This study examines whether foreign direct investment (FDI) infl ow helps or hinders local fi rms' uptake of corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities in a developing host country. The study further examines the interaction effect of host institutions on the relationship between FDI infl ow and local fi rms' uptake of CSR activities. Results of hierarchical regression analysis of data from a sample of 227 local fi rms in Ghana, reveal that local fi rms' uptake of CSR improves signifi cantly with an increasing infl ow of FDI through knowledge transfer. Host institutions are also found to infl uence the transfer of CSR activities from foreign fi rms to local fi rms. However, when the quality of institutions is very high, the impact of FDI on local fi rms' CSR activities diminishes. Research and practical implications of these fi ndings are discussed. question surprisingly remains unexplored and unanswered. Moreover, Meyer (2004) noted the ambiguity in studies regarding the spillover effect of FDI on local firms and calls for further research to enhance our understanding of the specific impacts. Kolk and van Tulder (2010) also underscored that CSR is something to be explicitly taken into account in such studies. Following these calls, this article empirically examines (1) whether FDI inflow and, for that matter, the presence of foreign firms in a developing host country impacts domestic firms' uptake of CSR activities;The Impact of FDI Infl ow on Domestic Firms' Uptake of CSR Activities: The Moderating Effects of Host Institutions