Yes / This study aims to examine the extent to which corporate governance structures and ownership types are associated with the level of Corporate Social Responsibility Disclosures (CSRD) in a developing country. Design/methodology/approach: Multiple regression techniques are used to estimate the effect of corporate governance structures and ownership types on CSRD using a sample of Libyan oil and gas companies between 2009 and 2013. Findings: First, our results suggest that although the level of CSRD in Libya is low in comparison to its western counterparts, ownership factors have a significant positive influence on CSRD. Second, we find board meetings to have a positive impact on CSRD. However, we fail to find any significant effect of board size and presence of CSR committees on CSRD. Overall, our results support prior theoretical evidence that pressures exerted by the government and external stakeholders have a considerable influence in promoting firm-level CSRD activities, specifically as a legitimising mechanism in fragile states. Research limitations/implications: First, our research is based on the annual reports and it did not examine any other reports or other mass communication mechanism that companies’ management may use to disclose CSR information. Future studies might consider disclosures in other channels, if any, such as the internet, CSR reports etc. Additionally, this research adopts the neo-institutional theory perspective. Future studies might integrate multi-theoretical lense to offer a richer basis for understanding and explaining CSRD determinants. Originality/value: Our research contributes to the literature by first providing additional evidence for existing studies, which suggest that on average better-governed companies are more liable to follow a more socially responsible agenda than poorly governed companies as a legitimising mechanism in fragile states. Also, our study overcomes a major weakness in existing Libyan studies, which have mainly used descriptive data.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In a world where emerging markets are increasingly driving the world’s economic growth, and an increasing part of the world’s energy supply comes from politically unstable or undemocratic countries with less developed institutions and inadequate rule of law, the field of political risk has acquired especially great significance. In order to keep up with international and domestic demand, as well as maintain profit levels, there has been and will continue to be a search for new sources of petroleum reserves. This has pushed the extractive industries to invest in new territories, some of which pose potential risks for new investments. These trends are changing where and how oil and gas companies conduct their business, as many of the political risks that face the extractive industries stem from the political, institutional and structural framework of the host country. The core of this study has been the investigation of the assumption that high levels of democracy constitute low levels of political risk. The assumption that high levels of democracy constitute low levels of political risk implies, conversely, that low levels of democracy constitute high levels of political risk. The debate around this assumption is an essential part of this research study; its validity was tested through conducting an industry-specific political risk analysis, using the case of Statoil’s operations in Angola. Angola poses an interesting case for analyzing political risk in the oil and gas sector, as it exhibits many of the qualities that are found amongst these “new” actors in the oil industry. Furthermore, additional and new research on the risk of investing in these emerging markets is more relevant than ever before. The stipulation of the relevance of this research study is based on the following two main points: firstly, the general decline in the level of democracy in Sub-Saharan Africa; secondly, the fact that many of the current oil and gas resources are located in these very areas, i.e. in undemocratic and unstable countries. Moreover, there is little research on the effects the level of democracy has on the industry-specific risk, in this case the oil and gas industry. Hence further research on this area is both relevant and necessary. The political risk analysis shows that the political risks that face Statoil in the undemocratic nation of Angola are in fact not high. The analysis concludes with a result that indicates that investment in Angola poses a medium level of political risk. This challenges the abovementioned assumption, as the political risks are not necessarily higher in an undemocratic country. This study finds that the political risk associated with Angola is in the short- to mid-term seen as stable and medium; however, there are simmering tendencies and trends that currently point to a different long-term political risk picture. