Social responsibility: motives, values, moral grounds (on the example of business organizations and ngos of volgograd)

The authors present the results of the studyof motives, as well as value and moral grounds determining the socially responsible activities of commercial and non-profit organizations. The research is based on the hypothesis that the social responsibility of organizations is determined not only by economic and sociological factors (fixed concepts of “integrity”, “voluntary contribution”, “social investment”, “consideration of public expectations”, “partnership”, “voluntaryenvironmental reporting”, etc.), but also moral and ethical attitudes, subjects orientation to moral values. These attitudes and orientations and practical experience related to them are objectified in the language with the help of such concepts as “charity”, “unselfishness”, “help”, “care”, etc. In order to test the hypothesis, the researches conducted an empirical studywithin which 15 experts were identified and interviewed. Data collection was carried out by the method of in-depth semi-structured interview with the subsequent analysis of the opinions expressed by experts. The qualitative research methods made it possible to identify and analyze the semantic content of ideas about social responsibility of representatives of business organizations and NGOs in Volgograd. The study showed the importance of not only economic opportunities for socially responsible activities, but also of moral grounds, because even in tight financial conditions the moral need to provide assistance and care encourage entrepreneurs to seek resources and opportunities for these purposes. The authors conclude that the initiativeparticipation of business in solving social problems of the region (regardless of the declared goals and chosen forms) is determined by internal imperatives: personal value “coordinate system” and moral and ethical attitudes ofbusiness leaders and NGOs. According to the results of the study, socially responsible activity of business organizations and NGOs in Volgograd is often determined bypersonal relationships between people, rather than institutional ties. It is shown that the restriction of the expansion and institutionalization of socially responsible practices of business organizations in the region is due to their lack of financial resources. However, this does not prevent representatives of Volgograd business to respond to requests for help, but also to initiate helping behavior. The studyshowed that in conditions of lack of financial resources, moral and ethical factors (duty, care, loyalty, gratitude, unselfishness, justice, empathy, love for people) play a decisive role in motivating helping behavior and charity.The recommendations formulated by the results of the research are designed to contribute to the formation in the regional community of the attitude to socially responsible behavior as a natural component of human life. This will allow wider use of moral arguments and non-material incentives to promote and improve the efficiency of socially responsible activities of companies in our region.