The article develops a conceptual approach employing ‘modes’ of home-country business culture to evaluate how transnational corporations (TNCs) active in electricity provision in developing countries interpret and incorporate internationally recognised normative standards for ‘sustainable electricity provision’ (SEP) into their own corporate responsibility (CR) policies. Based on a survey of existing SEP norms, qualitative interviews with corporate managers, and analysis of CR materials, the article evaluates how ‘quality kilowatts’ are conceived and applied in three TNC case studies. The initial findings indicate that variations in how TNCs approach SEP reflect differences in regulatory framework and business culture of their countries of origin.
AarhusI.2010: Norway. In VisserW. and TolhurstN., editors, The world guide to CSR: A country-by-country analysis of corporate sustainability and responsibility. Greenleaf.
2.
AES. 2007: The AES values: From words to action, AES code of conduct. AES.
3.
AES. 2010a: Alternative energy, http://aes.com/aes/index?page=alternative_energy, last accessed on 12May2010.
4.
AES. 2010b: Corporate responsibility, http://www.aes.com/aes/index?page=corporate_responsibility, last accessed on 6May2010.
5.
BagginiA., editor. 2008: Handbook of power quality. Chichester, England: John Wiley & Sons.
6.
BarrP.S., StimpertJ.L. and HuffA.S.1992: Cognitive change, strategic action, and organizational renewal. Strategic Management Journal, 13(1), 15–36, http://www.jstor.org/stable/2486350, last accessed on 9October2016.
7.
CEER. 2005: Third benchmarking report on quality of electricity supply. Council of European Energy Regulators, http://www.autorita.energia.it/allegati/pubblicazioni/volume_ceer3.pdf, last accessed on 9October2016.
8.
CEO. 2008: Watering down the EU’s Climate Policies: A multi-pronged corporate attack. Corporate Europe Observatory, http://archive.corporateeurope.org/docs/climatelobby2008.pdf, last accessed on 9October2016.
9.
CherniJ.A., DynerI., HenaoF., JaramilloP., SmithR. and FontR.O.2007: Energy supply for sustainable rural livelihoods. A multi-criteria decision-support system. Energy Policy, 35, 1493–1504, http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6V2W-4K4WN1R-3/2/579c082de07a6ce75b31b32a839f52aa, last accessed on 9October2016.
10.
CiullaJ.B.1991: Why is business talking about ethics: Reflections on foreign conversations. California Management Review, 1991(Fall), 67–86.
11.
CrouchC.2005: Models of capitalism. New Political Economy, 10(4), 439–56.
12.
CrouchC., SchröderM., and VoelzkowH.2009: Regional and sectoral varieties of capitalism. Economy and Society, 38, 654–78.
13.
DaughertyM. and GeorgievaD.2011: Foreign cultures, Sarbanes-Oxley Act and cross-delisting foreign cultures, Sarbanes–Oxley Act and cross-delisting. Journal of Multinational Financial Management, 21, 208–23, http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1042444X1100034X, last accessed on 5April2017.
14.
DebrouxP.2009: CSR and sustainable development in Asia. In HasegawaH. and NoronhaC., editors, Asian business & management: Theory, practice and perspectives. Orlando, Florida: Palgrave Macmillan, 25–44.
15.
DelmasM. and ToffelM.W.2004: Stakeholders and environmental management practices: An institutional framework. Business Strategy and the Environment, 13, 209–22, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/bse.409, last accessed on 5April2017.
16.
DimitratosP., PetrouA., PlakoyiannakiE. and JohnsonJ.E.2010: Strategic decision-making processes in internationalization: Does national culture of the focal firm matter?Journal of World Business, http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6W5M-50B5WG7-1/2/d83533324d7393bfb7af2fbd9c55c21f
17.
EC. 2006: Implementing the partnership for growth and jobs: Making Europe a pole of excellence on CSR (COM(2006)136 final). European Commission, http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=COM:2006:0136:FIN:EN:PDF, last accessed on 5April2017.
18.
