Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in Malawi is becoming a significant issue not only because of the complexity of the social, economic and political environment in which companies operate, but also because of the social and environmental impacts which business operations have on the wider Malawian society. In this chapter, it is shown that the CSR agenda currently pursued by companies in Malawi takes both the normative and instrumental forms, and is largely shaped by the political and socio-economical factors at national and global levels. The chapter is structured as follows: the first section addresses the historical development of CSR and perceptions various actors hold about the forms of responsibilities companies can assume in Malawi; a discussion of the various antecedents of CSR in Malawi. This is followed by an intermediate section which provides CSR themes and priority issues. The final two sections explore the different approaches companies pursue in the implementation of CSR agendas—but also examine the perceived barriers to CSR in Malawi. The chapter concludes by mapping out the future prospects of CSR in Malawi.
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I argue that a governance perspective on corporate social responsibility (CSR) makes it possible to explain why the concept will always be under-defined, is normative and thus political by nature, and is and should be difficult to measure. The perspective also makes it possible to understand the interaction between corporate values and stakeholders values.In processes of dialogue within governance systems and governance structures, changing insights into the principles of CSR can lead to regulation or its adjustment. Power is important in these dialogues. Principles are at least partly shaped within governance systems and governance structures, and they influence the outcomes of corporate policies. Changes within the regulatory framework could also lead to changes in the principles of CSR.Value attunement processes could lead to regulation, which again influences the governance structures and thus the power of stakeholders within the dialogue. The theoretical model provided helps to analyze why CSR is different in companies, cultures and academic traditions.
This study investigates customers’ perceptions of the notion of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and how such perceptions influence their consumption behavioural intentions and outcomes in the hospitality industry in Bethlehem, Palestine. The research study adopted a qualitative methodology using semi-structured interviews with fifteen tourists who stayed in Bethlehem hotels. This study reveals that customers view the different dimensions of CSR in their right and stand-alone constructs. Paradoxically, our study suggests that customer’s willingness to pay and loyalty were not influenced by understanding such a distinction as responsibilities. This study further reveals that the interaction between customers’ perceptions of CSR and contextual and situational factors such as trust, transparency and service quality can determine customer behavioural responses to the hotels’ CSR orientation. The study offers recommendations on practical measures that can be undertaken to influence and enhance customers’ responses to hotels’ CSR agenda. The paper finally ends by identifying the study’s limitations and avenues for further research.
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