ABSTRACT
The research work took a look at an appraisal of social responsibility practice by Anambra Motor Manufacturing Company (ANAMMCO) Emene, Enugu. In an attempt to get to the root of the matter being investigated, four research questions and four hypotheses were proposed. The chi square statistics was used to test the hypotheses. The researcher adopted the survey approach. The population of the study is five hundred and ninety (590) staff while the sample size is two hundred and thirty eight (238). The researcher used both primary and secondary sources of data. The primary data was generated through the use of questionnaires and oral interview. The secondary data was sourced through the use of textbooks, journals including newspaper prints from library. The study revealed that apart from the usually tradition of profit making, business firms can also carry out a successful Social Responsibility practice. The study also revealed that social responsibility practice should be legalized given the negative impact of business organization to the society. Where to source funds for financing social programmes and when business should engage in social responsibility programmes were equally x-rayed. Recommendations were also made to ensure possible completion of the work. These include; proper implementation of social issues, strict application of legislation to compel business firms to be socially responsibly and finally, social responsibility should be better practice than imagined since it still create favorable public image for the business and it is normal and right thing to do.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page i
Certification page ii
Dedication iii
Acknowledgement iv-v
Abstract vi
Table of content vii-ix
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the study 1
1.2 Statement of the problem 3
1.3 Objectives of the study 3
1.4 Research question 4
1.5 Research hypotheses 5
1.6 Significance of the study 6
1.7 Scope of the study 6
1.8 Limitations of the study 7
1.9 Definition term 8
References 9
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CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
2.1 Theoretical frame work of the study 11
2.2 Historical background of the study 13
2.3 Current literature of the study 17
2.3.1 The publics that corporate organization
Exist to serve 19
2.3.2 Controversy over the concept of business
Social responsibility 22
2.3.3 The case for social responsibility 24
2.3.4 The case against social responsibility 27
2.3.5 Neglect of social responsibility practice by
Corporate organization in Enugu 29
2.3.6 Business social responsibility practices as a
Function of federal government laws 32
References 34
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY
3.1 Research Design 36
3.2 Sources of Data 36
3.2.1 Primary Sources of Data 37
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3.2.2 Secondary Sources of Data 38
3.3 Population of the study 38
3.4.1 Sample size determination 39
3.4.2 Sampling techniques 41
3.5 Method of data collection 42
3.6 Methods of Data Presentation and Analysis 43
References 45
CHAPTER FOUR: DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
4.1 Questionnaire distribution and collection 46
4.2 Presentation according to key research questions 49
4.3 Analysis based on research hypotheses 52
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION
AND RECOMMENDATIONS.
5.1 Summary of findings 72
5.2 Conclusions 74
5.3 Recommendations
Bibliography
Appendix I
Appendix II
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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Towards the end of 1800’s to the early 1990’s the mission of business firms was exclusively economic. During this period, the cardinal purpose of business owners is to make as much profit as possible. To underscore the above assertion, Milton Friedman (1972:88) had contended that the only responsibility of the business is to make as much profit as it can for the owners. Today, partly due to the interdependencies of many groups in our society, the values, goals and attitudes of the society changed significantly. This accounts for the complexity in the society in the area of social, economic as well as environmental problems which have been experienced. This situation is in consonance with the view of Ackerman (1973:89), when he opined that the people increased awareness has brought some expectation and demand to bear on companies to be socially responsible to the society in which they operate. Thus we often talk about the social responsibility and social responsiveness of all organizations although the focus of this study shall be on corporate organizations. There is a question as to what the social responsibility of business really means.
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The concept of social responsibility is not new, although the idea was already considered in the early part of the twentieth century. The modern discussions of social responsibility got a major impetus with the book “social responsibility of business men” by Howard .R. Bowen, who suggested that business actors should consider the social implications of their decisions, society being awakened with respect to the urgency of social problems is asking managers and owners of business what they are doing to discharge their social responsibility to the society in which they operate given negative social impacts of their business on the society such as pollutions of all kinds air, water, solid waste noise to mention but a few.
The concept of social responsibility refers to the firm’s consideration of and responses to the issues beyond narrow economic, technical and legal requirement of the firm. It is the firm’s obligation to evaluate in its decision making process the effects of its decision on the external social system in a manner that should accomplish social benefits along with the traditional economic gains which the firm seeks for. However, Harper D. (1976) a classical economist consistently argued against the need to do anything that negates profit maximization. He sees business social responsibility as an aberration Harper, (1976).
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1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEMS
Oil spillage in some of the oil producing state is alarming and some pollution caused by industries in our country is on the high rate. The problems of the communities where the oil companies operate bring these problems constructively to the attention of the companies with which they have developed regular form for meetings. These companies have created ecological disaster, gas flowing in the communities. Therefore, the problem to be looked into in this research is that a corporate organisation does not bother about their social responsibility to the environment where they operate. Furthermore, poverty, lack of essential facilities and unemployment are increasing is alarming proportion. As a result the needs and expectation of the society are not met by the business organisation.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The corporate organizations naturally have its own mix and different emphasis. The overall objectives of every organisation are survival growth, profit, economic contribution and social obligation. It is known fact that firms in Nigeria usually lay more emphasis on profit maximization. The objective of this research work includes the following:
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i. To examine the general attitude of ANAMMCO towards social responsibility.
ii. To examine the consequences of the company ignoring its social responsibilities.
iii. To evaluate the problems which hinder the performance of social responsibility practice by ANAMMCO.
iv. To recommend possible solutions for the identified problems.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
To ensure an in-depth research work with a view to providing best solutions to problems identified, the study will make us of the following four (4) research questions:
i. Could business organisation carryout a successful social responsibility practice?
ii. Should social responsibility be legalized?
iii. In what form should social responsibility be performed?
iv. Where should funds for carrying out these social responsibility programmes come from?
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1.5 RESEARCH HYPOTHESES
Based on the four research questions already mentioned, the following hypotheses were formulated:
HYPOTHESES 1
Ho: Business organizations can not carryout a successful social responsibility practice.
Hi: Business organizations can significantly carry out a successful social responsibility practice.
HYPOTHESES II
Ho: Business social responsibility should not be legalized.
Hi: Business social responsibility practices should be significantly legalized.
HYPOTHESES III
Ho: Social responsibility practices cannot be achieved in any form.
Hi: Social responsibility practice can reasonably be achieved in different form.
HYPOTHESES IV
Ho: There is no place to source funds for carrying out social responsibility practice.
Hi: There are sources of fund, for financing social responsibility practice.
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1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The importance of the study cannot be over-emphasized given the interdependencies of many groups in our society. The study is therefore important because, it will not only examine the attitude of business organisation towards the issue of social responsibility but will go a long way to help these organisation on policy making decision in order to eliminate the negative effects and consequences of these attitudes in the discharge of social responsibility practices. The study will be of immense benefit to researchers and students looking for more information on this topic.
Another significance of this research is that, it will help in finding ways to improve relationship between the company and the town in which it operates. It enables manager of different organizations to know actually what social responsibility is all about and it will also help them to know the difference between social problem and economic performance. The study will equally be beneficial to private and public sector organizations.