scholarly journals Do stakeholders or social obligations drive corporate social and environmental responsibility reporting? Managerial views from a developing country

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 287-314 ◽  
Author(s):  
Md Moazzem Hossain ◽  
Manzurul Alam ◽  
Muhammad Azizul Islam ◽  
Angela Hecimovic
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Developing Country ◽  
Stock Exchange ◽  
Annual Reports ◽  
Environmental Responsibility ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Senior Managers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Reporting Practices ◽  
Corporate Social

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to explore senior managers’ perception and motivations of corporate social and environmental responsibility (CSER) reporting in the context of a developing country, Bangladesh. Design/methodology/approach – In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 25 senior managers of companies listed on the Dhaka Stock Exchange. Publicly available annual reports of these companies were also analysed. Findings – The results indicate that senior managers perceive CSER reporting as a social obligation. The study finds that the managers focus mostly on child labour, human resources/rights, responsible products/services, health education, sports and community engagement activities as part of the social obligations. Interviewees identify a lack of a regulatory framework along with socio-cultural and religious factors as contributing to the low level of disclosures. These findings suggest that CSER reporting is not merely stakeholder-driven, but rather country-specific social and environmental issues play an important role in relation to CSER reporting practices. Research limitations/implications – This paper contributes to engagement-based studies by focussing on CSER reporting practices in developing countries and are useful for academics, practitioners and policymakers in understanding the reasons behind CSER reporting in developing countries. Originality/value – This paper addresses a literature “gap” in the empirical study of CSER reporting in a developing country, such as Bangladesh. This study fills a gap in the existing literature to understand managers’ motivations for CSER reporting in a developing country context. Managerial perceptions on CSER issues are largely unexplored in developing countries.

How do public companies respond to national challenges through sustainability reporting? – The case of Sri Lanka

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dinithi Dissanayake ◽  
Carol A. Tilt ◽  
Wei Qian
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Developing Country ◽  
National Level ◽  
National Development ◽  
Sustainability Reporting ◽  
Annual Reports ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Integrative Social Contracts Theory ◽  
Reporting Practices

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore how sustainability reporting is shaped by the global influences and particular national context where businesses operate. Design/methodology/approach The paper uses both content analysis of published sustainability information and semi-structured interviews with corporate managers to explore how sustainability reporting is used to address unique social and environmental challenges in a developing country – Sri Lanka. The use of integrative social contracts theory in investigating sustainability reporting offers novel insights into understanding the drivers for sustainability reporting practices in this particular country. Findings The findings reveal that managers’ perceptions about usefulness of sustainability reporting, local contextual challenges and global norms influence the extent to which companies engage in sustainability reporting and the nature of sustainability information reported. In particular, Sri Lankan company managers strive to undertake sustainability projects that are beneficial not only to their companies but also to the development of the country. However, while company managers in Sri Lanka are keen to undertake sustainability reporting, they face different tensions/expectations between global expectations and local contextual factors when undertaking sustainability projects and reporting. This is also showcased in what is ultimately reported in company annual reports, where some aspects of sustainability, e.g. social, tend to focus more on addressing local concerns whereas other disclosures are on issues that may be relevant across many contexts. Research limitations/implications Important insights for government and other regulatory authorities can be drawn from the findings of this study. By capitalising on the strong sense of moral duty felt by company managers, policymakers can involve the business sector more to mitigate the social and environmental issues prevalent in Sri Lanka. The findings can also be used by other developing countries to enable pathways to engage with the corporate sector to contribute to national development agendas through their sustainability initiatives and projects. Originality/value While the usual understanding of developing country’s company managers is that they try to follow global trends, in Sri Lanka, this research shows how managers are trying to align their responsibilities at a national level with global principles regarding sustainability reporting. Therefore, this paper highlights how both hypernorms and microsocial rules can interact to define how company managers undertake sustainability reporting in a developing country.

scholarly journals CSR during COVID-19: exploring select organizations’ intents and activities

