While Chinese firms in Africa are known for their economic development activities, much of the attention they’ve received for community relations hasn’t always been so positive. However, there’s an untold story of Chinese companies that have generally managed both successful business operations and local community relations through corporate social responsibility (CSR), leading to significant benefits for both sides. For businesses working on the continent—either from China o

Let’s say your company has just entered a new market: oil production in an African country. As the head of community relations in that country, what approach should you take? Most likely, you would choose to follow a path similar to others before you: conduct some research, talk to the community, develop partnerships and spend a good deal of time and money implementing a well-meaning social program. Sounds reasonable, right? Sure—but there’s significant room for improvement.