Corporate social responsibility and employee attitudes: The moderating role of employee age

This study examines the role of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on employee engagement and job satisfaction. Using 322 responses from employees of selected companies in Ghana, and employing hierarchical regression analysis, the study examines the direct impact of economic, legal, ethical and discretionary CSR practices on employee satisfaction and engagement in organisations. The study further explores the moderating role of employee age on the relationship between CSR and employee engagement and satisfaction. The results provide evidence that economic, legal, ethical and discretionary CSR practices influence higher employee engagement and satisfaction levels at work. However, the study finds no evidence of employee age moderating the association between each of the four CSR dimensions and employee job attitudes (engagement and satisfaction). These findings are insightful and provide a response to calls for research on these issues. The study contributes to the literature by demonstrating that ethical CSR practices strongly influence employees' satisfaction and engagement levels; legal and discretionary CSR activities also have an influence, though to a lesser extent; and the economic dimension of CSR activities has the least impact. The managerial, practical and further research implications of these findings are discussed.     

Going green,going clean: Lean‐green sustainability strategy and firm growth

Despite the widespread recognition of the paybacks of “going green” and “going clean,” limited research has focused on the impact of lean‐green strategy on firm growth. In this study, we contribute to strategy and environmental sustainability literatures by investigating the possibility that the influence on lean‐green strategy and firm growth is driven by different levels of industry competition, managerial power, and family ties. Using panel data from 732 firms in four major industrialized economies (the United States, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom), we found that lean‐green strategy positively relates to firm growth and this relationship is amplified at higher levels of competition, managerial power, and family ties. Theoretical and practical implications of the study are also discussed.     

Can adopting ambitious environmental sustainability initiatives lead to business failures? An analytical framework

Drawing on environmental sustainability orientation and business failure literature, we examined a thought‐provoking question: “Can adopting ambitious environmental sustainability initiatives lead to business failures and under what conditions is this more likely?” To address this question, we developed an analytical framework that provides new insights into how voluntary environmental initiatives affect the business environment and firm competitiveness. This paper also yields new insights on the features that emerge at adopting environmental initiatives–business failure nexus: from greening to growing, from greening to sustaining, from greening to constraining, and from greening to collapsing. Accordingly, the study accounts for the conditions under sustainability initiatives, and a variety of complex contextual factors are likely to culminate in closures of small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs). Although many top executives, entrepreneurs, and managers view implementation of environmental initiatives as tantamount to superior firm performance, the paper highlighted the effects of resource constraints and vulnerabilities of SMEs and new firms during the early stage of development, and therefore, pursuing aggressive green initiatives could minimize their life chances. Implications for scholars and practising managers are discussed.     

Demand for improved fish feed in the presence of a subsidy: a double hurdle application in Kenya

Fish farming households’ demand for improved fish feed from the private market in Kenya is potentially influenced by the government's feed subsidy program. This article applies the double‐hurdle model to a cross‐section of fish farms to analyze demand for improved fish feed from private markets, and whether the government feed subsidy program has an effect on private demand for improved feed. The results indicate that households’ decisions to participate in the improved feed market are affected by the quantity of improved feed received from the government. Once the participation decision has been made, we find evidence of crowding‐in of the private improved feed sector; that is, the government's allocations of subsidized feed appear to increase private sector demand. In addition, the price of improved feed negatively affects the quantity purchased as expected. Education, extension contacts, and ease of marketing matured fish increase household propensity to purchase improved feed commercially. Policies that help reduce the price of improved feed such as reduction in tariffs on imported feeds and feed ingredients will foster demand for the feed, as will policies that facilitate marketing of fish at reasonable prices by households.     

The evolution of alliances in the global airline industry: A review of the African experience

In an increasingly globalized world, alliances have proliferated in one industry after another, and the competitive game has shifted from firm versus firm to group versus group, leaving many firms operating on the margins of these constellations. Using the case of the global airline industry, this article examines how the shift from bilateral to multilateral alliances has left many African airlines operating on the margins of the global airline alliances groupings. We conjecture that a number of internal organizational factors, such as size and lack of access to scarce resources, and external factors, such as a slow market‐reform process and insufficient reform of state‐owned airlines, have hindered their success in a highly competitive environment. The theoretical, managerial, and policy implications of these findings are discussed. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Solar Energy in Sub‐Saharan Africa: The Challenges and Opportunities of Technological Leapfrogging

For decades, Africa was generally perceived as the dumping ground for obsolete technologies. In recent years, technological leapfrogging, which is associated with the newly industrialized economies in Asia, has transpired in some key industries. In this article, we present the solar photovoltaic industry as one such industry and an integrated model of scaling up solar technologies. We identified five unique models aimed at scaling up solar energy in Africa: state‐led, nongovernmental organization and other agency–led, emerging‐market multinational enterprises–led, Avon, and pay‐as‐you‐go models. Our analysis focused on four countries in particular (Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, and Kenya) and Africa in general. Despite the promising opportunities of this industry, a number of factors such as high up‐front capital costs and limited end‐user financing schemes have limited the technological process. We conclude by outlining the implications of the findings for theory and practice. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

The effects of stakeholder integration on firm‐level product innovativeness: insights from small and medium‐sized enterprises in Ghana

In spite of growing research on the influence of external stakeholders on firm outcomes, there is a paucity of research on how they influence innovation in emerging economies. In addition, the specific environmental factors that may influence the effect of stakeholder integration (SI) on firm innovation is less understood. Using data collected from 248 small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises in Ghana, this paper develops and tests a model that examines the relationship between SI and firm‐level product innovativeness. The findings from the study indicate SI positively relates to product innovativeness. Moreover, under conditions of higher competitor pressure and greater customer expectations, the effect of SI on product innovativeness is amplified. Contributions for theory and practice are discussed.     

An Integrated Perspective on Foreign Ethical Divestment

Much of the existing literature on foreign ethical divestment has been developed in isolation and scattered across multiple disciplines. This article reviews the existing literature on foreign ethical divestment to extract emerging themes and outline new directions for future research. Our review uncovered that foreign ethical divestment decisions can be attributed to macro‐, firm‐, and individual‐level factors. We therefore develop an integrated model to link the dynamics of ethical foreign divestment. The study identified a number of unanswered questions and implications for future research. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Environmental sustainability orientation and performance of family and nonfamily firms

Despite the growing research evidence on the effect of environmental sustainability orientation (ESO) on firm outcomes, contingent factors that may influence the strength of this relationship have received little scholarly attention. In this study, we use insights from the literature on ESO and family business to introduce family status and firm age as moderators in the ESO‐performance linkage. Using time‐lagged data from 253 small and medium‐sized enterprises in Ghana, we found the impact of ESO on firm performance is amplified for nonfamily firms but not significant for family firms. Our evidence suggests it is stronger among older firms than younger ones. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.     

Cultivating greater self‐confidence in African management research

Although strategic management has taken root in many African organizations, much of the existing body of African management research offers little insight into the current state of knowledge and direction in terms of Africa finding its voice within the mainstream research. We draw on a review of the literature to develop a conceptual framework for classifying the contributions in African management research. The conceptual model captures the indigenous (intra‐Africa) and inter‐Africa dimension of macro‐strategy and organizational behavior/human resource research. The accumulated body of research indicates a sign of growing self‐confidence in African management research that must be maintained and revitalized. This article contributes to the literature by developing a unified conceptual model that captures both the indigenous and comparative dimensions of management research. A number of fruitful avenues for future research have been advanced.