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In ‘n wêreld waar opkomende markte die ekonomiese groei van die wêreld toenemend voortdryf en ‘n toenemende deel van die wêreld se energie voorraad van politiese onstabiele of ondemokratiese lande met minder ontwikkelde instellings en onvoldoende regering kom, het die veld van politieke risiko groot waarde gekry. Om by te hou by die internasionale en plaaslike vraag, sowel as om winsvlakke te handhaaf, is en sal daar altyd ‘n soektog na nuwe bronne van petroleum reserwes wees. Dit het die ekstraksie industrieë gedruk om in nuwe gebiede te belê waarvan sommiges potensiële risiko’s het vir nuwe beleggings. Hierdie neigings verander waar en hoe olie- en petrolmaatskappye hul besigheid doen omdat baie van die politieke risiko’s wat die ekstraksie industrieë moet hanteer voortvloei uit die politieke, institusionele en strukturele raamwerk van die gasheerland. Die kern van hierdie studie was die ondersoek van die aanname dat hoë vlakke van demokrasie aanleiding gee tot lae vlakke van politieke risiko. Die aanname dat hoë vlakke van demokrasie aanleiding gee tot hae vlakke van politieke risiko impliseer dat lae vlakke van demokrasie aanleiding gee tot hoë vlakke van politieke risiko. Die debat rondom hierdie aanname is ‘n noodsaaklike deel van hierdie navorsingstudie; die geldigheid daarvan is getoets deur die uitvoering van ‘n industrie-spesifieke politieke risiko analise, deur gebruik te maak van die geval van Statoil se operering in Angola. Angola is ‘n interessante geval vir die ontleding van politieke risiko in die olie en petrolsektor, omdat dit baie van die kwaliteite toon wat onder die “nuwe” rolspelers in die olie-industrie gevind word. Verder is bykomende en nuwe navorsing op die risiko van belegging in hierdie opkomende markte meer relevant. Die stipulasie van hierdie relevansie van hierdie navorsingstudie is gebaseer op die volgende twee punte: eerstens, die algemene afname in die vlak van demokrasie in Sub-Sahara Afrika; tweedens, die feit dat baie van die huidige olie en petrolbronne in hierdie areas geleë is, d.i in ondemokratiese en onstabiele lande. Daar is ook min navorsing oor die uitwerking wat demokrasie het op die industrie-spesifieke risiko, in hierdie geval die olie en petroleum industrie. Daarom is verdere navorsing in hierdie area beide relevant en noodsaaklik. Die politieke risiko ontleding wys dat die politieke risikos wat Statoil in die gesig staar in die ondemokrastiese nasie van Angola nie hoog is nie. Die ontleding sluit af met ‘n gevolgtrekking wat toon dat belegging in Angola ‘n medium vlak van politieke risiko toon. Dit daag die bogenoemde aanname uit, omdat die politieke risiko’s nie noodwendig hoog is in ‘n ondemokratiese land nie. Hierdie studie vind dat die politieke risiko wat met Angola geassosieer word in die kort tot middel termyn is en as stabiel en medium beskou word; daar is egter neigings wat dui op ‘n ander langtermyn politieke risiko prent.

Innovation and ‘creative destruction’ should thrive in the competitive, high risk and high cost environment of the North Sea. Paradoxically, uptake of new technology is slow. The focus of this research was to understand how new technology is developed and how end users make decisions about innovation. Innovation process in the literature can sometimes come across like a ‘black box’ without much explanation of what happens inside the box. This study seeks to explicate what transpires inside the ‘black box’ to improve our understanding of the innovation process. The linear models of technology-push and market-pull are too simplistic to account for the complexity of relationships and engagements that affect innovation at small and medium enterprises’ (SMEs) level. Subsequent models of innovation are suited to how large corporations manage innovation but neglect patterns of social interactions at the micro level where SMEs operate. These innovation models are incomplete because they relegate the importance of context and how it shapes understanding, action and outcome. This study, rooted in a social constructionist paradigm, takes a process-relational stance on entrepreneurship and innovation, recognising the dynamic relationships between social actors and context. Taking Heidegger’s explication of how we relate to the world, this thesis submits that innovation occurs when actors move into the ‘occurrent’ mode. The happenings and doings in the innovation process are treated as the results of perpetual social constructions. This study is based on extended interviews with eleven individuals in relevant roles and with direct experiences of the technical innovation construction in the oil and gas industry. The purposeful sample of research encompasses a variety of roles including technology entrepreneurs, end users of technology and venture capitalists. This study makes a number of contributions. Firstly, the research improves our understanding of how different social constructions are welded together to develop shared understanding. Secondly, a conceptual framework is presented that bridges a number of theoretical concepts, which allows us to see that innovation cannot be properly understood using simplistic models that ignores the social constructions human actors instantiate. Thirdly, the research claims that problem framing is foundational to innovation construction, where social actors collaborate to develop shared understanding, and mentally represent in the present a future that is not totally knowable. Fourthly, an alternative model of innovation construction is presented that is relational and accounts for the social constructions of process participants. Finally, a number of research implications for academics and insights for practitioners engaged in the technical innovation construction are offered.

