The “Nordic Model” in the Middle East Oil Fields: How Shareholder Value Eclipses Corporate Responsibility

Norwegian energy companies are known to use the “Nordic model” as part of their self-representations, as a business strategy, and as a potential competitive resource in their operations and interactions outside the Nordic countries. Yet, while Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in a Norwegian context might be doing exceptionally well, this is not necessarily the case with Norwegian companies abroad. In this chapter, I will discuss DNO ASA (Det Norske Oljeselskap, the Norwegian Oil Company) to cast light on how a private, Norwegian oil company responds to and negotiates CSR expectations both from the Norwegian government and from the countries in