CSR & Interactivity 12
firms, such as ‘expanding their business lines in a way an octopus spread its arm’
(15.9%), ‘close adherence between economy and politics’ (11.8%), ‘insolvent enterprise’
(10.4%), and ‘bribery’ (6.5%) (The Federation of Korean Industries, 1998).
Recently, Korean corporations have been faced with an increasing need for CSR
from the public. In the past, most corporations sought the high-growth policy, and as a
result, accomplished rapid growth under support from the government. It is indicated that
they took little heed to social responsibilities, such as protection of the environment,
sound labor-management relations, fair business practices, and so forth. A recent survey
shows that they began to realize the importance of CSR. According this survey, 91% of
120 Korean CEOs and marketing professors replied that there is a direct relationship
between the degree of CSR conducts and their competitiveness (Shin, 2003). However,
another survey of the perception of CEOs and the public about corporate social
contribution activities shows that Korean corporations consider such activities to be of
service to the public rather than a duty from social responsibility (The Federation of
Korean Industries, 2001).
Furthermore, in spite of such perception of CSR, it is argued that Korean
corporations have little acknowledged CSR. S. Lee (2002) noted that Korean
corporations have regarded the need for social responsibility performances as a kind of
pressure or feedback from the public, while big U.S. corporations consider CSR to be a
key factor in management strategies and perform CSR in various sectors of society. A
report of the relationship between corporations and society IMD (International institute
for Management Development) shows the reality of Korean corporations’ CSR.
According to this paper, in terms of ‘how much enterprisers get trust from the public,’
Convention