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Corporate Social Responsibility pp 127–142Cite as

Corporate Leaders’ Perceptions About Corporate Social Responsibility: An Exploratory Analysis

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Part of the book series: CSR, Sustainability, Ethics & Governance ((CSEG))

Abstract

This paper examines the perceptions about corporate social responsibility (CSR) among a sample of corporate leaders in Africa. A survey and personal interviews were the primary methods of data collection. Our findings show that respondents were able to identify a range of parameters and stakeholders pertaining to CSR; actual practice tended to revolve around the philanthropic dimension. Corporate leaders were motivated by different factors to practice CSR, which we saw as being driven by either a proactive, accommodative, or reactive approach. We also found that the lack of commitment among some leaders in evaluating CSR practices might have been because they do not have clear definition of CSR goals. Based on our findings, we offer suggestions on how to evaluate CSR activities and how different stakeholders can help promote CSR.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Management and Marketing, College of Business, Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania, Sutliff Hall, Room 358, 400 East Second Street, Bloomsburg, PA, 17815, USA

    John O. Okpara

  2. College of Business, University of South Florida, Sarasota-Manatee, 8350 N. Tamiami Trail, SMC-C263, Sarasota, FL, 34243, USA

    Jean D. Kabongo

Authors
  1. John O. Okpara
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  2. Jean D. Kabongo
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Correspondence to John O. Okpara .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Management and Marketing, Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania, Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, USA

    John O. Okpara

  2. Faculty of Business & Law, London Metropolitan University, London, United Kingdom

    Samuel O. Idowu

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Okpara, J.O., Kabongo, J.D. (2013). Corporate Leaders’ Perceptions About Corporate Social Responsibility: An Exploratory Analysis. In: Okpara, J., Idowu, S. (eds) Corporate Social Responsibility. CSR, Sustainability, Ethics & Governance. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-40975-2_8

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