MNEs and Sustainability - Research Proposal Example

MNEs and sustainability Name Date Course 1. MNEs and Sustainability 2. Rational and objectives Introduction The concepts of globalization have played an essential role in terms of encouraging the growth of the Multinational Corporations. The multinational Enterprises have also contributed to the increase in the Foreign Direct Investment. On the other hand, the Multinational Enterprises have created millions of jobs worldwide which is a boost to the economy of the country that they operate. The multinational entrep0rises operates in both the developed as well as the developing countries. The positive impacts of the Multinational Enterprises have seen most of them being given incentives by the government in order to operate in the country (Newenham-Kahindi, 2015). In the recent past, the issues of environmental protection have been of great concern globally. This has led to the corporate social responsibilities by the MNEs operating in different countries. This is mainly for the purposes of ensuring that the environment is protected. The aspects of sustainability are being embraced by most of MNEs together with the CSR. This has played an essential role in terms of contributing to the sustainability efforts. The development of the MNEs is mainly linked to the CSR efforts. The confidence of the local people as well as governments on the MNEs is dependent on how they carry out the CSR (Newenham-Kahindi, 2014). The concepts of CSR have become part of most of the successful organizations. All the major MNEs are investing heavily on the CSR fir the purposes of enhancing the sustainability process. The research on MNEs and sustainability is important in terms of establishing why most of the MNREs are continuously engaging in CSR. On the other hand, the research will be able to establish the benefits of CSR on the communities, countries as well as the MNEs. The research on the topic seeks to highlight the relationship between CSR and the success of the MNEs. This is considering that most of the studies indicate that the success of the MNEs is closely associated with sustainability and CSR. The paper thus discusses the concepts of CSR and sustainability in relation to the MNEs. Objectives To establish the importance of CRS to the MNEs in the developed and the developing countries. To determine the impacts of CRS and sustainability of the MNEs in the developing countries as well as the developed countries. To establish the contributions that CRS and sustainability has in the success of a MNEs in the developing and developed countries. To establish the factors that promotes CRS in the developing and developed countries. 3. Themes, Issues and Research Questions Themes The research intends to uncover in details the relationship between the success of the MNEs and the CSR to the with the sustainability issues. This is for the purposes of creating a wider understanding of why most of the leading MNEs are heavily involved in the sustainability issuers and have even won awards on the concepts of CSR and sustainability. Research Questions Why are MNEs increasingly being involved in the concepts of CSR and sustainability in both the developed and developing countries? What are the factors that contribute to the success of MNEs that are heavily involved in CSR and sustainability? Why are some MNEs with good CSR developing rapidly and other MNEs without a good MNES also developing rapidly despite the importance of sustainability issues? Hypothesis The development of an MNE is dependent on a good CSR and a good CSR leads to the development on and MNE. 4. Existing literature The concepts of sustainable development are as a result of the increase in foreign direct investment by the Multinational Enterprises. The foreign direct investment accounts for 22% of the global GDP which makes it the leading source of external finances for the developing countries. This has resulted to an increase in the economic growth and reduction in the levels of poverty in the developing countries. The growth and development of the MNEs has led to an increase in the CSR activities in the developing countries. In most of the organizations, the CSR involves the implementation of the environmental, health and safety management systems at the production sites of the MNEs (Tai & Chuang, 2014). Coca Cola Company is one of the leading MNE that has put in place such measures in its production site in China, India and other developing countries. The measures are also in place in the developed countries such as the United States of America and United Kingdom. Engaging in philanthropic projects also plays an important role in terms of enhancing the sustainable development by the MNEs. The MNEs that are involved in the CSR tend to gain a lot of support from different stakeholders. This includes the community, suppliers, local companies and even the government. This leads to the building of the brand image of the MNE and hence leading to its success. Most of the governments in the developing countries usually offer incentives to the MNEs that involved in the CSR due to their positive contributions to sustainable development. The incentives that are offered by the government play a significant role in terms of contributing to the success of the MNEs. It is due to this reason that the MNEs like Coca cola and GE have been able to gain a lot of success. The support from the community that it operates also impacts positively on the success of the MNEs. This is considering that in most of the developing countries, the MNEs are the leading companies in different industries. On the other hand, it is also important to note that the support from the local suppliers is as a result of the CSR strategies that benefits the wider society. The concepts of globalization have led to the flocking of the market by MNEs in China, India and other developing countries. This has also led to an increase in the CSR as most of the MNEs intend to gain the support of the stakeholders (Reimann, et al, 2012). The economic reforms in China have also contributed to an increase in the MNEs. The situation is the same in the developed countries such as UK which has seen an increase in the MNEs. In China, several laws are in place which influences the CSR and it includes the Environmental Protection Law (1989). The presence of such laws has led to an increase in CSR activities that targets the protection of the environment. The MNEs that are involved environmental protection activities have received a lot of support from different stakeholders since the environmental problem is of major concern in China and India. The developing countries like the United Kingdom also targets reduction in carbon emissions. This has led to a lot of support to the MNEs that are involved in the environmental protection activities and hence contributing to their success. The awareness of the concepts of CSRT by the consumers in China and other developing