How does the implementation of Corporate Social Responsibility help the firms to build competitiveness? The Case of MTN Group

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would take this opportunity to thank my research supervisor, family and friends for their support and guidance without which this research would not have been possible.

DECLARATION

I [type your full first names and surname here], declare that the contents of this dissertation/thesis represent my own unaided work, and that the dissertation/thesis has not previously been submitted for academic examination towards any qualification. Furthermore, it represents my own opinions and not necessarily those of the University.

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ABSTRACT

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has become a catch phrase for the company's world wide who wish to portray a more environmentally and socially accountable image. Yet, despite the increased time, money and manpower many organizations have invested into CSR activities, the continuing criticism against these firms leads one to believe that progress is not being made. The research, in this dissertation, is performed with the help of quantitative methodology thus, reproducing the secondary material for understanding and interpretation. The case study method has been preferred to study the subject in its holistic sense. The study attempts to research upon the implementation of the corporate social responsibility activities for the purpose of establishing the competitiveness in the organizations. Furthermore, the case of MTN Group, an Africa-based mobile organization is discussed in order to perform a perform assessment and reach conclusion.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTII

DECLARATIONIII

ABSTRACTIV

CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF LITERATURE1

Corporate Strategy1

Corporate Ethics3

Corporate Social Responsibility5

Competitiveness10

MTN Group14

Policies and Sustainability15

Efficiency and Rationalization16

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY18

Research Objectives18

Research Approach18

Research Strategy20

Data Collection Method20

Research techniques21

Quantitative Research22

Interviews23

Questionnaires24

Informed Consent24

Confidentiality25

Sample in Current Research Study25

Ethical Considerations25

CHAPTER 4: CRITICAL ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION27

Quantitative Analysis28

Part A: Demographics28

Part B: CSR and Firm's Competitiveness30

Discussion35

The adoption and implementation of CSR activities to build competitive advantage36

The rationales which drive the adoption of CSR activity in the telecommunications industry36

Factors influencing the adoption and the implementation of CSR activities at MTN38

APPENDIX48

Questionnaire48

CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF LITERATURE

This chapter provides a deep rooted, critical and extensive research undertaken during the proceedings of the initiation, continuation and completion of the study. An in depth analysis of the corporate social responsibility and its implementation to gain the competitiveness in the firms is provided in this section. It aims to clarify the research problem and the question, which is the heart of the study, and it also collects data from the already published secondary resources in order to support and illustrate the study at hand.

Corporate Strategy

The concept of corporate strategy, also known as business or competitive strategy, describes as to where an organization or a business competes in a certain market. Different organizations adopt various approaches to the corporate strategy which depend upon the maturity of the market within which the company carries out its operations, the company's own maturity, and the corporate management culture of the organization (Beth & Gerard, 2005, pp. 54). This approach of the companies can be categorized as incremental, and deliberate. However, every organization, according to its own circumstances, conditions and operating environments, formulate and manage its own corporate culture in ...