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
S.M. Ramya ◽  
Rupashree Baral
Keyword(s):  
Stock Exchange ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Senior Managers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Services Sector ◽  
Qualitative Research Design ◽  
Csr Strategy ◽  
Paradox Theory ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This paper aims to explore the immediate proactive corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts undertaken by select organizations in India in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the approach they have adopted toward it. Design/methodology/approach Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 27 senior managers across top Bombay Stock Exchange indexed organizations from the manufacturing and services sector in India during the national COVID-19 pandemic lockdown between March and June 2020. Manual content analysis and the Gioia method were used to arrive at the insights. Findings Results of the analysis showcase the spirited immediate CSR measures undertaken by the select organizations in the broader interests of the community at large. The study also highlights the need for a paradox approach toward CSR strategy. Research limitations/implications Given that the present study adopts an exploratory qualitative research design, the scope for generalization is rather limited. Practical implications This paper classifies COVID-19 related initiatives undertaken by selected few top organizations in India and attempts to justify the need to opt for a paradox approach toward CSR strategy. Originality/value To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is one of the first few studies to have attempted to put forth a dialog at the intersection of COVID-19 and CSR with rich insights gained from qualitative data collected during India’s intense lockdown period and offering a different perspective with the inclusion of paradox theory into the discussion.

Corporate social reporting and legitimacy in banking: a longitudinal study in the developing country

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 159-179 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Tazul Islam ◽  
Katsuhiko Kokubu
Keyword(s):  
Banking Industry ◽  
Stock Exchange ◽  
Annual Reports ◽  
Social Perceptions ◽  
Legitimacy Theory ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Reporting Practices ◽  
Data Coding ◽  
Corporate Social Reporting ◽  
Corporate Social

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the development of corporate social (CS) reporting in the developing country’s banking industry from the legitimacy theory perspective – Bangladesh as a case.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses the longitudinal aspects and analyzes the content of annual reports using the ISO26000 standard with some country- and industry-specific adjustments as the method of data coding. All Dhaka Stock Exchange-listed banks (30 of 47, 2013) and 282 annual reports with 46 reporting items have been used for data analysis during a 10-year period (2004-2013). A CS reporting index has been constructed for this purpose of analysis.FindingsThe key findings are that the main impetus driving the development of CS reporting was the stakeholder initiatives; the CS reporting index was less than 20 in 2004, and it increased linearly and reached around 60 in 2013 because of the legitimization of the new banking process through social perceptions. This study explains that the contemplation of the legitimacy theory argument can similarly be applied to the developing countries as well as to the banking industry’s context.Research limitations/implicationsThe main implication of this study is the extension of the broader thrust of the legitimacy theory argument in the developing country’s banking industry, such as that of Bangladesh.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the documentation of the CS reporting practices of the developing country’s banking industry where there is a lack of published longitudinal studies from the legitimacy theory perspective.

Board involvement in corporate performance: evidence from a developing country

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 250-268 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chaminda Wijethilake ◽  
Athula Ekanayake ◽  
Sujatha Perera
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Developing Country ◽  
Resource Dependence ◽  
Corporate Performance ◽  
Stock Exchange ◽  
Corporate Boards ◽  
Ceo Duality ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide insights into the understanding of the relationship between board involvement and corporate performance within the context of developing countries. Design/methodology/approach – A number of aspects related to board involvement, including board’s shareholdings, frequency of board meetings, availability of independent board committees, board size, CEO duality, and CEO is being a promoter, were examined in order to explore their influence on corporate performance measured in terms of earnings per share. The study mainly draws on agency theory, and is supplemented by resource dependence and stewardship theories. Multiple regression analysis is utilized to analyze the data gathered from a sample of 212 publicly listed companies in 20 industries in the Colombo Stock Exchange in Sri Lanka. Findings – Among the aspects of board involvement considered, board’s shareholdings, board meetings frequency, independent committees, and CEO duality showed a positive influence on corporate performance. However, two other aspects, namely CEO being a promoter, and the size of corporate boards showed a negative effect. The findings also suggest that the use of multiple theories, rather than depending on a single theory, is more effective in understanding the relationships examined in this study. Further, the study highlights the need to be cautious in utilizing the theories that are more applicable to matured western economies when analyzing issues relating to developing countries. Originality/value – This study makes an original contribution to corporate governance literature by examining the relationship between board involvement and corporate performance in a developing country, namely Sri Lanka. The study also adds to the existing literature by utilizing multiple theories to examine the issue under investigation.

