The Impact of Corporate Social Welfare Policies on Innovation Index: Evidence from Global Enterprises*
The Impact of Corporate Social Welfare Policies on Innovation Index: Evidence from Global Enterprises*
임걸
초록
Purpose: This study examines the relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and innovation by identifying critical research gaps related to employee welfare policies, firm size differences, and the mediating role of organizational culture and leadership. The research aims to clarify how CSR-driven welfare initiatives contribute to innovation outcomes within firms. Research design, data and methodology: Relying on an integrative review of recent empirical and theoretical studies, this study synthesizes findings across welfare-based CSR, innovation performance, SME contexts, and organizational behavior literature. Special attention is given to the mechanisms linking health benefits, job security, and employee satisfaction to firms’ innovative processes. Results: The analysis reveals that prior research has largely overlooked the direct impact of employee welfare policies on innovation, relying instead on broad CSR categories. Evidence is also heavily concentrated on large firms in advanced economies, leaving substantial gaps regarding small and medium-sized enterprises and emerging markets. Furthermore, limited attention has been given to the mediating effects of employee engagement in transforming CSR policies into innovative outcomes. Conclusions: This study highlights four major gaps that future research should address: (1) insufficient evidence on direct welfare–innovation pathways, (2) limited generalizability due to overrepresentation of large-developed firms, (3) underexplored mediating role of organizational culture and leadership.