Author(s): Randa Diab-Bahman
The extant literature includes many studies of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and its impact on business ethics and outcomes. However, while CSR is well studied in general, the impact of culture on CSR is largely understudied in an Arab context. This is surprising, given that previous research has acknowledged that cultural factors can potentially have a big impact on the understanding and expression of CSR. This research therefore sets out to explore the understanding and expression of CSR in an Arab context. It does so through a qualitative pilot study with prominent CSR Experts (people with leading roles in CSR in the private, public and non-profit sector) in a predominately Islamic setting. The study confirms the importance of cultural elements in influencing the understanding and expression of CSR. Interestingly, the also highlights the importance of the Islamic religion and specific aspects of its religious doctrine as being particularly important to understanding why CSR may be expressed differently in an Arab context. The implications of these findings are important for policymakers as it can help them better align their CSR initiatives and better understand their possible impact on stakeholders. The study concludes by positing that further research is needed to explore the impact of aspects of the Islamic Religion on CSR.