The economic activities of multinational corporations (MNCs) in the extractive industries of developing countries produce a myriad of immediate negative social, economic and environmental impacts on communities hosting their operations. Consequently, stakeholders have increasingly called for (greater) accountability of these corporations for the impacts of their operations on stakeholders and the wider society. The extent to which these MNCs are accountable for their operations' negative environmental impacts in the developing countries is underexplored as prior studies have primarily focused on corporate social responsibility rather than accountability of these corporations. However, accountability apparently means different things to different parties, and especially in a non-Western context. This thesis primarily seeks to explore the concept of accountability in a developing country context and how it is understood and practised within the Nigerian oil industry. More specifically, it seeks to understand the extent to which oil MNCs in Nigeria discharge accountability in the context of gas flaring and oil spills environmental pollution emanating from their operations. The study utilises a mixed methods approach to generate data to provide understanding on stakeholders' conceptions of accountability, the nature of accounts constructed by the MNCs on gas flaring and oil spills environmental incidents, and the plausible corporate sense-making embedded within those accounts. The empirical data produce both general and nuanced conceptions of accountability between the MNCs and stakeholders. An account-giving heuristic highlights four broad and further nuanced accounts the corporations provide on these negative environmental incidents which are largely in conflict with stakeholders' narratives. Moreover, the sense-making analysis of the MNCs' accounts suggests that those accounts apparently serve corporate self-interest rather than the discharge of accountability. However, organisational, institutional, relational, and national contextual factors apparently encourage the un-accountability of the MNCs. Accountability in the Nigerian oil industry will remain elusive without critical institutional and regulatory reforms.

In 1982, the Financial Accounting Board (FASB) issued Statment of Financial Accounting Standards No. 69 (SFAS No. 69) which required oil and gas producing companies to disclose supplementary information to the basic financial statements. These disclosures include, costs incurred, capitalized costs, reserve quantities, and a standardized measure of discounted cash flows. The FASB considered these disclosures to be necessary to compensate for the deficiencies in historical cost financial statements. The usefulness of the new signals created by SFAS No. 69, however, is an empirical question and research regarding that objective is lacking. The objective of the study is to test the usefulness of SFAS No. 69. The research strategy used to achieve that objective is to compare the discriminant and predictive power of SFAS No. 69 signals or SFAS No. 69 signals combined with financial signals to that of financial signals alone. The research hypothesized that SFAS No. 69 signals by themselves or as supplmentary to financial signals have more discriminant and predictive ability for business failure in oil and gas industry than do financial signals alone. In order to test that hypothesis, the study used the multiple discriminant analysis technique (MDA) to develop three equations. The first is based on SFAS NO. 69 signals, the second on financial statement signals, and the third on joint financial and SFAS No. 69 signals. Data were collected from the 10-K's arid the annual reports of 28 oil and gas companies (14 failed and 14 nonfailed). The analysis was repeated for four time bases, one year before failure, two years before failure, three years before failure, and the average of the three years immediately before failure. After assessing the discriminant and predictive ability of each equation in the four time bases, a t-test was used to determine a significant difference in the discriminant and predictive power existed between SFAS No. 69 signals or SFAS No. 69 signals combined with financial signals and financial signals alone. The study concluded that SFAS No. 69 signals by themselves or as supplementary to financial statements have more discriminant and predictive power for business failure than financial signals alone in the analyses of the third year before failure and of the average of three years before failure. The study, however, found no significant difference in the discriminant and predictive ability in the analyses of one year and two years before failure. The results indicated that SFAS No. 69 signals are useful for financial report users in detecting the deterioration of the financial position of an oil and gas company before failure.

