Corporate social innovation in Africa
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2024-07-09
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en
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Corporations are increasingly seen as having a part to play in the development of disadvantaged communities and countries across the world. Rather than relying solely on governments and welfare systems to resolve societal challenges, more recent views are expressing the need for businesses to play a more prominent role in addressing these issues. Businesses performing innovative activities and services that are motivated by the goal of meeting a social need are conceptualised as practicing Corporate Social Innovation (CSI). Not all CSI projects enjoy the same degree of success. While previous studies address various organisational competencies that drive successful CSI projects in isolation, they ignore the possible ways in which various organisational competencies interact to produce certain CSI outcomes. This thesis aims to fill this gap by delving into various organisational competencies that drive CSI and the ways in which they interact with one another. By employing Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA), these interactions are brought to light. The data sample is derived from the Prive Sector Initiative Program (PSI) and contains data on Dutch small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that went abroad to Africa to form joint ventures with local partners. The results show three pathways to successful CSI, one being stakeholder engagement, transparent communication, and cooperation. The second one is transparent communication, cooperation, and a lack of (the need for) rigorous risk management practices. The third one is organisational learning, a lack of transparent communication, and risk management. Only the first two pathways are robust and reconcilable with existing theoretical perspectives.
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Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen