Examples of socially responsible practices of multinational enterprises from developed and developing countries in Colombia

• Main Authors: Yenni Viviana Duque Orozco, Diana Osorio Quintero, Marleny Cardona Acevedo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Konrad Lorenz Fundación Universitaria 2012-12-01
• Series: Suma de Negocios
• Subjects: Corporate Social Responsibility; Multinational Enterprises; Corporate Social Responsible Practices; developed country; developing country; Colombia
• Online Access: http://publicaciones.konradlorenz.edu.co/index.php/SumaDeNegocios/article/view/1209
• ISSN: 2215-910X; 2215-910X

International business research has considered the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) of the Multinational Enterprises (MNEs) and so Multilateral Organizations have developed different recommendations about what these companies should do in different social areas, especially in labor practices. MNEs play a significant role given their influence and activities in both home and host countries. They play a double role: actor of the problem, but also the actor of the solution. The purpose of the paper is to identify the differences of Socially Responsible Practices (SRP) between MNEs from developed countries and MNEs from developing countries in Colombia. The method used in this document is a literature review from several academic databases; and we check CSR programs published in Web sites in the host country (Colombia) of six MNE´s The results suggest that Multinationals from developing countries focus their practices on the com­munity, mainly in education programs, while Multinationals from developed countries try to work with all stakeholders and involve particularly aspects related with their business in the programs they develop. This is possible because MNEs from developed countries use better divulgation me­chanisms. SRP less mentioned in both cases are related to employees. Commitment with ethical responsibilities, promote greater economic and social inclusion should be the goals for MNEs in developing countries. In the other hand, the government has to play a more important role in this ground establishing minimum standards for MNEs that want to operate in developing countries, and some education programs to sensitize society into a more responsible consumption, in order to generate social pressure.