The social responsibility of SMMEs : the case for a framework and measurement instrument for the African context

Abstract

To start with, "Corporate Social Responsibility" (CSR) appears a misnomer as it suggests a 'big business only' connotation. Rather, "Business Social Responsibility" (BSR) appears a better alternative because it accommodates all sizes of business. Despite progress in the business / society relationship, SMMEs on the African continent continue being neglected as far as BSR research is concerned. Unlike in the West, there are no frameworks, tools, and instruments to guide those interested in the SMME / BSR nexus in the African context. As it turns out, scholars, researchers, policy makers, and owner / managers interested in the SMME / BSR nexus in Africa have no choice but to rely on frameworks, tools, and metrics designed for European and American contexts. This is in spite of Visser's (2007) caution that the Euro-American frameworks are inappropriate for the African situation. This paper makes a case for the development of an African context specific SMME / BSR framework(s) and measurement instrument(s).