International Journal of Business Strategies

Relationship between Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Initiatives and Brand Loyalty in Emerging Markets

2024-03-02T22:18:09+03:00

Purpose: The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives and brand loyalty in emerging markets.

Methodology: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries.

Findings: The relationship between Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives and brand loyalty in emerging markets is a complex interplay of various factors. Studies suggest that CSR initiatives positively influence brand loyalty in these markets, as consumers tend to perceive socially responsible companies more favorably and are more likely to develop strong emotional connections with such brands. However, the effectiveness of CSR initiatives in building brand loyalty can vary depending on the specific context of the emerging market, including cultural, economic, and regulatory factors. Moreover, the authenticity and transparency of CSR efforts play a crucial role in shaping

consumer perceptions and trust towards the brand. Companies that genuinely integrate CSR into their business strategies and demonstrate tangible social and environmental impact are more likely to enjoy long-term loyalty from consumers in emerging markets. Additionally, engaging in community development programs and addressing local societal needs can further enhance brand loyalty by fostering a sense of goodwill and reciprocity among consumers.

Implications to Theory, Practice and Policy: Stakeholder theory, social identity theory and institutional theory may be use to anchor future studies on assessing the relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives and brand loyalty in emerging markets. Develop CSR initiatives that are tailored to the socio-economic, cultural, and regional contexts of specific emerging markets, aligning them with the prevalent concerns and values of local consumers to enhance brand loyalty. Implement policies that incentivize and encourage businesses operating in emerging markets to adopt CSR practices, recognizing the potential of CSR initiatives to drive brand loyalty while contributing to positive social and environmental outcomes.

How to Integrate Strategy and Culture for Transformative Change

2024-04-08T12:44:53+03:00

Purpose: This paper demonstrates that strategy and culture are important collaborators in the successful design and implementation of transformative change for sustainable corporate transformation and ethical institutional development.

Materials and Methods: The researcher explores select, classic, contemporary and current scholarly literature on the theory of change. The research reviews theory articulated by Kurt Lewin on change management, systems theory, theory U and complexity in relation to their efficacy in facilitating organization change in global and local contexts. The study draws from ubuntu philosophy and the African business experience to propose a conceptual framework for the integration of strategy and culture to establish transformative change.

Findings: The study finds a distinction in the context in which the theory of change is applied at the global and local levels. Business leaders need to use different approaches to change initiatives in the two contexts. The study also shows why culture has the power to frustrate transformative change and the implementation of new strategy. Subsequently, the paper proposes that sensitivities to culture should be built into strategy design in order to mitigate its inertial power during strategy implementation. The study submits that global change theory presumes the stability of the macro-operating environments in which strategy is developed. It also assumes the existence of supportive institutional culture, predictable environmental forces and the availability of well-developed macroeconomic infrastructure to underwrite desirable change initiatives. Conventional models suggest that the only intervening agency to establish change is the design and implementation of a new strategy. However, continental business microenvironments are made up of unstable, diverse, complex and volatile microeconomic disparities and cultural undercurrents that resist the implementation of change. In other words, the outcomes of strategy implementation in microenvironments, do not always mirror the predictive designs of global change theory. The study suggests that while global contexts may also benefit from the proposed model, culture should be integrated into the design and implementation of corporate strategy, in local contexts, to facilitate sustainable change.

Implications to Theory, Practice and Policy: This paper recommends that; 1) Business and institutional leaders should carefully evaluate the strategic initiatives and development models they adopt and establish whether they indeed have the capacity to create and sustain transformative change within their operating environment, 2) Because proposed change always invites a response from culture, businesses must put in place mitigating measures to ensure that undue cultural inertia does not hinder ethical institutional advance, 3) Business leaders must remain alive to the fact that strategists, however brilliant, are not in control of the environmental forces in the ecosystem they seek to navigate. Hence the need to take pre-emptive measures, design strategic alternatives and employ dynamic approaches to successfully implement strategic plans, 4) Successful strategy implementation depends on the supportive confluence of multiple, complex and dynamic environmental factors beyond the designers of a good strategic plan. Thus, business leaders need to protect good strategy from being disoriented by fluctuating environmental change, 5) The perceived conflict of culture and strategy can be resolved by incorporating the ends of both in the design of crafting transformative change, 6) Ubuntu provides a powerful ethical lens to evaluate the acceptability, suitability and sustainability of strategic business initiatives in the continental business experience.

Impact of Cultural Intelligence on Expatriate Performance in Multinational Corporations in Ghana

2024-03-02T22:00:56+03:00

Purpose: The aim of the study was to assess the impact of cultural intelligence on expatriate performance in multinational corporations in Ghana.

Findings: A study on the impact of cultural intelligence (CQ) on expatriate performance in multinational corporations (MNCs) operating in Ghana revealed significant correlations between CQ and various performance dimensions. Expatriates with higher levels of CQ demonstrated greater adaptation to the local culture, improved communication effectiveness, and higher job performance. These findings underscore the importance of cultural intelligence as a

critical competency for expatriates navigating diverse cultural contexts, particularly in emerging markets like Ghana. Additionally, the study highlighted the need for MNCs to prioritize CQ development programs to enhance the success of expatriate assignments and improve overall organizational performance in culturally diverse environments.

Implications to Theory, Practice and Policy: Social learning theory, self-efficacy theory and cultural distance theory may be use to anchor future studies on assessing the impact of cultural intelligence on expatriate performance in multinational corporations in Ghana. Develop and implement targeted cultural intelligence training programs for expatriates to enhance their effectiveness in diverse cultural environments. Advocate for the integration of cultural intelligence assessments into the selection and recruitment processes for expatriate assignments within MNCs.