countries has also impacted positively on the success of the MNEs. The MNEs that are known for engaging in the CSR usually receive a lot of support from the consumers and hence impacting positively on their growth and development. As most of the MNEs have discovered, CSR is an important tool that can contribute to the success of their organizations. Improvement is constantly being made so as to ensure that the CSR is effective and reflects on the needs of the people in the society. A good CSR contributes directly to the success of the organization. This is because the different stakeholders are more likely to feel the impacts of a good CSR and hence leading to the support for the MNEs. The CSR of the companies also affects the employment relations within an organization (Marano & Kostova, 2015). Reebok and Nike are among the leading sportswear companies from the Unite States of America. These companies have invested heavily in CSR in countries such as China. It has since been noted that the employment relations have been improved within the organizations in China. The productivity of an organization is enhanced when the employment relations is good. This has also contributed to the success of the MNEs that are heavily involved in the CSR. The labour standards are important aspects when it comes to the issues of the CSR. The MNEs that are involved in the CSR have signed basic labour rights and core labour standards. This has led to the improvement of the labour standards which has impacted positively on the success of the MNEs. This is also considering that the level of exploitation of the employees in the developing countries is quite high. The concepts of CSR have therefore improved on the situation and have benefited the local people. On the other hand, it is also important to note that most of the local people in the developing countries prefer working for the MNEs which are heavily involved in the CSR. The support from the employees impacts positively on the productivity of the employees and hence leading to the success of the MNEs. It is however important to note that not all the MNEs in the developing as well as the developed countries are involved in the CSR. A few have been successful but most of them have had difficulties in terms of carrying out their activities and wining the support of the local people and the government (Doh, et al, 2013). Incentives by the government in the developing countries are rarely provided to the MNEs that are not involved in the CSR. This has negatively influenced their operations and hence hindering their success. In most instances, the locals believe that such MNEs are only in place for the purposes of exploiting the people as well as the resources in the locality. The MNEs have become important players in the developing countries in terms of enhancing the CSR concepts. This has been a driving force in the social, environmental and economic changes. According to the stakeholder theory, the CSR strategy is dependent on the varying needs of the local stakeholders. This means that the MNE has to ensure that the CSR is compatible with the needs of the local people. On the other hand, it is also important to note that the MNEs have diverse CSR strategies when it comes to the developed countries as well as the developing countries (Tai & Chuang, 2014). This is because the needs of the stakeholders are quite diverse in the developing and developed countries. However, most of the MNEs focus on the environmental programs since it is a global problem and it affects all the countries regardless of their status. On the other hand, it is also important to note that the concepts of CSR are increasingly becoming popular for the MNEs due to their benefits. The standards in the developed countries and the developing countries differ greatly. This has affected the CSR strategies and hence the diversity in the application of the CSR strategies in different countries. However, most of the MNEs apply high standards for the purposes of ensuring that they meet the needs of the stakeholders. This has impacted positively on the success of the MNEs in the developing countries. It is for this reason that CSR has become part of the MNEs operating in the developing countries. In the developed countries such as the United States of America and Germany, the concepts of CSR rate mainly for the purposes of ensuring that the environmental protection is enhanced. It is therefore common for most of the MNEs to devote their activities purely to the issues regarding the environment as compared to the social issues. The MNEs that have been able to promote the green initiatives have gained a lot of success as the customers in the developed countries are fully aware of the CSR concepts as well as the environmental issues. However, the strategies usually change when it comes to the developing countries. In the developing countries such as China and India, the environmental issues are of concern and so are the social issues. This has seen most of the MNEs operating in China engaging in the social programs that are aimed at benefiting the embers of the community. The sustainable development policy in China has also played an essential role in terms of determining how the CSR practices are carried out. The financial performances of the companies that are engaging in the CSR have also been improved in both the developed and developing countries (Newenham-Kahindi, 2015). This can mainly be attributed to the customer satisfaction, employee motivation and support from the communities and the government. More MNEs are utilizing the concepts of MNEs in order to win the support of the stakeholders. 5. Strategy, design and methodology Research approach The qualitative research approach will be used during the research. Qualitative research is usually aimed at revealing the range of behaviours as well as the perception of the audience with regards to a certain topic. The use of qualitative research in most cases is usually descriptive as opposed to being predictive. However, appropriate methods will be used for the purposes of analyzing the data that has been collected. This is considering that the analysis of the data is dependent on the method that has been used during the collection process. When carrying out the data analysis process through the use of qualitative research, coding is one of the purposes of analyzing the data. The use of this approach during the research will also be useful in terms of obtaining information from a variety of data sources (Kothari, C, 2011). This is considering that the different sources can be compared and hence improving on the accuracy of the data collection process. Research strategy The first step will involve obtaining the background information about the topic. This will be useful in ensuring that the topic of the research can be made clear. The next step will involve finding the articles that will be used for the purposes of literature review. An