Influence of Global Retailers’ CSR Activities on Local Institutions: Business Creation of AEON Malaysia

Abstract

While research on CSR activities in the manufacturing industries is well known, similar research in the retail industries is lacking. Studies have shown that large-scale CSR activities have a greater social impact on the manufacturing industries as opposed to the activities of the retail industries which tend to be relatively small in scale. However, retailers’ CSR activities have the opportunity to further develop in multifarious ways since they answer directly to stakeholders. Consequently, this interaction produces a synergistic effect. This article, therefore, examines the significance of CSR activities with respect to the characteristics of the retail industries, and it investigates how retailers develop their CSR activities within the framework of international development with specific reference to the case study of AEON Malaysia, which has been operating for 27 years.