Evaluation of the efficiency and corporate social responsibility of the transport industry using the Data Envelopment Analysis method

Ocena efektywności i społecznej odpowiedzialności biznesu w branży transportowej metodą Data Envelopment Analysis

Involvement in corporate social responsibility (CSR) is of increasing importance across different economic sectors, including transport industry. This study examines the relationship between CSR and efficiency of companies in the transport industry. It belongs to the type of quantitative research and extends the scope of research related to the subject of CSR and efficiency of companies in the transport industry. Whereas previous literature lacks empirical research analyzing the relation between CSR and efficiency in the transport industry, the present study aims to fill in this research gap. The study focuses on data for 2013–2015 period and on major transport companies in the USA, in particular those representing the air and road transport sectors. The paper is based on Data Envelopment Analysis method which is used to measure efficiency, while the Pearson correlation coefficient is used to detect the relationship between CSR and efficiency. The results confirm positive relationship between CSR and efficiency of transport companies. The paper contains further evidence on the relationship between individual CSR areas (social, environmental and governance CSR) and efficiency. This study can contribute not only as a recommendation for transport companies, but also as an introduction to further and more detailed research of the relation between CSR and efficiency.

Zaangażowanie w społeczną odpowiedzialność biznesu (CSR) nabiera coraz większego znaczenia w różnych sektorach gospodarki, w tym w branży transportowej. W niniejszym artykule zbadano związek pomiędzy CSR a efektywnością przedsiębiorstw branży transportowej. Opracowanie należy do typu badań ilościowych i poszerza zakres badań związanych z tematyką CSR i efektywnością przedsiębiorstw branży transportowej. W dotychczasowej literaturze brakowało badań empirycznych analizujących związek między CSR i efektywnością branży transportowej i właśnie niniejszy artykuł ma na celu wypełnienie tej luki badawczej. Badanie opiera się na danych z lat 2013–2015 i dotyczy czołowych firm transportowych w Stanach Zjednoczonych, reprezentujących sektor transportu lotniczego i drogowego. W artykule wykorzystano metodę Data Envelopment Analysis, która służy do pomiaru efektywności, natomiast współczynnik korelacji Pearsona został wykorzystany do analizy związku pomiędzy CSR a efektywnością. Wyniki badań potwierdzają pozytywny związek pomiędzy CSR a efektywnością firm transportowych. Artykuł zawiera również analizy dotyczące związku pomiędzy poszczególnymi obszarami CSR (społecznym, środowiskowym i ładem korporacyjnym) i efektywnością. Niniejsze opracowanie może stanowić nie tylko rekomendację dla firm transportowych, ale także wstęp do dalszych i bardziej szczegółowych badań nad związkiem między CSR i efektywnością.

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