Do Businesses in Sub-Saharan Africa have a Moral Duty to Actively Reduce Unemployment?

Abstract:

One of the most striking challenges facing Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) economies has been unemployment, compounded by structural economic issues, very limited access to education, and rapid urbanization. The essay discusses whether businesses operating in SSA have a moral obligation to actively reduce unemployment, framed through the lenses of stakeholder theory and social contract theory. It supports this by arguing that corporations, being a part of society, have a corporate social responsibility of contributing to the unemployment solution. The counterarguments come with the presentation of unemployment as a government matter; these are overcome by presenting a modern-day interpretation of the social contract theory, recognizing mutual responsibilities between governments, businesses, and communities. The essay concludes by calling for a collaborative approach in addressing unemployment, whereby businesses have a moral commitment to sustainable social and economic development.

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