Corporate social responsibility, essentially contested concepts, business, society, definition,

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to explore the problematic question of government’s role in ensuring corporate social responsibility in an African context. This question may initially appear paradoxical yet it is becoming increasingly relevant in the face of linkages between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and development. The article uses the example of Nigeria’s attempt to pass a CSR bill mandating contributions towards development to identify several questions arising in such contexts. It advises a contextual approach to identifying CSR objectives and recognises the need for frameworks which law can provide.  Design/methodology/approach – This article adopts a conceptual approach analysing the current debates about CSR and its linkage with development as well as the implications and issues raised by the attempted CSR law. \ud Findings – The main findings suggest that though CSR in general refers to business and society relationships, its content and targets need to be defined in context. Attempts to pass mandatory CSR laws (even where they do not succeed), hint at the need to concretise objectives particularly where CSR is linked to development. This can be done through frameworks which include the use of law in all its forms. \ud Originality/value – This article identifies a new direction that CSR may be taking in developing countries. It uses the Nigerian example to show that larger questions are looming for CSR, especially in connection with development. While current attempts to adopt a structured approach to CSR through legislation may not be wholly successful, they cannot be entirely ignored as this suggests the need for frameworks and concrete objectives in an African context like Nigeri

Purpose – This paper aims to explore the question of the role of business in development from acontextual point of view. The context is Nigeria and its development challenges contrasted with the Nigerian oil industry, which dominates the Nigerian economy as the core resource. It examines the country’s attempt to reconnect the oil industry business with development through the Nigerian Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).  Design/methodology/approach – This paper primarily examines the attempt to re-orient the oil industry in Nigeria through the Nigerian PIB. It adopts a conceptual approach analyzing the current debates and delays surrounding the bill in line with themes of human development and corporate social responsibility (CSR). It therefore examines and questions the linkages between business, development, law and governance. \ud Findings – The main findings suggest that development is best viewed in context of the needs of the relevant country and therefore if corporations through CSR are to engage more meaningfully with the developmental agenda then it must move beyond ‘‘self-interested’’ models of CSR and engage meaningfully and fairly with facilitative frameworks in the ‘‘local’’ contexts, including the use of law. \ud Originality/value – This paper is an exploratory discussion that examines the potential and limitations of linking business to development agendas in an ongoing context. This is because the Nigerian Petroleum Industry Bill, originally drafted in 2008, has not yet passed into law at the end of 2011. This is the result of delays and uncertainty, which is costing the industry and the country significantly at a time when the developmental needs are paramount

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