Dr Shahnaz Ibrahim
PhD student
Thesis title: Corporate Social responsibility in small and medium - sized enterprises: a developing country perspective
Supervisors: Professor Mine Karatas-Ozkan and Dr Dima Jamali
Start date: 2010
Thesis title: Corporate Social responsibility in small and medium - sized enterprises: a developing country perspective
Supervisors: Professor Mine Karatas-Ozkan and Dr Dima Jamali
Start date: 2010
The purpose of my research is to offer a critical review of CSR in SMEs in general and in developing countries in particular through a social capital lens, with an objective to identify opportunities and challenges for future research. Adopting a pragmatic stance, the research explores two under examined aspects that is how/ or whether the triple bottom-line approach is developed and implemented in SMEs in Egypt as an example of a developing country. The study examines the factors and variables shaping such orientation through a multi-layered lens (Macro, meso, micro).
The research generated an in-depth understanding for the CSR practices of SMEs as embedded in their strategies and operational management. Such understanding will help in developing sustainable practices by integrating social and environmental activities in SMEs day to day operations. This study adds empirical evidence on the CSR debate in SMEs developing countries.
By giving prominence to SMEs as the research focus, significance of these enterprises can be highlighted for the sustainable development at the policy level by developing programs tailored to SMEs which takes into consideration their operational context in developing countries. At the academic level, as large organizations have been highly studied in developed countries, there is a scope for making a real contribution to academic theory and knowledge in the area of CSR in SMEs by examining the phenomenon from a developing country perspective. For practitioners (i.e. SMEs owner/manager), the research contributes in generating insights into CSR practices and in developing tools and mechanisms that deal with effective implementation of CSR programs in that sector.
Room Number : 2/6045