CAIS

: leveraging strategic benefits from cross-sector partnerships

Abstract

The main purpose of this dissertation is to understand companies’ decisions and behaviors in what respects to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) traducing them into recommendations that CAIS should implement as a way of leveraging its strategic positioning near present or future partners. The findings of this dissertation might be applied to other NGOs as well. The pursued qualitative research near portuguese branches revealed an increasing interest over social issues despite their different stances on CSR adoption. Despite the current obstacles pertaining Social Responsibility to further progress, such as the deficient cooperation among third-sector institutions, poor management skills, monetary and scheduling constraints and social opposing mindsets inside organizations, these companies revealed a great understanding on the strategic benefits arising from cross-sector partnerships, namely the motivational effects on their human capital and differentiation near customers’ and other stakeholders. The above mentioned obstacles, combined with the criteria relied upon when deciding which social partners to cooperate with and CSR future directions pointed out by organizations allowed to define several recommendations tailored for CAIS pertaining to its inside organization, presentation near companies, intrinsic attitudes and behaviors, cooperation with other NGOs and well as the role of its communicating tools. The derived conclusions will not just turning CAIS and other associations into more complete partners to cope with, but also give for-profit companies important insights on CSR for their own benefit increasing, ultimately, economic and social welfare in the society.

Date of Award	6 Mar 2018
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Rute Xavier (Supervisor)