Motivational conditions of successful corporate social responsibility (CSR) actions in form of cross sector collaborations in international health

It is clearly of paramount importance to secure both short-term and long-term provision and access to drugs and healthcare services in order to accomplish a substantial impact on public health in any country. Nevertheless, there are millions of people, especially in the developing world, that have no or limited access to such pharmaceutics and services. Faced with the situation, some important cross-sector efforts that make drugs and services available through the engagement of private for profit firms in corporate social responsibility (CSR) have been launched in the international health scene.
Yet CSR and civil involvement in cross-sector collaborations also open the door to exploitation and opportunistic behavior. Hence, it is essential to learn more about what makes cross-sector partnerships succeed, while developing a framework that supports sustainable partnerships in a morally and ethically sound context. Furthermore, as cross-collaborations do not simply ÒhappenÓ, but are rather built, and since little information is available on the necessary conditions leading to their successful formation, governance and management - despite the number of collaborations that have been established in the past decades - further research is urgently called for.
The aim of this work is to investigate how cross-sector collaborations, that attempt to improve access to healthcare in the developing world, could be strengthened and improved through the involvement of firms in CSR. By assessing motivational factors and skills that allow a favorable collaborative culture and value creation to the company through such collaborations, partnerships could be strengthened and their outcomes maximized. Through a longitudinal case study, involving for profit businesses in Germany and Switzerland, an established NGO in Ethiopia, as well as the Tigray Regional Health Bureau of the Ethiopian Ministry of Health, we were able to identify initial motivational factors that lead to the engagement of firms in CSR in the form of cross-sector collaborations, as well as motivational factors and conditions which promote value creation and long-term commitment of organizations to CSR.
Using multiple qualitative methods, we were able to identified three motivational cornerstones that allow a positive output in form of a motivating collaborative culture and intangible asset creation, namely 1) the need of help and a mutual value exchange approach, with value creation as a primary motivation for embarking in the project 2) alignment between collaboration-/project-mission and core activity/mission of the participating businesses, and strategic congruency between participating parties, as incentives, and 3) the implementation of sound motivational competencies such as catalyzing-, leadership- and management- skills.
When these cornerstones are in place, an environment that favors intangible asset creation and positive outcome, as well as sustainability, can evolve. This favorable environment, or TIES-culture, is characterized by Trusting relationships between the various parties involved, Identification and emotional connection with the cause, Empowering environment that stimulates learning, as well as a Successful organizational culture that feeds gratification and satisfaction. The TIES-culture is an important intangible asset per se, yet the defined collaborative culture also supports further intangible value creation in form of human capital, information capital and organizational capital, and the consequent ability of an organization to mobilize and sustain processes of change that are required to execute its strategy.
As the global economy is changing and shifting from manufacturing to a service oriented economy, intangible assets and intellectual capital have become increasingly important resources for a companyÕs, organizationÕs or partnershipÕs success and value creation, especially in the healthcare industry. Intangible assets can support the improving of business and collaborative processes and performance, and finally be converted into tangible outcomes in form of improved health and other social outcomes, revenue growth and in form of cost reduction.
Building on the Balanced Score Card by Kaplan and Norton, and based on data obtained through this case study, we were able to develop a tool (The Collaboration Scorecard) that adapts to the specific setting of collaborations and CSR, and that allows a systematic analysis of input, output and outcome, and the correlation between these components and the tangible and intangible value created to organizations through cross-sector collaborations. In addition, it can serve as a preliminary evaluation tool and guide for businesses, immersed in cross-sector collaborations, in how to create future value through investment in customers, suppliers, employees, processes, technology, and innovation.
In sum, in order to accomplish a long-term impact on global public health, it is of great importance to encourage the commitment of private firms to CSR and to a stronger collaboration between businesses, NGOs and governments involved in the international health sector. Based on the knowledge gained through this explorative study, motivational frameworks and strategies that maximize both tangible and intangible asset creation through cross-sector collaborations may be developed. Businesses may capitalized on the intangible assets created through cross- sector collaborations, and the ensuing value creation, for all participants involved, may encourage stronger civil involvement in public health, especially when governments fail to provide public goods and services in the international health sector.