CSR in the telecom industry of a developing country: employees' perspective

Purpose: The study examines employee perceptions of CSR relating to stakeholders in the telecommunication industry of Ghana. It also analyses the variations in CSR practices among the sampled telecommunication firms. Design/methodology/approach: By means of a survey, the study explored from the perspective of employees the CSR practices of their firms highlighting the stakeholder group they perceive their firms to be focussing on. A self-administered questionnaire was used to gather data from employees working with leading telecommunication firms in Ghana. A total of 177 valid responses were used for the study analysis. Data was analysed by means of descriptive statistics, and differences in respondent views across the different firms were ascertained using analysis of variance test (ANOVA). Findings: The study results demonstrate that although telecommunication firms engage in CSR activities in some respect, generally these activities are directed more at the stakeholder group “society” distantly followed by shareholder group. The authors also find from their target respondents that not so much attention is given to issues relating to the stakeholder group “the environment”. The results also suggest variations exist in the direction of CSR practices by these firms. Practical implications: Managers of telecommunication firms in Ghana seem to balance the interest of stakeholders by focussing on society rather than prioritizing these stakeholders. Originality/value: This study contributes to CSR studies highlighting the perception of employees on their companies' CSR practices while comparing practices amongst telecommunications firms. This would help management of these firms to map out strategies to direct their CSR activities based on stakeholder prioritization.