Evolving boundaries of CSR: South Korea’s PPP-ODA in international development

ABSTRACT Public-private partnerships (PPPs) have become a widely recognized phenomenon in recent years, along with the rising emphasis on the private sector involvement in solving social problems both locally and globally. Against this backdrop, this study focuses on the expanded role of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the Korean official development assistance framework. Private stakeholders’ expected roles and responsibilities in the area of international development cooperation have been augmented. The article explores the various factors driving this phenomenon from the perspectives of the public and private sectors. The case study of Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) is carried out by analyzing the identified factors in the context of KOICA’s PPP strategy. The study found that the motives of the private sector to participate in KOICA’s global CSR program is less likely to be satisfied under the current arrangement whereas the public sector is highly motivated to attract and engage businesses in delivering PPP projects abroad. The study suggests policy implications such as incorporating non-financial performance indicators in evaluation criteria, resolving administrative challenges, and increasing the budget for PPP programs.