Rising social problems have increased demands for social innovation (SI) as an
innovative solution. A key development in theory and practice is acknowledging that
business constitutes a key source of SI, leading to a growing study of corporate social
innovation (CSI). In Southeast Asian countries, the importance of CSI has been
increasingly recognised. However, the understanding of CSI in this region is limited,
particularly regarding the interaction between firms implementing CSI and the
government.
This thesis aims to explore how Southeast Asian governments interact with firms
implementing CSI under different country contexts, focusing on the characteristics and
mechanisms of the interactions. The thesis also seeks to scrutinise the understanding
of CSI in practice. It employs a comparative case study approach, with Thailand as the
primary case, compared with two neighbouring countries: Malaysia and Singapore.
Through semi-structured interviews with participants from 29 CSI projects, eight
government agencies and six organisations across the three countries, complemented
by secondary data from relevant sources, the study reveals specific characteristics and
dimensions of the interactions between the government and firms.
Thailand and Malaysia, which have similar country contexts, display purposive and
reciprocal-based interaction. The findings also highlight the prevalence of informal
interaction through interpersonal relationships between the government and firms.
Singapore, in contrast, demonstrates supportive and responsive-based interaction, and
the formal interaction through official channels is notable. Further, the findings reveal
key barriers to interactions and CSI, including problematic bureaucratic procedures,
the failure of top-down approaches, intergovernmental coordination issues, government
inaction, constraints on grant funding, firm operational issues, and awareness of social
problems. The insights derived from this thesis have valuable implications for
enhancing policies related to SI-oriented businesses and entrepreneurs and for
advancing the understanding of CSI and relevant theories.
| Date of Award | 20 Feb 2025 |
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| Original language | English |
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| Awarding Institution | - University Of Strathclyde
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| Supervisor | Paul Lassalle (Supervisor), Abdullah Gök (Supervisor), Carolyn McMillan (Supervisor) & Samuel Mwaura (Supervisor) |
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