CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, A PUBLIC RELATIONS GIMMICK?

Abstract

Corporate social responsibility is a concept that emerged in the United States of America in the early 1960s; the concept is now widely known and accepted worldwide due to globalization of businesses. In Ghana, the concept was introduced to the business community by the various multinational organisations in the early 1990’s. In recent times, the concept of CSR has seen a new heightened interest where many organisations in Ghana have joined the CSR bandwagon, it is as a result of this reason that the research set out to explore the reasons why organisations undertake CSR activities. The research focused on one organisation in Ghana, Bharti Airtel Ghana Limited whose CSR activities is widely publicised throughout Ghana. Therefore, interviews sought to find out the views of management executives of Airtel Ghana Limited on the motives of their organisation in engaging in CSR. The results from the study showed that CSR can be undertaken without having any business motive but the desire to make a change and help the society in any way possible. However, the research revealed that there are greater benefits in undertaking CSR activities because stakeholders are attracted to people who do ‘good’ in the community. CSR activities create positive public image and reputation in the minds of stakeholders and brand awareness. It is also worth knowing that, consumers’ factor their purchasing decisions on the CSR activities carried out by the organisation whereby the organisation which actively engages in CSR activities stands to gain a lot in the community. Therefore undertaking CSR propels an organisation to have good standing in the community and among its competitors.