Orientation towards social responsibility of North-West African firms

Abstract

Purpose: Corporate Social Responsibility orientation (CSRO) is considered a crucial strategy to enhance long-term competitiveness around the world and it is starting to be a broader issue in Africa. Based on recent works addressing the CSRO-performance relationship in countries outside the African continent, this paper aims to assess CRSO in NorthWest Africa. Design/methodology/approach: In this study a questionnaire was applied to a sample of 122 managers in two countries in NorthWest Africa: Guinea-Bissau and the Ivory Coast. Partial least squares (PLS) structural equation modelling (SEM) is used to assess the path or relationships for the NorthWest African context. Findings: The results show that there is a generally positive perception of the economic, social and environmental dimensions of CSRO, although special emphasis is given to economic and social issues, mainly when they are related to human resources. The study also revealed the important role of innovation as mediator between CSRO and firm performance. Practical implications: The study points out the role of managers in promoting a culture of social innovation by focusing on the CSR philosophy for improving the competitive success of African businesses. Social implications: The social, economic and legal context of Guinea-Bissau and the Ivory Coast are vulnerable. Our findings raise concerns about whether governments and regulatory efforts improve the development of the strategies toward social responsibility of African firms and whether they also increase the role of the firms in producing positive externalities to the market through CSRO'. Originality values: Very few studies have investigated CSRO in Africa. Aiming to switch from the current CSRO in developed countries to an African perspective of CSRO, this paper contributes to filling the existing gap through the study of managers' perceptions about CSR in two countries in NorthWest Africa: Guinea-Bissau and the Ivory Coast.

Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility Orientation: From Gathering Information to Reporting Initiatives

“…The results extend the existing knowledge-from a sustainability perspective-about the MO concept developed by Kholi & Jaworski (1990) and Narver & Slater (1990). Although previous research (Bello, Halim, & Alshuabi, 2018;Gallardo-Vázquez & Sánchez-Hernández, 2014b;Kiessling, Isaksson, & Yasar, 2016;Sánchez-Hernández, Carvalho, & Paiva, 2019) has linked MO with CSR, the present study went beyond the existing investigations to examine the relationship between information possession and dissemination, which are both dependent on the development of socially responsible initiatives in the triple dimension. In order to highlight the contribution of this paper with respect to the previous literature, we note that the defined conceptual model is broader, incorporating in the response, the three dimensions of CSR, economic, social and environmental, going beyond the study of Gallardo-Vázquez & Sánchez-Hernández (2014b).…”

“…Based on this theoretical framework, Bello et al ( 2018) developed an analytical model of the direct relationships between MO dimensions and sustainability performance. Sánchez-Hernández et al (2019) further defined a composite model of information, diffusion, and response for African firms. The cited authors argue that companies get CSR information from their markets and that firms coordinate their resources internally and offer responses to stakeholders' needs.…”

“…Also, this paper has focused on the dynamic capabilities and stakeholders theories, which are an extension of the theoretical approach used in Gallardo-Vázquez & Sánchez-Hernándezt's study (2014b), and making a very up-to-date presentation of MO and its extension towards CSR and therefore going much further than previous authors. Moreover, in this paper, the market concept has been extended to include multiple interest groups (e.g., customers, shareholders, managers, and employers) (Gallardo-Vázquez & Sánchez-Hernández, 2014b;Sánchez-Hernández et al, 2019). Also, the authors have presented a broader conceptual model, incorporating in the response, the three dimensions of CSR, economic, social and environmental, going beyond the study of Gallardo-Vázquez & Sánchez-Hernández (2014b).…”

Corporate Social Responsibility as an Antecedent of Innovation, Reputation, Performance, and Competitive Success: A Multiple Mediation Analysis

“…Larrieta-Rubín de Celis et al [43] argue that CSR and innovation are closely related in a synergistic manner, contributing to sustainability, local socioeconomic development, and competitiveness. Gallardo-Vázquez and Sánchez-Hernández [44], and Sánchez-Hernández, Carvalho, and Paiva's [45] work has further confirmed the existence of a direct, positive relationship between CSR and innovation through competitive success. In addition, other researchers, such as Rexhepi et al [46], have found that innovation is stimulated by companies' overall commitment to CSR.…”

Regional Economic Sustainability: Universities’ Role in Their Territories

“…More specifically, Larrieta-Rubín de Celis et al [32] have reported that innovation contributes to sustainability, local socioeconomic development, and competitiveness. Gallardo-Vázquez et al [33], Gallardo-Vázquez and Sánchez-Hernández [7], Sánchez-Hernández et al [34], Castilla-Polo et al [35], and Yu et al [36] have found evidence of a direct, positive relationship between innovation and sustainability that generates success in competitive sectors. In addition, researchers have confirmed that large, medium, and small companies are adopting innovative business models that include a sustainable, responsible approach [37,38].…”