. 24 List of Tables Table 1: Values and behaviours at Barclays Bank 33 Table 2: Performance of Barclays vs. Industry Leaders 34 Table 3: Frequency distribution of respondents according to age 38 Table 4: Frequency distribution of respondents according to gender 39 Table 5: Frequency distribution of respondents according to educational attainment 39 Table 6: Frequency distribution of respondents a ccording to length of association with Barclays Bank 40 Table 7: Customer satisfaction ratings 42 Table 8: Employee satisfaction ratings 45 Table 9: Respondents' perception of Barclays’ CSR for employees 47 Table 10: Respondents' perception of Barclays’ CSR for customers 49 Table 11: Respondents' perception of Barclays’ CSR for society 49 Table 12: Respondents’ perception of Barclays’ CSR for Government 50 Table 13: Respondents' perception on Barclays’ CSR for competitors 52 Table 14: Respondents' perception of Barclays’ CSR for the environment 53 Table 15: Respondents' perception of Barclays’ CSR for sustainability 54 Table 16: Respondents' perception of Barclays’ CSR for civil society 57 Table 17: Summary of mean scores for CSR perception 58 Table 18:Table of Pearson correlation coefficients between CSR & EMPSAT/CUSTSAT 60 Chapter 1: Introduction 1.1 Chapter overview The introductory chapter of this dissertation sets t he context within which the research problem is to be viewed. Specifying the context of the study delimits the perspective that an issue may be viewed, and sets the focal point and the boundaries for the study. The background of the research problem shall be discussed, leading to a statement of the purpose and objectives of the study. From the objectives, the research questions are articulated, in order to lead to findings that would eventually support the conclusion. Any assumptions made by the study are included, as well as the definitions of specific words and phrases relevant to their use in the dissertation. The significance of the study and its relevance to the industry and the broader social environment is thereafter discussed. 1.2 Background of the research problem The banking industry is a pillar of the nation’s economy and a vital determinant of the health and viability of business activity. Banks perform four critical functions: (1) their intermediation function, w here the banks intermediate between economic units with excess and deficient financial resources; (2) they adapt and modify terms and risks to the market