Corporate social responsibility in Sub-Saharan Africa: hindering and supporting factors

2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 93-113 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Benon-be-isan Nyuur ◽  
Daniel F. Ofori ◽  
Yaw Debrah
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Value Chain ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Chain Model ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Stakeholder Groups ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Corporate Social

Purpose – In recent years, the concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) has gained recognition and importance in both business and political settings. While considerable research has been conducted on CSR in developed countries, the extant literature on CSR in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is scant and CSR is seen in terms of philanthropy. This paper aims to examine CSR from a broader perspective and in particular to identify the factors that hinder and promote CSR activities in SSA using the Smit (2009) CSR Value Chain Model. Design/methodology/approach – This paper is based on data obtained from a survey conducted by GTZ (now GIZ) on factors promoting and hindering CSR in SSA. The study surveyed 85 companies from six countries, namely; South Africa, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique and Namibia. The study essentially examined the internal and external CSR environments of the companies in the participating countries. Findings – The study revealed that there are nine key promoting and hindering factors of CSR for businesses in SSA. These include: leadership and governance, policy framework, project management, monitoring, evaluation and reporting, stakeholder engagement, staff engagement, government, funding and beneficiation. The study recommends a systemic and context-sensitive approach that relies on the potential of organisations and communities to design and implement their own solution within global frameworks in order to further develop CSR in the region. Research limitations/implications – There are a number of limitations in this study. First, this study did not include any informants from the responding organisations’ stakeholder groups, but relied mainly on information obtained from single respondents from organisations. Further research should include responses from other stakeholder groups. Practical implications – To promote or achieve the successful implementation of CSR and broaden its scope within the region beyond its current focus on philanthropy, managers must build bridges with their stakeholders through both formal and informal dialogues and engagement practices. Additionally, firms may enhance and maximise both social and economic value created when managers link their CSR activities to areas that improve firms’ long-term competitive potential by collectively and systematically applying their distinctive strengths to such activities in accordance with the value chain model. Originality/value – The finding in this study is novel and adds an important contribution to the developing CSR literature in the SSA region.

scholarly journals Does corporate social responsibility initiative restrain young people from irregular migration in sub-Saharan Africa? Evidence from Nigeria’s oil-producing communities

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph Ikechukwu Uduji ◽  
Elda Nduka Okolo-Obasi
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Young People ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Irregular Migration ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Oil Companies ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to critically examine the multinational oil companies’ (MOCs) corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives in Nigeria. Its special focus is to investigate the impact of the global memorandum of understanding (GMoU) on irregular migration urge of rural youths in the oil-producing communities. Design/methodology/approach This paper adopts a survey research technique, aimed at gathering information from a representative sample of the population, as it is essentially cross-sectional, describing and interpreting the current situation. A total of 2,100 households were sampled across the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. Findings The results from the use of a combined propensity score matching and logit model indicate that GMoU model has made significant impact in dissuading young people from irregular migration drive. Practical implications This implies that if the MOCs increase the CSR intervention on young development initiatives that focus on creation of jobs and provision of financial and other resources that support local entrepreneurs, the push factors that compel youth irregular migration in sub-Saharan Africa would be deterred. Social implications The fight against irregular migration of African youths and subsequent demise by sea, deserts and along the Mediterranean route can only succeed if cluster development boards of GMoUs are able to draw on young people to participate fully in the CSR intervention plans and programmes. Originality/value This research adds to the literature on multinational enterprises’ CSR initiatives in sub-Saharan Africa and rationale for demands for social projects by host communities. It concludes that business has an obligation to help in solving problems of public concern.

Applying Ubuntu-Botho African ethics to stakeholder corporate social responsibility

2014 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 222-239 ◽  
Author(s):  
Khali Mofuoa
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Business Organizations ◽  
Socially Responsible ◽  
Content Type ◽  
African Ethics ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Corporate Social

Purpose – This paper aims to explore, with the view to establish the prospects of applying Ubuntu-Botho African approach to stakeholder corporate social responsibility (CSR) for business organisations in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), the experience of Basotho of Lesotho in using Ubuntu-Botho African principles and practices to pursue their socially responsible development fashioned in social responsibility (SR) terms. Design/methodology/approach – Using data mainly from desktop research, the theoretical or conceptual content of the paper was established to inform the discussions on the prospects of applying Ubuntu-Botho African principles and practices to stakeholder CSR for business organisations in SSA. Findings – Ubuntu-Botho African approach to stakeholder CSR could generate a very different notion of ideal SR of business organizations in the context of SSA as the experience of Basotho of Lesotho reveals. Whether or not one is persuaded by this Ubuntu-Botho approach to stakeholder CSR, the discussion serves to illuminate the need to broaden the terms of the debate over the appropriate role of business organizations, at least in the context of SSA, regarding their CSR and performance within which they operate. Originality/value – The paper mainly uses secondary data that is considered to be most relevant, valid and reliable to inform discussions on the prospects of the application of Ubuntu-Botho African ethics to stakeholder CSR for business organisations in the context of SSA. The author’s knowledge of Lesotho – where he lived, studied and worked – informed the writing of this paper, as well as discussions on the prospects of applying Ubuntu-Botho African approach to stakeholder CSR for business organisations in SSA using the experience of Basotho of Lesotho in engineering their socially responsible development to become the granary of Southern Africa in 1900s.

The Normative Grounding of Social Responsibility in African Emerging Markets

2016 ◽  
pp. 97-115
Author(s):  
Khali Mofuoa
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Emerging Markets ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Symbiotic Relationship ◽  
Alternative Vision ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Corporate Social

In African emerging markets (AEMs), the prevailing notions of social responsibility (SR) are based chiefly on Western ethics. Even discussions of corporate social responsibility (CSR) have, more often than not, been couched in the similar manner. Consequently, the field of CSR in AEMs is largely unaware of Setho ethics that for it are germane as a basis for thinking and talking about SR. In this chapter, the author proposes Setho ethics rooted in Botho, which sees the communal, interdependence and interrelatedness of beings, as an alternative vision of CSR in AEMs. In fact, people in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) see themselves in a symbiotic relationship with society, a point well-articulated by Mbiti (1969, p. 24) thus, “I am because you are, and since we are, therefore I am”. This African view through the Setho ethics lenses generates a different notion of an ideal SR of business to society worth illuminating in the CSR discourse today.

scholarly journals Corporate social responsibility in a local subsidiary: internal and external stakeholders’ power

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 377-393 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pilar Marques ◽  
Merce Bernardo ◽  
Pilar Presas ◽  
Alexandra Simon
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Value Chain ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Beverage Industry ◽  
External Stakeholders ◽  
Food And Beverage ◽  
Local Company ◽  
Corporate Social

Purpose Using a theoretical and empirical focus on the power stakeholders exert, the purpose of this paper is to provide a better understanding of the factors that influence the subsidiaries of multinationals’ participation in corporate social responsibility (CSR) under the pressures (expectations and demands) their complex system of internal and external stakeholders’ places upon them. Design/methodology/approach Using an in-depth case study, the relationship a local subsidiary in the food and beverage industry has with its stakeholders as regards CSR is analyzed. Findings The findings illustrate three main aspects: how the local company is affected by and how it affects its stakeholders (an example of the multidirectionality of power and influence); the direct and indirect practices that are adopted to address challenges; and the importance of the role the local subsidiary plays as an implementer and diffuser of its parent organization’s responsible practices across the industry value chain. Originality/value To the best of authors’ knowledge, the focus is on analyzing the power stakeholders have in the context of multinational companies that has not been applied before, and the outcome of using this approach is that the authors have uncovered gaps in the literature for future research.

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