Integrating corporate social responsibility into efforts to realize millennium development goals. Lessons from Uganda
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/WJEMSD-09-2013-0051 |
| Published date | 07 October 2014 |
| Date | 07 October 2014 |
| Pages | 314-333 |
| Author | David Katamba,Cedric Marvin Nkiko,Charles Tushabomwe-Kazooba,Sulayiman Babiiha Mpisi,Imelda Kemeza,Christopher M.J. Wickert |
| Subject Matter | Strategy,Business ethics,Sustainability |
Integrating corporate social
responsibility into efforts to realize
millennium development goals
Lessons from Uganda
David Katamba
Department of Marketing and International Business,
Makerere University Business School (MUBS),
Kampala, Uganda and Chairman,
Uganda Chapter for Corporate Social Responsibility Initiatives (UCCSRI),
Kampala, Uganda
Cedric Marvin Nkiko
Derbyshire County Council, Derby, UK and
Uganda Chapter for Corporate Social Responsibility Initiatives (UCCSRI),
Kampala, Uganda
Charles Tushabomwe-Kazooba
Department of Management Science,
Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST), Kampala, Uganda
Sulayiman Babiiha Mpisi
Department of Development Studies, Gulu University, Gulu, Uganda
Imelda Kemeza
Department of Management Science,
Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST), Kampala, Uganda, and
Christopher M.J. Wickert
Department of Management and Organization, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam,
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present corporate social responsibility (CSR) as an
alternative roadmap to accelerating realization of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Uganda,
even after 2015.
Design/methodology/approach – Using a mixed research methodology, this research documented
CSR activities of 16 comp anies operating in Uganda. Data collection was guided by quantitative
and qualitative methodologies (semi-structured interviews with CSR managers, plus non-par ticipant
observation of CSR activities and projects linked with MDGs). Triangulation was used to ensure
credibility and validity of the results. For data analysis, the authors followed a three-ste pwise
process, which helped to develop a framework within which the collected data could be analyzed.
For generalization of the findings, the authors were guided by the “adaptive theory approach”.
Findings – Uganda will not realize any MDGs by 2015. However, CSR activities have the potential
to contribute to a cross-section of various MDGs that are more important and relevant to Uganda
when suppor ted by the govern ment. If this hap pens, realiz ation of the MDGs i s likely to be
stepped up. CSR’s potential contributions to the MDGs were found to be hindered by corruption
and cost of doing business. Lastly, MDG 8 and MDG 3 were perceived to be too ambiguous
to be integrated into company CSR interventions, and to a certain extent were perceived to be
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
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Received 9 September 2013
Revised 1 November 2013
Accepted 12 January 2014
World Journal of Entrepreneurship,
Management and Sustainable
Development
Vol. 10 No. 4, 2014
pp. 314-333
rEmeraldGroup PublishingLimited
2042-5961
DOI 10.1108/W JEMSD-09-2013-00 51
314
WJEMSD
10,4
carrying political intentions whic h conflict with the primary business i ntentions of profit
maximization.
Practical implications – Governments in developing countries that are still grappling with the
MDGs can use this research when devisi ng collaborations with private-sect or companies.
These documented CSR activities that contribute directly to specific MDGs can be factored into the
priority public-private partnership arrangements. Private companies can also use these findings to
frame their stakeholder engagement, especially with the government and also when setting CSR
priorities that significantly contribute to sustainable development.
Originality value – This research advances the “Post-2015 MDG Development Agenda” suggested
during the United Nations MDG Summit in 2010, which called for academic and innovative
contributions on how MDGs can be realized even after 2015.
Keywords Sustainable development, Business, Ethics, Values, Social responsibility
Paper type Research p aper
Introduction
Sustainable development (SD) is threatened globally by escalating human development
problems (UNDP,2011) includin gp overty, hunger and poor-quality education (ODI, 2010).
In response, Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were set out in the year 2000 to
assess progress with reducing these problems by 2015 (UNMD, 2000). Since 2000, various
organizations (Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), World
Trade Organization , etc.) and governments (of both developed and developing countries)
have put considerable efforts into realizing these targets.
However, data about the MDGs from 2001 to 2012 shows mixed progress results.
For example, while eastern Asia, Caucasus and central Asia have performed
“moderately” well on most MDGs, sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is far from realizing any
MDG by 2015. For example, SSA is only “close to parity” on Goal 3 target1 (equal girls’
enrolment in schools); and registers “very high poverty” for Goal 1 target 1 (reduce
extreme poverty by half).
Uganda, unlike other SSA countries, started the MDG campaign well, but is not
among the best performers. For example, its propo rtion of pro-poor nationals reduced
from 56 per cent in 1992/1993 to 31 per cent in 2005/2006 (see, Uganda Nation al
Development Plan, 2010/2011-2014/2015); GDP growth has averaged 7.1 per cent, except
for in 2009/2010 when its 5.8 per cent figure was attributed to the global financial crisis
(and was indicated by international standards to be a comparatively strong performance
(Bank of Uganda Annual Report, 2009/2010)). Recent studies (UNDP, 2011), as well as
deliberations at the UN Millennium Summit of 2010, highlighted Uganda’s (and SSA’s)
poor performance, and called fo r innovative suggestions that would accelerate its
progress towards realization of the MDGs. This research thus makes Corporate Social
Responsibility (CSR) suggestions that can serve as a roadmap to 2015 and beyond.
Essentially, CSR is a strategy that shows how busine sses can voluntarily contribute to
finding solutions to SD impediments (EC, 2011; EC, 2002a, b). This research docum ents
various CSR activities in Uganda, with a view to assessing the country’s likelihood of
realizing the MDGs. It is hoped that governments (at local and cen tral level) in
countries that are still grappling with the MDGs will recognize the benefits associated
with collaboratively working with private (i.e. profit-oriented) companies.
The research is guided by three competing theories: Friedman’s theory of CSR
(Carson, 1993; Friedman, 1970), which highlights profit maximization as a key
corporate aim; social contract theory (Riley, 2006), which emphasizes that businesses
are part of society (and the state), and should participate in solving related problems;
and stakeholder theory (Freeman, 1998), which details how comp anies should engage
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Integrating CSR
into efforts to
realize MDGs
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