Individual interviews of knowledgeable representatives of the companies were conducted. The focus of the quantitative study was on collection of factual data regarding CSR activities being undertaken by the companies. We have recorded the details of practices and policies where these exist amongst the respondent companies. The level of integration of corporate responsibility in the main line of business, which would be from visualization and conceptualization till public reporting, forms an important aspect of the information gathered from the survey. In cases of companies who neither have a policy nor any ongoing practices towards CSR, we have recorded their attitudes with regards to CSR.

The method of data collection were individual interviews. A structured format with adequate number of open ended questions was used for recording the responses.

The interviews were administered by corporate interviewers from various IMRB field offices spread across India.

The Sampling Design

To ensure a good representation of companies the need to have a comprehensive sampling frame is important. Turnover was the main criteria that was used for selection of companies in each specific sector. The turnover cap of a minimum of Rs.25 crores was taken for each sector.

Sample Size

The main objective of the study is to measure change in corporate attitudes and activities towards socially responsible activities since the last study.

The sample size covered was 552 companies. Out of these 552 companies, some proportion would comprise companies from the six sectors mentioned earlier, with the total sample of companies from these six targeted sectors not exceeding 50% of the final sample size achieved.

The sample spread across the sectors and the cities would be decided based on the collection of company lists for the same.

The process of finalising sample size across sectors/cities is explained as follows:

• Listing the companies from the sectors, from the available sources of information
• Putting the selection criteria in ter ms of turnover for each sector, through the secondary survey

A minimum sample size has been ensured from each sector while deciding the sample size for each sector.

Survey instrument primarily elicits information on two types of the areas. (1) General issues which are common across the companies irrespective of which sector they belong to and (2) Issues which are specific to the sector in which the company falls in.

The general survey has been administered to all the 552 companies while the sector specific section would be administered to the companies in the specific sector.