CSR Notions in Supply Chain Operations: A Case Study of UAE Organisations

CSR is contextual and organisations are likely to respond differently to issues they consider important to various groups of stakeholders. This would imply that although the concept of CSR is an acceptable notion, standardisation of initiatives across organisations, industries and regions would be shrouded with discrepancies and inconsistencies. Transformative business models necessitate innovative CSR modelling that will provide supply chain managers with sufficient scope for enhancement of stakeholder value. Businesses appear to respond in a variety of ways to CSR demands and stakeholder pressure. This article aims to investigate the notions of CSR in organisations within the UAE, thereby providing a platform for Business Organizations (profit and not-for-profit) to formulate CSR agenda for their supply chain managers. The results from this analysis will enable managers to be equipped with knowledge of the underlying CSR themes, thereby empowering them to apply the right tools & techniques – in fulfilment of the very core attributes of responsive and compliant CSR. A case study design was adopted using selected organisations in the UAE and a semi-structured questionnaire was administered. A comparison was to be made to establish the key determinants of CSR issues within UAE organisations. The study makes a significant contribution to the specialist body of knowledge by providing insights into organisational CSR practices in the UAE from a stakeholder perspective. Adoption of stakeholder theory for strategic CSR to determine the materials issues for CSR implementation. Practitioners and supply chain managers can model their CSR plans around this theory for sustainable supply chain management and social responsiveness.