Corporate Social, Environmental, and Governance Reporting and Firm's Characteristics

2019 ◽  
pp. 697-721
Author(s):  
Md. Nazrul Islam ◽  
Mohammad Ashraful Ferdous Chowdhury ◽  
Mehedi Hasan Tuhin ◽  
Md. Masud Sarker
Keyword(s):  
Fixed Effects ◽  
Banking Sector ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Stock Exchange ◽  
Annual Reports ◽  
Environmental Reporting ◽  
Reporting Practices ◽  
The Social ◽  
Social Environmental ◽  
Corporate Social

The study aimed to explore the social, environmental and governance (SEG) reporting practices of Banking sector of Bangladesh. In conducting the study, the longitudinal data has been used over the period 2000-2015 taking all the 30listed private commercial banks in Dhaka Stock Exchange Limited. Three separate reporting index for social, environmental and governance have been developed to measure reporting practices using the dichotomous method from the published annual reports of banks. The analysis found that corporate social, environmental and governance reporting has been increased over the study period. The statistical measure showed that social, governance and environmental reporting were made 46%, 49% and 1% respectively over the period while total SEGwas 39% over the period. The econometrics models using fixed effects showed that corporate profitability, size, age and leverage have positive impact on SEG reporting. The main cause of low SEG reporting could be due to the insufficient laws and framework of SEG reporting.

scholarly journals Corporate social responsibility through sport: a longitudinal study of the FTSE100 companies

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 218-241 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tom Bason ◽  
Christos Anagnostopoulos
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Multinational Enterprises ◽  
Stock Exchange ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Annual Reports ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Csr Disclosure ◽  
Corporate Social

Purpose – Under growing public scrutiny of their behaviour, the vast majority of multinational enterprises (MNEs) have been undertaking significant investments through corporate social responsibility (CSR) in order to close legitimacy gaps. The purpose of this paper is to provide a descriptive account of the nature and scope of MNEs’ CSR programmes that have sport at their core. More specifically, the present study addresses the following questions. First, how do Financial Times Stock Exchange (FTSE) 100 firms utilise sport as part of their CSR agendas? Second, how do different industries have different approaches to CSR through sport? And third, can the types of CSR through sport be classified? Design/methodology/approach – Centred on legitimacy theory and exploratory in nature, the study employed a content analysis method, and examined three types of document from each of the FTSE100 firms, namely, annual reports, annual reviews and CSR reports over the ten-year period from 2003 to 2012. In total, 1,473 documents were content analysed, thereby offering a sound representation of CSR disclosure of the FTSE100. Findings – From the analysis, three main streams emerged: “Philanthropy”, “Sponsorships” and “Personnel engagement” with the first showing the smallest growth compared with the other main streams. Findings show the general rise in CSR through sport, thereby demonstrating that the corporate world has practically acknowledged that the sporting context is a powerful vehicle for the employment of CSR. Originality/value – Previous empirical studies have sought to investigate CSR through sport, yet they have generally suffered from sampling limitations which have, in turn, rendered the drawing of reliable conclusions problematic. Particularly, the lack of an explicit focus on longitudinality is a typical limitation, meaning that no conclusions can be made regarding the trend. The study outlined in this paper offers the most comprehensive longitudinal study of CSR through sport to date, and thus contributes to the increasing volume of literature that examines the application of CSR in relation to the sport sector.

Management controls for minimising risk in public-private partnerships in a developing country

2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 408-431 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ranjith Appuhami ◽  
Sujatha Perera
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Developing Country ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Documentary Analysis ◽  
Control Pattern ◽  
Management Controls ◽  
Implementation Management ◽  
The Way

Purpose The purpose of the study is to examine the use of management controls by a public partner to minimise risks associated with a public-private partnership (PPP) in a developing country. Design/methodology/approach Using case study method, management controls used in a power project formed as a PPP are examined based on data gathered from semi-structured interviews and documentary analysis. Findings The study reveals that the public partner of the PPP used multiple controls depending on the nature of risks in different phases of the project. While bureaucratic control was the predominantly used control pattern throughout the three phases (namely, selecting, building and operating) of the PPP, trust-based controls also played an important role. Market controls on the other hand played, somewhat, a nominal role, particularly in the selecting phase of the project. The study also highlights the problematic nature of forming PPPs in developing countries despite the various benefits associated with such organisational arrangements. Additionally, the study provides insights into how certain contextual features of developing countries affect the way in which controls are applied. Practical implications The insights provided in this paper would be beneficial to policy makers, in developing countries in particular, when making decisions in relation to implementation, management and risk control of PPPs. Originality/value This study makes an original contribution to the existing literature on PPPs by examining the way in which management controls are used to minimise risk in a PPP in a developing country.