This thesis makes a new contribution to the field of corporate social responsibility in the area of corporate community engagement (CCE) and public relations in the area of organization-public relationships (OPRs). The thesis focuses on the Nigerian oil and gas industry community relationship in the Niger Delta region. This study provides valuable insights into how CCE works for enhancing stakeholder relationship and other desirable outcomes and thereby contributes to the growing body of knowledge on CSR in public relations. For the practice of CCE, this study reinforces the importance of relationship management as a viable and robust strategy that can bring long-term benefits both to organizations and society in general. A qualitative approach was adopted as it is considered appropriate for the research, which focuses on assessing stakeholders’ views regarding the relationship between oil and gas company and their host community in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. Also, exploring how the stakeholders juxtapose their understanding of the relationship determinants between the oil and gas company and their host community. Semi-structured interviews served as the primary source of data collection from various stakeholders during fieldwork in Nigeria. Secondary methods served a crucial but minor role and were used primarily for the purpose of the researcher as a tool to double check the interview findings. Thirty-five respondents provided their views and opinions concerning the relationship between the oil and gas companies and communities in the region. The study uncovered the importance of culture, social awareness, social identity, corruption, insecurity, mediation and weak institutional structures as crucial predictors of relationship determinants for the oil and gas companies during engagement with their host communities. Moreover, this study explored the research on relationship success determinants key constructs (i.e. control mutuality, trust, commitment and satisfaction) to a qualitative assessment. Also, the developed framework emphasised the need for using these factors for assessing and building a successful long term relationship. Another key finding was that there is a significant difference between how multinational oil companies (MNOCs) and indigenous oil companies (INOCs) engage with the community. This finding suggests that the INOCs have a better approach in the engagement of host communities.

Submitted by Joana Azevedo (joanad@id.uff.br) on 2017-09-22T14:33:10Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissert Talita Granzinoli Vellozo.pdf: 771210 bytes, checksum: 188a00b2dd976ec2831ba2169064f249 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Biblioteca da Escola de Engenharia (bee@ndc.uff.br) on 2017-09-28T13:11:14Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissert Talita Granzinoli Vellozo.pdf: 771210 bytes, checksum: 188a00b2dd976ec2831ba2169064f249 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-09-28T13:11:14Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissert Talita Granzinoli Vellozo.pdf: 771210 bytes, checksum: 188a00b2dd976ec2831ba2169064f249 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-07-05 / As empresas do setor de Exploração e Produção de petróleo e gás, cada vez mais estão incorporando a variável ambiental em seus processos, através da adoção de indicadores de desempenho ambiental. Esta pesquisa tem como principal objetivo analisar os indicadores de desempenho ambiental mais divulgados pelas principais empresas do setor, signatárias do Global Reporting Iniative (GRI). Para tal, foram avaliados seus relatórios de sustentabilidade ambiental para o período de 2010 a 2014, bem como estabelecidos critérios para a seleção dos indicadores a serem estudados. Com relação aos indicadores de desempenho ambiental mais divulgados, EN3 (Consumo Energético), EN8 (Total de retirada de água por fonte), EN16 (Total de emissões diretas e indiretas de GEE), EN20 (NOx, SOx e outras emissões atmosféricas significativas), EN22 (Peso total de resíduos, por tipo e método de disposição) e EN23 (Número e volume total de derramamentos significativos); as empresas, em sua maioria, apresentaram melhora em seu desempenho ao longo dos anos. O indicador EN22, bem como o indicador EN3, foram os que apresentaram os melhores desempenhos pelas empresas. Apesar da melhoria das práticas observadas pelas empresas, observa-se que o indicador EN20 apresentou os resultados mais desfavoráveis. Com efeito, a análise crítica, quanto à aplicação dos indicadores e das práticas de melhoria adotadas pelas empresas, auxilia na avaliação do seu desempenho e gestão ambiental, sendo possível a proposição de melhorias no que está sendo realizado pelas mesmas no referente a sustentabilidade, em seu aspecto ambiental. / The Companies of the exploration and production sector of oil and gas are increasingly incorporating the environmental variable in their processes, through the adoption of environmental sustainability indicators. This research has as main objective to analyze the environmental sustainability indicators most publicized by the major oil companies’ signatories of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). To this end, the environmental sustainability reports were evaluated for the period 2010 to 2014, and criterias were established for the selection of environmental sustainability indicators to be studied. Considering the most publicized environmental performance indicators, EN3 (Energy Consumption), EN8 (Total water withdrawal by source), EN16 (Total direct and indirect GHG emissions), EN20 (NOx, SOx and other significant air emissions), EN22 (Total weight of waste by type and disposal method) and EN23 (Total number and volume of significant spills); the majority of companies showed improvement in their performance over the years. The EN22 indicator, as well as the EN3 showed the best performance by companies. Despite improvements in practices observed by the companies, it’s observed that the EN20 indicator showed the most unfavorable results. Indeed, the review of the application of indicators and improvement practices adopted by companies may assist in the evaluation of its performance and environmental management, making possible to propose improvements being carried out by them in respect of environmental sustainability.

