Participation and accountability in corporate community involvement programmes: a research agenda

摘要

Corporate community involvement (CCI) is catching up among businesses operating in developing countries under the wave of corporate social responsibility (CSR). Significantly, CCI discourse the world over is shifting from ‘involvement’ to ‘investment’, the latter advancing the business case. This shifting paradigm depicts a calculative approach to CCI based on costs and benefits, revealing reciprocal yet unequal corporate–community relationships. This approach when implemented in already disadvantaged communities raises fears of exploitation rather than community empowerment. This article critiques the predominant approaches applied in CCI and their implications towards poverty reduction and sustainable community development efforts in developing countries.