ECOTEC. 2007: Describing developments in the European electricity sector: Drivers for change: Corporate Social Responsibility—A report to the sectoral social partners. Eurelectric, EPSU and EMCEF, http://www.epsu.org/article/describing-developments-european-electricity-sectordrivers-change-corporate-social, last accessed on 9October2016.
FthenakisV. and KimH.C.2008: Land use and electricity generation: A life-cycle analysis. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 13, 1465–74, http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6VMY-4TMRNX4-2/2/284db55eafeb62f6822086268b4395b0, last accessed on 5April2017.
21.
GrausW., VoogtM. and LangeraarJ.W.2004: Ranking power: Scorecards electricity companies. WWF and Ecofys, http://wwf.panda.org/wwf_news/?16811/Ranking-Power-Report, last accessed on 9October2016.
22.
GRI. 2008: Sustainability reporting guidelines & electric utilities sector supplement. Global Reporting Initiative, https://www.globalreporting.org/resourcelibrary/G3-English-Electric-Utilities-Sector-Supplement.pdf, last accessed on 9October2016.
23.
HaP.-H. and PorcaroJ.2005: Energy and the millennium development goals. The impact of rural energy services on development. Journal of International Affairs, 58, 193–207, http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=afh&AN=19463400&site=ehost-live, last accessed 5April2017.
24.
HaarL.N. and JonesT.2008: Misreading liberalisation and privatisation: The case of the US energy utilities in Europe. Energy Policy, 36, 2610–19.
25.
HallD.2005: Electricity privatisation and restructuring in Latin America and the impact on workers. Public Services International Research Unit, University of Greenwich, www.psiru.org, last accessed on 9October2016.
26.
HallP. and SoskiceD.2001: Varieties of capitalism: The institutional foundations of comparative advantage. Oxford University Press.
27.
HirschbergS., DonesR., HeckT., BurgherrP., SchenlerW. and BauerC.2004: Sustainability of electricity supply technologies under German conditions: A comparative evaluation. Villingen: Paul Scherrer Institut, http://www.iaea.org/inis/collection/NCLCollectionStore/_Public/36/108/36108754.pdf, last accessed on 9October2016.
28.
HofstedeG.1983: The cultural relativity of organizational practices and theories. Journal of International Business Studies, 14, 75–89, http://www.jstor.org/stable/222593
29.
HofstedeG., NeuijenB., OhayvD.D., and SandersG.1990: Measuring organizational cultures: A qualitative and quantitative study across twenty cases. Administrative Science Quarterly, 35, 286–316.
30.
HohnenP.2009: Non-financial reporting: Denmark ups the ante. Ethical Corporation, http://www.ethicalcorp.com/content/non-financial-reporting-denmark-ups-ante, last accessed on 9October2016.
31.
HymanR.2001: Understanding European Trade Unionism: Between market, class and society. London: SAGE Publications.
32.
JonesA.2010: United States of America. In VisserW. and TolhurstN., editors, The world guide to CSR: A country-by-country analysis of corporate sustainability and responsibility. Greenleaf.
33.
KaplanA.1964: The conduct of inquiry: Methodology for behavioral science. Chandler.
34.
KimB. and BensonJ.2007: Institutionalism and capitalism in organization studies. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association, New York, http://citation.allacademic.com/meta/p_mla_apa_research_citation/1/8/5/1/4/p185144_index.html, last accessed on 9October2016.
35.
KircaA.H., CavusgilS.T. and HultG.T.M.2009: The effects of national culture on market orientation: Conceptual framework and research propositions. International Business Review, 18(2), 111–18. doi:10.1016/j.ibusrev.2009.02.003
36.
KopstadM. L.2008: External Affairs Manager, SN Power – Personal communication with J. Wilde-Ramsing. Amsterdam/Oslo (10September and 3November2008).
37.
KuhnleS. and ErvikR.1996: The Nordic welfare model and the European Union. In GreveB., editor, Comparative welfare systems: The Scandinavian model in a period of change. Macmillan Press.
38.
