Corporate Social Responsibility and Competitive Advantage in Nigerian Telecommunication Industry: A Study of MTN Nigeria

Abstract

The study explored the effect of corporate social responsibility on competitive advantage in Nigerian telecommunication industry. The research specifically examined the effect of ethical, philanthropic, legal and economic responsibilities on competitive advantage in Nigerian telecommunication industry. A survey research design was adopted. The population of the study included of 1326 staff of MTN Nigeria and 250 staff were purposively sampled. The study utilized questionnaire as the instrument of data collection and data collected from participants were analysed using descriptive statistics and regression analysis with the aid of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS 23). The study found that ethical responsibility has a positive and significant effect on competitive advantage. The study also found a positive and significant effect of philanthropic responsibility on competitive advantage. There is a positive and significant effect of legal and economic responsibilities on competitive advantage in Nigerian telecommunication industry. The study concludes that corporate social responsibility practices considerably sustain competiveness in Nigerian telecommunication industry. It recommends amongst others that management of telecommunication companies in Nigeria should increase their commitment to ethical responsibility activities such as community projects and environmental protection in order to enhance peaceful coexistence with people within their environment.