SME owner-managers as key drivers of corporate social responsibility in Uganda

Abstract

This paper investigates how owner–managers of small and medium–sized enterprises (SMEs) influence the manifestations of socially and environmentally responsible practices in SMEs in Uganda. Using a case–study methodology, data were collected from 30 Ugandan SMEs across various sectors. The life–history method was used to collect data over three phases using semi–structured interviews in the form of life stories with participating SME owner–managers. CSR activities in SMEs are a clear reflection of the specific owners' beliefs, desires or experiences that drive their engagement in CSR. The study ultimately reveals that understanding the individual at the heart of the SME is the basis for understanding the firm's CSR direction. The findings give a Sub–Saharan African perspective of CSR in SMEs that should be of interest to academics and practitioners working in and around the area. Further research assessing whether CSR in SMEs contributes towards development is necessary - especially from a developing–country perspective.