Oil and gas companies in Alberta, Canada lose millions of dollars per year due to ineffective management of retired assets. Ineffective management of inactive oil and gas assets in Alberta has led to over 80,000 inactive wells, highlighting the practice of prolonged deferment of asset end-of-life costs. Using the corporate sustainability model and asset management concept model as frameworks, this multiple case study was conducted to explore the strategies that asset managers in small- and medium-sized oil and gas companies used to manage retired assets effectively to increase organizational sustainability. The population for the study included 3 business leaders of small- and medium-sized oil and gas companies in Alberta who implemented effective strategies to manage their retired assets. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with the leaders and review of artifacts including firm documents and websites. Data were compiled, disassembled into fragments, reassembled into a sequence of groups, clarified, and interpreted for meaning. Methodological triangulation and member checking validated the interpretations. Data analysis resulted in 7 themes: responsible leadership commitment, adoption and communication of corporate social responsibility philosophy, regulatory compliance, asset management software tools, dedicated inactive assets and reclamation champion/team, annual budget/long-term planning, and performance measurement/reporting. The findings may contribute to positive social change by providing insights for small- and medium-sized oil and gas business leaders on strategies for managing inactive assets and for fostering an environmental culture among employees that has beneficial impacts on their families and communities.

Agência Nacional do Petróleo / O presente trabalho congrega duas temáticas de grande relevância para o estudo do Direito Internacional. A primeira delas é o Direito Internacional dos Investimentos, fruto dos intensos fluxos de capital e indivíduos ao redor do mundo e expressão de tratativas negociais e contratuais firmadas entre Estados hospedeiros e investidores estrangeiros, sendo estes dois últimos atores globais na consecução e efetivação do Direito dos Investimentos. A segunda temática refere-se ao direito ao desenvolvimento que, nascido em um ambiente de profunda e intensa discussão travada pela comunidade internacional, figura como direito multifacetado que abarca aspectos sociais, econômicos e ambientais. Nesse contexto de sustentabilidade e representatividade dos Direitos Humanos, a presente pesquisa procura demonstrar como essas duas temáticas podem contribuir para uma indústria de caráter essencialmente internacional, qual seja, a indústria do petróleo e gás natural. Com o fito de minimizar os impactos negativos causados pelas atividades de exploração e produção de óleo e gás nos países produtores, são aplicados os ensinamentos do Direito Internacional dos Investimentos e do direito ao desenvolvimento, chegando-se a alguns mecanismos que promovam o desenvolvimento nos países atuantes nessa indústria. Esses mecanismos são estudados sob a ótica do Direito Comparado e propõem uma estratégia de atuação, tanto para Estados hospedeiros, quanto para investidores estrangeiros, que permita garantir a harmonia na comunidade internacional, tornando indústria tão peculiarmente delicada e instável em um instrumento para a valorização do homem e do meio-ambiente. / This paper brings together two topics of great relevance for the study of International Law. The first one is International Investment Law, which is the outcome of the intense flows of capital and individuals around the world and expresses the consequences of contracts and treaties in force between host states and foreign investors. The second topic refers to the right to development, which came to life in an environment of deep and intense debate waged by the international community. The right to development represents the multifaceted right which encompasses social, economic and environmental aspects. In this context of sustainability and representativeness of the Human Rights, this research aims at showing how these two issues can contribute to an essentially international industry, namely the oil and natural gas industry. Intending to reduce the negative impacts of exploration and production of oil and gas activities in oil countries, the principles of International Investment Law and of the right to development are applied in order to reach some mechanisms that promote the development in the countries that take part in this industry. Such mechanisms are studied from the perspective of Comparative Law and they propose a strategy of action for both host states and foreign investors. That strategy is intended to guarantee harmony in the international community, turning this so peculiar and unstable industry into an instrument for the enhancement of both mankind and the environment.

