Mapping the link between corporate social responsibility and sustainable development in the ayubia national park khyber pakhtunkhwa pakistan

The notion of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainable development (SD) has recently gained increased attention in the business and management literature. There has been a growing realization that businesses may contribute to sustainable development by adopting socially responsible practices into their core operations. However, very few studies have explored the relationship between corporate social responsibility and sustainable development in the national parks context, and thus, it lacks empirical validity. To bridge up this knowledge-gap, the current study endeavors to explore the prevailing perceptions of CSR and the relationship between CSR and sustainable development by capitalizing on the Carroll’s (1991) model and Sustainability theory in the context of Ayubia National Park Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The data was collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews from key stakeholders including wildlife management, local community and tourists. The data was then analyzed through capitalizing on thematic analysis as suggested by Braun and Clarke (2006). The findings revealed that the very conceptualization of CSR is relatively at infant level within the context of Ayubia national Park Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Most of the respondents highlighted the importance of economic and legal responsibilities whereas the ethical and philanthropic responsibilities were ignored. However, in relation to sustainability most of the respondents mentioned that CSR is indeed a significant tool which may lead to sustainable development of the Ayubia National Park. The study nevertheless provides important managerial as well as practical implications for the future endeavors.