evaluation of the articles will be carried out for the purposes of determining the credibility. The credibility of the materials used is important in terms of ensuring that the article is reliable (Mackey & Gass, 2013). The primary sources of information will them be identified before the data is collected. This process will also be carried out with high levels of ethics and integrity. During the analysis of the data, no figures will be manipulated to provide a particular result. On the other hand, the respondents who will be involved in the data collection will not be influenced in any way. Plagiarism will be avoided and all the information from secondary sources will be referenced. Research design The research design is used for the purposes of describing the study type. During the research, descriptory concepts will be used. The research will them be carried out with the purposes of establishing the information in order to test the hypothesis. Testing the hypothesis will be the final stage after the findings have been made. This research hypothesis will be important in ensuring that a huge focus is placed on the topic as opposed to carrying out the process at random. The presence of a hypothesis also plays an essential role in terms of ensuring that all the efforts are aimed at testing the hypothesis (Pickard, 2012). Research methods Literature review will be used for the purposes of collecting the background information about the topic. On the other hand primary source of information will be obtained through random online surveys. The respondents will be drawn from China, India, Germany and the United States of America. The respondents will be required to complete a survey and sent it through emails. This process of data collection through the use of the primary data research will take a period of 3 weeks. A total of 300 respondents will be targeted. The analysis of the data will be carried out through the use of the qualitative and quantitative methods. A comparison between the literature review and the data collected from the primary sources will be carried out. This is for the purposes of ensuring that the research is accurate (Flick, 2011). The use of random survey will be appropriate to the research as the respondents are located in different parts of the globe. Data processing, analysis and interpretation The data processing and analysis will be carried out through the use of qualitative method. This method will be useful in ensuring that the data is easily analyzed and understood. The statistical tables and methods will not be used for the purposes of data processing. Descriptions will have to be made for the purposes of ensuring that the data is processed, analyzed and interpreted. A lot of expertise will be put into use during the processing of the data. This is for the purposes of ensuring that the levels of accuracy are enhanced. Wrong interpretation of the data will impact negatively on the interpretation process. 6. Problems anticipated The research is likely to encounter some problems due to its nature. Respondent from different countries will be involved in the survey. A problem of language barrier is likely to be encountered since the respondents speak diverse languages. Language barrier which may affect the research is therefore a problem that is anticipated in the research. On the other hand, it may be difficult to find the respondents to due to the language barrier as well as diversity among the countries where the respondents are located. On the other hand, there may be delays in terms of the respondents completing the questionnaires and hence slowing down the process. During the process of data analysis and processing, some difficulties may be encountered during the process of analyzing the data. This will therefore require frequent consultations with experts in order to ensure that the process is accurate. It is also anticipated that the challenges may be faced in terms of obtaining the appropriate books and journals during the research. This is considering that there is limited research with regards to the topic in China and India. Most of the research carried out in those countries is not in English. The barriers during the research have a potential of affecting the entire process leading to lack of a conclusive research (Blumberg, et al, 2011). Consultations will be carried out from time to time in order to deal with the barriers. 7. Project management and proposed time table All the stages will be allocated more time for the purposes of dealing with any uncertainties during the research. This is considering that the research requires a lot of information. Stages Activities Duration 1 Developing an hypothesis and the topic 1 day 2 Collection of Materials for the purposes of obtaining the secondary information and literature review. One week 3 Developing the questionnaires for the online survey 1 day 4 Finding the respondents that will be involved in the survey and obtaining their email address 2 weeks 5 Sending the questionnaires to the respondents for the purposes of data collection 1 day 6 Collecting the data obtained from the respondents 3 weeks 7 Processing and analyzing the data. 1 week 8 Developing the findings and compiling the final report I week GANTT Chart APRIL MAY JUNE JULY AUGUST SEPTEMBER Developing hypothesis 15th Collecting literature review materials 17th-23th Developing questionnaires 14th Finding respondents 15th-30th Sending questionnaires 18th Data collection 19th-9th Data analysis 15th-21st Compilation and final submission of report 25th-2nd List of References Newenham-Kahindi, A, 2015, Managing sustainable development through people: implications for multinational enterprises in developing countries, Personnel Review, 44(3). Newenham-Kahindi, A, 2014, Multinational enterprises, and the management of sustainable development through employees, In Academy of Management Proceedings (Vol. 2014, No. 1, p. 11859). Academy of Management. Tai, F, M, & Chuang, S, H, 2014, Corporate Social Responsibility, iBusiness, 6(03), 117. Reimann, F, et al, 2012, Local stakeholders and local legitimacy: MNEs' social strategies in emerging economies, Journal of international management, 18(1), 1-17. Marano, V, & Kostova, T, 2015, Unpacking the Institutional Complexity in Adoption of CSR Practices in Multinational Enterprises, Journal of Management Studies. Doh, J, et al, 2013, Ethics, Corporate Social Responsibility, and Developing Country Multinationals, Business Ethics Quarterly, 23(04), 638-639. Kothari, C, 2011, Research methodology: methods and techniques, New Age International. Mackey, A, & Gass, S, M, 2013, Second language research: Methodology and design, Routledge. Pickard, A, 2012, Research methods in information, Facet publishing. Flick, U, 2011, Introducing research methodology: A beginner's guide to doing a research project, Sage. Blumberg, B, et al, 2011, Business research methods, McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Read More