Date of Conferral

2020

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Management

Advisor

Roger Wells

Abstract

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has been recognized as a standard business practice. However, many companies give little attention to nontraditional stakeholders, which includes the community and the environment. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore and describe corporate business leaders’ lived experiences with the implementation of CSR and sustainability initiatives in the for-profit industry of the Warri region of Delta State area in Nigeria. The research question addressed the lived experiences of corporate leaders in the profit-making industry and the key elements that pertain to community expectations, interpretations, and understanding of the characteristics of CSR. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews with a sample size of 20 participants. Interviews continued until saturation took place. I collected data from different organizations for valuable empirical analysis to enhance generalizability for more excellent, in-depth explanation and understanding. The findings were: (a) most of the participants advocated for transparency/communication, impartiality, relationship building, and responsibility; (b) the participants noted that the idea of being a competent leader involved personal skills, organizational skills, and industry knowledge; and (c) some of the participants would prefer to emigrate because of the low quality of life and the health situations affecting the community. Practitioners, executives, and managers can use the findings to evaluate their organization’s social position, develop strategies to address gaps, and undertake actions to enhance their firm’s social performance, thereby creating positive social change in the community.

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