The University of Southampton
University of Southampton Institutional Repository

Socially responsible enterprise in Cuba: a positive role model for CSR?

Socially responsible enterprise in Cuba: a positive role model for CSR?
Socially responsible enterprise in Cuba: a positive role model for CSR?
This article examines the unique institutional environment of socialist Cuba, where currently a process of controlled marketizsation and expansion of private enterprise is taking place. The article investigates business behaviour in Cuba with particular reference to implicit assumptions relating to socially responsible enterprise, or ‘Corporate Social Responsibility’ (CSR) as the term is understood in Western Liberal Democracies. It draws upon a series of interviews with business practitioners and business commentators (both Cuban and non-Cuban residents on the island). The interviews focused on the participants’ awareness of business ethics and socially responsible enterprise, and the cultural differences in assumptions and expectations relating to the concept of CSR between the Cuban and non-Cuban interviewees. We find that Cuba at this early stage of tentative marketizsation presents a positive role model of socially responsible enterprise. Both the highly regulated State economy, and the embedded norms and values of social equity that have emerged as a consequence of Cuba’s socialist revolution facilitate business social responsibility. The relevance of this research to current debates in relation to CSR is discussed, and it is argued that capitalist economies may similarly benefit from tighter regulatory control and by cultivating more pro-social business norms that prioritise ethical over economic concerns.
1756-3461
55-86
Baden, D.
daad83b9-c537-4d3c-bab6-548b841f23b5
Wilkinson, S.
515fffa9-1b52-4208-9898-563773dda70a
Baden, D.
daad83b9-c537-4d3c-bab6-548b841f23b5
Wilkinson, S.
515fffa9-1b52-4208-9898-563773dda70a

Baden, D. and Wilkinson, S. (2014) Socially responsible enterprise in Cuba: a positive role model for CSR? International Journal of Cuban Studies, 6 (1), 55-86.

Record type: Article

Abstract

This article examines the unique institutional environment of socialist Cuba, where currently a process of controlled marketizsation and expansion of private enterprise is taking place. The article investigates business behaviour in Cuba with particular reference to implicit assumptions relating to socially responsible enterprise, or ‘Corporate Social Responsibility’ (CSR) as the term is understood in Western Liberal Democracies. It draws upon a series of interviews with business practitioners and business commentators (both Cuban and non-Cuban residents on the island). The interviews focused on the participants’ awareness of business ethics and socially responsible enterprise, and the cultural differences in assumptions and expectations relating to the concept of CSR between the Cuban and non-Cuban interviewees. We find that Cuba at this early stage of tentative marketizsation presents a positive role model of socially responsible enterprise. Both the highly regulated State economy, and the embedded norms and values of social equity that have emerged as a consequence of Cuba’s socialist revolution facilitate business social responsibility. The relevance of this research to current debates in relation to CSR is discussed, and it is argued that capitalist economies may similarly benefit from tighter regulatory control and by cultivating more pro-social business norms that prioritise ethical over economic concerns.

Text
__soton.ac.uk_UDE_PersonalFiles_Users_dab_mydocuments_cuba_Baden Wilkinson.pdf - Version of Record
Restricted to Registered users only
Download (288kB)
Request a copy

More information

Published date: June 2014
Organisations: HRM and Organisational Behaviour

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 364750
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/364750
ISSN: 1756-3461
PURE UUID: ca4f240f-df3c-4352-98c4-38316dc9f0c1
ORCID for D. Baden: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-2736-4483

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 13 May 2014 08:58
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 02:57

Export record

Contributors

Author: D. Baden ORCID iD
Author: S. Wilkinson

Download statistics

Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.

View more statistics

Atom RSS 1.0 RSS 2.0

Contact ePrints Soton: eprints@soton.ac.uk

ePrints Soton supports OAI 2.0 with a base URL of http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/cgi/oai2

This repository has been built using EPrints software, developed at the University of Southampton, but available to everyone to use.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we will assume that you are happy to receive cookies on the University of Southampton website.

×