Corporate Social Responsibility in SMEs: A Shift from Philanthropy to Institutional Works?

Kenneth Amaeshi (), Emmanuel Adegbite, Chris Ogbechie (), Uwafiokun Idemudia (), Konan A. Seny Kan (), Mabumba Issa () and Obianuju I. J. Anakwue ()
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Kenneth Amaeshi: The University of Edinburgh
Emmanuel Adegbite: Durham University (United Kingdom, Durham)
Chris Ogbechie: Pan-Atlantic University (Nigeria, Lagos) - LBS
Uwafiokun Idemudia: York University (Canada, Toronto)
Konan A. Seny Kan: TBS - Toulouse Business School

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Abstract: Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) amongst Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) is often characterised in the literature as unstructured, informal and ad hoc discretionary philanthropic activities. Drawing insights from recent theoretical/analytical frameworks (i.e. Crane et al., in Corporate social responsibility: Readings and cases in a global context, 2013; and Valente and Crane, in Calif Manag Rev 52(3):52-78, 2010), and on empirical data collected from both Nigeria and Tanzania, we found that CSR practices in SMEs are much more nuanced than previously presented. In addition, SMEs undertake their CSR practices to varying degrees in multiple spaces-i.e. the workplace, marketplace, community and the ecological environment. These CSR practices go beyond philanthropy and in some instances involve institutional works aimed at addressing some of the institutional gaps in the environments where these SMEs operate. The paper makes a contribution by drawing attention to the multiple spaces of CSR practices amongst SMEs, and the institutional works they do, which are often taken for granted in the extant literature. We provide a unique perspective-by arguing that what is frequently conceptualised as philanthropic CSR in Africa is (or may include) 'institutional works'.

Keywords: Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR); SMEs; institutional works (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016-10-01
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Published in Journal of Business Ethics, 2016, 138 (2), pp.385 - 400. ⟨10.1007/s10551-015-2633-1⟩

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:hal-05603066

DOI: 10.1007/s10551-015-2633-1

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