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P154


Multinational enterprises in Africa: corporate governance, social responsibility and risk management 
Convenor:
Virginie Tallio (ISCTE-Instituto Universitário de Lisboa)
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Discussant:
Luca Bussotti (ISCTE/IUL)
Location:
C5.08
Start time:
29 June, 2013 at
Time zone: Europe/Lisbon
Session slots:
2

Short Abstract:

The panel aims at analyzing the different aspects of the multinationals activities and their impact on African social and economic life. The papers will have to present empirical experiences. Papers proposed by non-scholar entities are encouraged.

Long Abstract:

Nowadays, multinationals take more and more importance not only in the economy but also in the political and social life in Africa. Nevertheless, enterprises are asked to act in a specific context. The weakness of public institutions on the one hand, and the richness in natural resources whose exploitation benefits poorly the population on the other hand, constitute the framework where their governance takes place.

Politics of social responsibility are one of the means used to correct these distortions, voluntarily or not (i.e. because of the scrutiny of public opinion or by law). Situations they have to encompass are variable, from Nigeria to South Africa, from Zambia to Angola, from Zimbabwe to Mozambique. Nevertheless, two common points subsist: they are requested to substitute the State on some of its prerogatives and their activities are mainly directed towards the international market with few or not benefit for the local population.

Another dimension can be added to this feature, the importance of the risk that more and more taken into account within the economic calculation of the enterprise' profit, and this on three aspects: environmental - the negative impact of industrial processing; social - the disrespect of human rights; political - the reduction of the public power without being replaced by any other consistent solution.

In this panel we will aim at analyzing these different aspects of multinationals activities. We are especially interested in local and empirical-based examples.

Accepted papers:

Session 1