Managerial role in organizational CSR: empirical lessons from Ghana

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the managerial role in the practices of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in developing economies. Design/methodology/approach – The paper takes the form of an empirical analysis of employees' opinions based on a quantitative survey of 100 middle and senior level managers from four organisations chosen from relatively high impact industry sectors. Findings – Managerial role in the practice of CSR is limited and ineffective in Ghana. Difficulties of effective CSR implementation mainly stem from leadership weak spots in the form of mismanagement and corruption, lack of leadership commitment and unwillingness to allocate monies due for CSR activities. Organisations can do better in the practice of CSR if management's attitude to CSR, corruption, and work behaviors are positive. Practical implications – The paper provides valuable information on managerial activities with regards to organisational CSR, and how these can be improved. Originality/value – Empirical literature on CSR in developing countries is limited. This paper identifies the roles that management and organisational leadership can play in the practice of CSR in developing countries. The paper proposes a universal approach which aims to address the need for adequate and effective enforcement of CSR.