scholarly journals Shell Nigeria’s Global Memorandum of Understanding and corporate-community accountability relations

2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
Osamuyimen Egbon ◽  
Uwafiokun Idemudia ◽  
Kenneth Amaeshi
Keyword(s):  
Community Development ◽  
Multinational Corporations ◽  
Niger Delta ◽  
Community Relations ◽  
Theoretical Frameworks ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sustainable Community Development ◽  
Social Legitimacy ◽  
Sustainable Community ◽  
Corporate Community

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine whether Shell Nigeria’s Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU) promotes corporate-community accountability as a basis for fostering sustainable community development in the Niger Delta. Design/methodology/approach Shell Nigeria’s GMoU stand-alone reports were analysed through the lenses of accountability and transparency theoretical frameworks to explore the extent to which GMoU, as a corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative, is dialogically embedded and practised. Meaning-oriented content analysis was deductively used to isolate pertinent themes and generate findings from the background theoretical literature. Findings The authors find that Shell discursively appropriates the meaning of accountability and transparency in a manner that allows it to maintain its social legitimacy and the asymmetric power relations between itself and host communities whilst restricting communities’ agency to hold it accountable. Shell does this by interpreting the notion of participation restrictively, selectively deploying the concept of transparency and accountability and subtly exerting excessive control over the GMoU. Thus, the GMoU’s potential to contribute to sustainable community development and positive corporate-community relation is unlikely tenable. Originality/value Accountability and transparency are core and critical to corporate-community relations and for achieving community development CSR objectives, but are often taken for granted or ignored in the CSR literature on the Niger Delta of Nigeria. This paper addresses this gap in the literature by using accountability and transparency lenses to unpick GMoU model and contribute to studies on CSR practices by oil multinational corporations (MNCs) in developing countries. Indeed, the use of these lenses to explore CSR process offers new insights as to why CSR practices have failed to contribute to sustainable community development despite increased community spending by oil MNCs.

Empirical evidence of the roles of public spaces and public activities in the promotion of community relations and sense of place in a coastal community

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 485-507
Author(s):  
Janmaimool Piyapong ◽  
Ratanavilaisakul Riruengrong ◽  
Iemworamate Wipawee ◽  
Nunsunanon Siriphan ◽  
Assavarak Passanan
Keyword(s):  
Community Development ◽  
Empirical Evidence ◽  
Sense Of Place ◽  
Land Development ◽  
Public Spaces ◽  
Community Relations ◽  
Coastal Community ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sustainable Community Development ◽  
Sustainable Community

Purpose The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the roles of public spaces in promoting community relations and sense of place in a coastal community, which are both important elements of sustainable community development. This study investigated how activities in public spaces can foster community relations, thereby affecting sense of place, and described how public spaces are used by local residents. Design/methodology/approach The Ban-Chaytalae community in the coastal area of Samutsakorn province, Thailand, was selected as a case study. This community has plentiful wetland resources, which provide various benefits for local people, and several areas in the community are used as public spaces for various activities, such as social interactions, recreation, sports, learning activities and cultural and traditional practices. In-depth interviews with residents in the community were conducted, and a questionnaire was administered in the Ban-Chaytalae community during August-December 2017. Findings The results of content analysis revealed that several places in the community are utilised as public spaces, including shrines, commercial shops, transportation routes, the coast and spaces between homes. Moreover, the results of path analysis revealed that engaging in cultural, traditional, community development and socialising activities had direct effects on residents’ sense of place and indirect effects on sense of place through community relations. Research limitations/implications The study findings implied that land development policy should avoid the deterioration of public places, and furthermore, public spaces should be developed to facilitate activities that can strengthen the active roles of citizens in sustainable community development. Originality/value This study provided empirical evidence on the role of public activities and spaces in promoting community relations and sense of place. The study results imply that the quality and quantity of public spaces where cultural, socialising and community development activities are performed should be conserved. Any development that might change these public spaces has the potential to affect people’s ways of living, which, in turn, influences social relationships and sense of place.

Interventions of Corporate Social Responsibility of Oil Companies in Promoting Sustainable Community Development in Host Communities in Niger Delta, Nigeria

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 208-216
Author(s):  
A. N. Ugwu ◽  
E. O. Aruma
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Community Development ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Niger Delta ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Sustainable Community Development ◽  
Oil Companies ◽  
Sustainable Community ◽  
Social Settings ◽  
Corporate Social

The paper focused on intervention of corporate social responsibility of oil companies in the promotion of sustainable community development in host communities. The paper identified the strategies of corporate social responsibility intervention in the promotion of sustainable community development to include understanding the operations of corporate organizations, understanding social settings in host communities, identification of relevant stakeholders among others. The highlights of the paper on the reasons of corporate social responsibility for sustainable community development in host communities include improving people’s living conditions, satisfying the interest of many stakeholders, value-added to the operations of corporate organizations, partnership funding, an opportunity to give back to host communities, social justice among others. The paper recommends among other things that corporate social responsibility should stimulate mutual trust among relevant stakeholders as well as that corporate social responsibility should be very helpful to all the relevant stakeholders in the corporate organizations and host communities. The involvement of corporate social responsibility intervention in sustainable community development demands institutionalization of corporate organizations in development initiatives of the host communities in the society.         

Advancing campus and community sustainability: strategic alliances in action

2014 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 157-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leanne Bilodeau ◽  
Jackie Podger ◽  
Alaa Abd-El-Aziz
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
British Columbia ◽  
Community Development ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sustainable Community Development ◽  
University Of British Columbia ◽  
Societal Needs ◽  
Sustainability Initiatives ◽  
The University

Purpose – Universities can provide a leadership role to develop and mobilize knowledge to meet societal needs. In fulfilling this mission, universities can also serve as agents of sustainable development on campus and in communities they serve. The purpose of this article is to describe the drivers that have advanced the University of British Columbia Okanagan campus' operational and academic sustainability objectives; the initiatives and partnerships developed on campus and in the community in response to these drivers; and the outcomes and lessons learned. Design/methodology/approach – This article summarizes the experience of the University of British Columbia Okanagan campus in leveraging key drivers to develop sustainability initiatives and partnerships for greater operational efficiencies, cost savings, environmental stewardship and applied research. The university's leadership commitment to sustainability, economic opportunities and provincial legislative requirements are among the drivers discussed. This paper also provides an innovative partnership framework to support sustainable community development. Findings – Drivers of sustainability in higher education can contribute to the development of sustainability initiatives and partnerships that benefit institutions and communities and achieve operational and academic sustainability mandates. Practical implications – This article provides information that can be applied by institutions of higher education to advance sustainability within the context of current economic conditions and societal needs. Originality/value – The experience of the campus and the partnership framework presented in this paper is original. The framework provides a mechanism to engage students, faculty and the community in sustainable community development research. Key insights from multiple perspectives and lessons learned are shared.

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