Edinburgh Napier University

  The cruise industry’s growth has led to increased levels of competition in the sector. The Cruise Lines International Association, which is the world's largest cruise industry trade association, reports in the beginning of 2014 that their member lines will introduce 24 new ships in 2014 and 2015, representing a total passenger capacity of 37,546. This growth in capacity could be expected to lead to even further increase in demand – not just for passengers but also for highly qualified employees. In this context, companies need to differentiate themselves from other cruise providers and employers. The implementation of a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme therefore might contribute to achieving a competitive advantage. So far, many studies have looked into the social or environmental dimensions of CSR. The purpose of this paper however is to shed more light on the economic dimension of CSR in relation to the ‘passengers’ and ‘nautical employees’ stakeholder groups.