Business' Corporate Social Responsibility: Theory, Opinion and Evidence from Ghana

This article reports the findings of a study which sought to document the extent of recognition, nature and content of socially responsible actions by firms located in Ghana. The justification for the study is derived from the increasing concern expressed by policy makers about corporate social responsibility CSR and the pressure exerted on firms to demonstrate high ethical standards locally and abroad in order to be competitive. The study compared CSR percections of companies listed in the Ghana Club 100 database, which is an annual ranking of the top performing locally and internationally connected firms in Ghana. The key findings of the study were that, internationally concerned firms subscribe more to the contemporary notion of CSR; are more strategic, more moral and ethical in their approach to CSR than the local companies.