scholarly journals Contributing barriers to corporate social and environmental responsibility practices in a developing country

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 319-346 ◽  
Author(s):  
Md Moazzem Hossain ◽  
Manzurul Alam ◽  
Angela Hecimovic ◽  
Mohammad Alamgir Hossain ◽  
Aklema Choudhury Lema
Keyword(s):  
Developing Country ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Environmental Responsibility ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Stakeholder Groups ◽  
Union Leaders ◽  
The Media ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
Depth Interviews

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore the contributing barriers to corporate social and environmental responsibility (CSER) practices. In particular, this study focuses on non-managerial stakeholders’ perceptions of the barriers to CSER practices in a developing country context. The study also investigates the current initiatives undertaken by the different stakeholders, such as government, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and regulators. Design/methodology/approach The study takes a qualitative approach, undertaking semi-structured in-depth interviews with 26 participants from NGOs, the media, regulatory authorities, government departments, shareholders, trade union leaders and customers. Findings The views of stakeholder groups were analysed to identify the contributing barriers to CSER practices. The findings of the study reveal that corruption and politics, lack of coordination, lack of government initiatives and unsatisfactory implementation of laws are perceived as the major barriers that hinder CSER practices in Bangladesh. The study also found a lack of awareness amongst various stakeholder groups regarding the influential role CSER plays in promoting sustainable development. The current initiatives undertaken by various stakeholders to improve CSER practices were limited but growing. Research Limitations/implications The study utilises the stakeholder theory to examine the role of stakeholders, rather than managers, in relation to CSER practice in Bangladesh. The findings may provide impetus for mitigating CSER barriers in a developing country context. Originality/value This study is one of the few engagement-based studies to explore the non-managerial stakeholders’ views on CSER in a developing country context.

Promoting CSR to foster sustainable development

2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 97-115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdul Moyeen ◽  
Brian West
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Senior Managers ◽  
Developed Country ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Attitudes And Perceptions ◽  
Promotional Efforts ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the attitudes and perceptions of senior managers in Bangladesh with regard to corporate social responsibility (CSR), focusing on the impact of CSR promotional programmes in fostering an affirmative view of sustainable development. This issue has special significance in a country that is one of the fastest growing economies in south Asia and also particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with a diverse group of 32 managers of large enterprises operating in a variety of industries. Findings – The positive attitudes observed suggest that various programmes adopted to promote CSR have had some effect. However, sustainable development and environmental issues tend to remain on the periphery of managers’ understandings and perceptions of CSR. Research limitations/implications – This study aids understanding of how business managers may respond to CSR promotional campaigns. Further studies in other comparable countries, and in other settings where CSR is poorly established, are encouraged in order to provide more comprehensive insights and overcome the limited sample size of the current study. Practical implications – While insights to how the managers of local enterprises can be persuaded to become more effectively engaged in CSR are provided, a need to foster a more comprehensive notion of CSR is also identified. Originality/value – As well as contributing to redressing the strong bias towards developed country settings in CSR research, this research is novel in exploring how CSR promotional efforts may influence the attitudes and perceptions of managers.

Green accounting practices: lesson from an emerging economy

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 456-478 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haruna Maama ◽  
Kingsley Opoku Appiah
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Stock Exchange ◽  
Social Performance ◽  
Annual Reports ◽  
Accounting System ◽  
Green Accounting ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Reporting Practices

Purpose Reporting on only the financial performance of an organisation is no longer the focus of reporting because, gradually, investors and other stakeholders demand that companies also report on their effect on the environment and the society. Accounting and reporting for the environment has, therefore, increasingly become important to stakeholders and organisations because the effect of an organisation’s environmental and social performance on its financial health. The purpose of this study is to examine the extend of voluntary green accounting practice of companies listed on the Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE). Design/methodology/approach The analysis is based on content analysis of 202 annual reports of 23 listed firms in Ghana, from 2006 to 2015. Findings The mining, oil and gas sector has integrated environmental sustainability information in their accounting system. With regards to the nature of green disclosure, the content analysis depicts that only positive qualitative disclosures were provided in the annual reports. Again, almost all the companies increased the quality and quantity of environmental disclosures over the years. Practical implications The service and manufacturing sectors should integrate environmental sustainability information in their accounting system. This, in turn, may enhance their legitimacy to access critical resources for survival. Originality/value This study contributes to the green and social reporting practices literature from Ghana, a sub-Sahara Africa country.

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