Submitted by Dolores Teixeira de Brito (doloresbrito@terra.com.br) on 2016-11-10T01:40:39Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertation_Dolores_2016.pdf: 1510340 bytes, checksum: 812ca360631a36fc0b07ea8604353e10 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by ÁUREA CORRÊA DA FONSECA CORRÊA DA FONSECA (aurea.fonseca@fgv.br) on 2016-11-11T13:15:35Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertation_Dolores_2016.pdf: 1510340 bytes, checksum: 812ca360631a36fc0b07ea8604353e10 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-12-06T11:25:25Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertation_Dolores_2016.pdf: 1510340 bytes, checksum: 812ca360631a36fc0b07ea8604353e10 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-10-03 / Although Public Service Motivation theory (PSM) has been widely studied since Perry’s 1996 seminal work, including studies in different countries, there are still gaps in the literature regarding the emergence of PSM (wright 2008), its implications for public-sector employees recruitment and intake process, and its potential effects on job performance, particularly in an emerging country such as Brazil. In order to study public service motivation in Brazil, and its evolution from recruitment through retention, we carried a quantitative and qualitative research in a Brazilian regulatory agency, the Brazilian National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (ANP), a public sector organization, and in a hybrid organization, Petrobras, an oil and gas company, a previously state-owned enterprise. Although Petrobras has now opened its capital and the hiring regime differs from public sector organizations, its capital is still majoritarily in the hands of the state and the agency ethos is still predominantly a public sector one. Therefore, this paper explores how the PSM construct, as proposed by James Perry (1990), applies to the Brazilian reality and suggests new elements for a new construct for a Brazilian PSM concept. Indeed, the data collected bears evidence that PSM as initially proposed in the cited study is not relevant to determine public service recruitment and entry motivation in Brazil. Values such as mission are not the reasons why Brazilian employees feel attracted to the public service. Nevertheless, once in the job, retention of such employees might result of a socially developed motivation and belief in the values regarding the mission of public organizations. This study also shows that the conditions of entry, as well as the progression paths before and after the recruitment are unique and peculiar to the Brazilian public sector entry mode. This study used a two-folded methodological approach: first, the author applied a survey to employees in both organizations using Perry ́s proposed survey instrument to test whether the PSM construct applied to the Brazilian case. Second, in-depth semi-strucutured interviews were carried out with employees in both organizations in order to collect data about specific features of motivation. This paper then concludes that the PSM concept must be redefined for the Brazilian case and that public service motivation is socially constructed on the job. Finally, the findings show that there is a unique dynamic in the Brazilian public service: given how competitive public examinations are, before recruitment, employees go through several competitive exams, erratically. They initially apply to very competitive and highly paid positions and, if they do not pass, they apply to lesser and lesser competitive positions until they pass. This characterizes a downward selection process. Conversely, once they have passed the examination, they start to compete for jobs that are higher paid, in an upward progression mode. Chosen jobs are not necessarily along the same profession lines. However, during the upward progression within the public sector, motivation and identity with the public sector emerges.