Role of Telecom Industries in Corporate Social Responsibility in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

This empirical study explores the existing activities of telecom organizations in Saudi Arabia regarding Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). This reviews telecommunications sector CSR activities in Saudi Arabia. By emphasizing the ongoing boom of mobile operators and their today’s fast-increasing customers in Saudi Arabia, this paper further evaluates what is being done as part of CSR activities. These studies would expose the rhetoric vs. reality of booming telecommunications industry CSR practices in Saudi Arabia with millions of subscribers and billions of dollars’ annual revenue collections. Although CSR activities have been regarded internationally as part of a broader business ethos, this paper gives a prominent image of these activities in Saudi Arabia. Most famous people conclude that CSR activities are merely superficial, symbolic, and paper-only without any meaningful effect in real life. This paper highlights telecommunications organizations in Saudi Arabia, proposing proposals to improve their CSR operations further. Methodologically, this research integrated views from different stakeholders and telecommunications industry beneficiaries in Saudi Arabia. A hybrid approach was introduced, using both qualitative and quantitative techniques. This research suggests that a real exchange of telecom industry revenues through CSR activities can contribute to a more liveable, environmentally healthy, and prosperous society.