LaffertyW.M.2002a: Introduction: Grounding the evaluation of ‘Sustainable Development’’. In LaffertyW.M., NordskagM. and AakreH.A., editors, Realizing Rio in Norway: Evaluative studies of sustainable development. Program for Research and Documentation for a Sustainable Society (ProSus).
39.
LaffertyW.M.2002b: Political evaluation: Premises, approaches and methods (Working Paper No. 2/02), Program for Research and Documentation for a Sustainable Society (ProSus).
40.
LaffertyW.M., NordskagM. and AakreH.2002: Realizing Rio in Norway: Evaluative studies of sustainable development. Program for Research and Documentation for a Sustainable Society (ProSus).
41.
LangloisC.C. and SchlegelmilchB.B.1990: Do corporate codes of ethics reflect national character? Evidence from Europe and the United States. Journal of International Business Studies, 21(4), 519–39, http://www.jstor.org/stable/155058, last accessed on 5April2017.
42.
LevyD., and RothenbergS.2002: Heterogeneity and change in environmental strategy: Technological and political responses to climate change in the global automobile industry. In HoffmanA. and VentrescaM., editors, Organizations, policy and the natural environment: Institutional and strategic perspectives. Stanford University Press, 173–93.
43.
LyonsD.I. and DeutzP.2010: Regional sustainable development: Making development work in politically contingent space. Sustainable Development, 18, 183–86.
44.
MaanaviljaL.2010: Europe. In VisserW. and TolhurstN., editors, The world guide to CSR: A country-by-country analysis of corporate sustainability and responsibility. Greenleaf.
45.
McDonaldD.A.2009: Introduction: The importance of being electric. In McDonaldD.A., editor, Electric capitalism: Reconolising Africa on the power grid. Earthscan and HSRC Press, http://www.hsrcpress.ac.za/product.php?productid=2243, last accessed on 9October2016.
46.
McSweeneyB.2002: Hofstede’s model of national cultural differences and their consequences: A triumph of faith—A failure of analysis. Human Relations, 55, 89–118.
47.
ModiV., McDadeS., LallementD. and SaghirJ.2005: Energy services for the millennium development goals. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Energy Sector Management Assistance Programme, UN Milennium Project, and World Bank.
48.
Norwegian Finance Ministry. 2008: The Government Pension Fund divests its holdings in mining company, https://www.financite.be/sites/default/files/references/files/144_0.pdf, last accessed on 5April2017.
49.
Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 2009: Corporate social responsibility in a global economy (Report No. 10, 2008 – 2009 to the Storting).
50.
OECD-NEA. 2000: Nuclear energy in a sustainable development perspective. OECD Nuclear Energy Agency, http://www.nea.fr/ndd/docs/2000/nddsustdev.pdf, last accessed on 9October2016.
51.
OECD/IEA. 2009: CO2 emissions from fuel combustion. OECD International Energy Agency.
52.
OECD/IEA. 2010: Task 29, https://www.jc-bingo.com/details/0084FE48/task29-net, last accessed on 9October2016.
53.
PalastG., OppenheimJ. and MacGregorT.2000: Democratic regulation: A guide to the control of privatized public services through social dialogue, (Sectoral Working Paper No. 166) ILO.
54.
PillingerJ.2009: Quality public services for all: PSI resource pack. Public Services International.
55.
ShalomH.S. and MarkP.Z.1992: Universals in the content and structure of values: Theoretical advances and empirical tests in 20 countries. In Advances in experimental social psychology,Vol. 25. Academic Press, 1–65, http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0065260108602816, last accessed on 5April2017.
56.
SN Power. 2008. CSR, http://www.snpower.no/Corporate_Responsibility, last accessed on 15September2008.
57.
SN Power. 2012: About SN Power, http://www.snpower.com/about-us/, last accessed on 3March2012.
58.
SøderbergA.-M. and HoldenN.2002: Rethinking cross cultural management in a globalizing business world. International Journal of Cross Cultural Management, 2, 103–121.
59.
