Exploring corporate responsibility in Oman – social expectations and practice
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explore social expectations and practice of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in Oman.
Design/methodology/approach
In total, 153 respondents (45 per cent Omanis and 55 per cent expatriates) shared their expectations which were compared with documentary evidence from core large and medium‐sized enterprises' CSR practice in Oman.
Findings
On average, CSR mean scores exhibited similarity for most respondent groups except for Omanis, young people, and those with high school or lower education who scored less, indicating a general lack of awareness of CSR. Society in Oman seems to expect corporations to provide “safe and reliable products/services”, “appropriately treat employees”, “behave ethically”, and be “committed to social responsibility”.
Research limitations/implications
While there is limited generalizability of the findings of this exploratory study per se due to sample size limitations, a clear pattern emerges to facilitate more in‐depth studies on CSR in Oman, and furthermore in other emerging market economies and transitional economies.
Practical implications
The study demonstrates a need for additional research into CSR awareness, philosophy and practice in the small and medium enterprise sectors, and other industry sectors.
Originality/value
The paper presents findings from an exploratory empirical study investigating social expectations of CSR in Oman, and highlights the practice of CSR in Oman. It also compares these findings and other studies' on the philosophy, nature and practice of CSR in emerging market and transitional economies.
Keywords
Citation
Minnee, F., Shanka, T., Taylor, R. and Handley, B. (2013), "Exploring corporate responsibility in Oman – social expectations and practice", Social Responsibility Journal, Vol. 9 No. 2, pp. 326-339. https://doi.org/10.1108/SRJ-02-2012-0018
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2013, Emerald Group Publishing Limited