Reputational judgments of foreign MNEs’ societal impact in frontier markets

While multinational enterprises often aim to do good through corporate social responsibility and other initiatives, their efforts are not always seen positively by local stakeholders. The article discussed in this episode examines how MNEs are perceived by local communities in East Africa in relation to their societal impact. It explores why some MNEs have better reputations for societal impact than others and how their actions influence these perceptions. Citation: Makarius, E.E., Kahindi, A.M., Stevens, C.E. et al. (2025). Reputational judgments of foreign MNEs’ societal impact in frontier markets: the role of compatible, crossed, and conflicting signals. Journal of International Business Studies. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41267-025-00795-x