StajkovicA.D. and LuthansF.1997: Business ethics across cultures: A social cognitive model. Journal of World Business, 32, 17–34, http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6W5M-4625MJH-4/2/52b5fd8be385e049bcdef25e7b3a2a89, last accessed on 5April2017.
60.
TakaI. and FogliaW.D.1994: Ethical aspects of Japanese leadership style. Journal of Business Ethics, 13(2), 135–148.
61.
TeskeS.2010: Energy [r]evolution: A sustainable world energy outlook. European Renewable Energy Council and Greenpeace International.
62.
ThomasS.2007: Electricity liberalization experiences in the world. Public Services International Research Unit, University of Greenwich, http://www.psiru.org/reports/electricity-liberalization-experiences-world.html, last accessed on 9October2016.
63.
TriandisH.C.1993: Review of cultures and organizations: Software of the mind. Administrative Science Quarterly, 38(1), 132–134.
64.
TullyS.2006: The human right to access electricity. The Electricity Journal, 19, 30–39, http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6VSS-4JJGB86-4/2/957a58c8d7633cfd262d0e2302fb0570, last accessed on 5April2017.
65.
UK Committee on Climate Change. 2009: Meeting carbon budgets—The need for a step change. First progress report to parliament, http://www.theccc.org.uk/reports/1st-progress-report, last accessed on 9October2016.
66.
UN Energy. 2005: The energy challenge for achieving the millennium development goals. United Nations, http://www.un-energy.org/publications/50-the-energy-challenge-for-achieving-the-millennium-development-goals, last accessed on 9October2016.
67.
UN/IAEA. 2007: Energy indicators for sustainable development: Country studies on Brazil, Cuba, Lithuania, Mexico, Russian Federation, Slovakia and Thailand. Vienna: United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency, http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/publications/energy_indicators/full_report.pdf, last accessed on 9October2016.
68.
UNCSD. 2001: Commission on sustainable development, Report of the ninth session. United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development, https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/intergovernmental/csd9, last accessed on 9October2016.
69.
VisserW.2008: Corporate social responsibility in developing countries. In CraneA., McWilliamsA., MattenD., MoonJ and SiegelD., editors, The Oxford Handbook of corporate social responsibility. Oxford University Press, 473–79.
70.
VogelS.K.1996: Freer markets, more rules: Regulatory reform in advanced industrial countries. Cornell University Press.
71.
VoßA., Rath-NagelS. and EllersdorferI.2005: A conceptual framework for sustainable electricity supply: EUSUSTEL – WP 8.2. Universität Stuttgart, Institut für Energiewirtschaft und Rationelle Energieanwendung, http://www.ier.uni-stuttgart.de/publikationen/pb_pdf/04_EUSUSTEL_Final_Report_WP8.pdf, last accessed on 9October2016.
72.
WBCSD. 2002: Sustainability in the electricity utility sector. World Business Council for Sustainable Development, http://www.wbcsd.org/pages/edocument/edocumentdetails.aspx?id=125&nosearchcontextkey=true, last accessed on 9October2016.
73.
WCD. 2000: Dams & development: A new framework for decision-making. World Commission on Dams, https://www.internationalrivers.org/resources/dams-and-development-a-new-framework-for-decision-making-3939, last accessed on 9October2016.
74.
WCED. 1987: Our common future: Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development. Oxford University Press, http://www.un-documents.net/wced-ocf.htm, last accessed on 9October2016.
75.
WeickK.E. and RobertsK.H.1993: Collective mind in organizations: Heedful interrelating on flight decks. Administrative Science Quarterly, 38, 357–81, http://www.jstor.org/stable/2393372, last accessed on 5April2017.
76.
WelzelC., PetersA., HöckerU. and ScholzV., editors. 2007: The CSR navigator: Public policies in Africa, the Americas, Asia and Europe. Bertelsmann Stiftung, http://www.ku.de/fileadmin/160124/CSR_Navigator.pdf, last accessed on 9October2016.
77.
YaminM. and SinkovicsR.R.2008: Infrastructure or foreign direct investment? An examination of the implications of MNE Strategy for economic development. Journal of World Business, 44, 144–57.
