9.6 Conclusion
139
9.6 Conclusion
This research has highlighted the conflicting interests guiding O&G social investment, and the complexity of O&G experts’ work. This research provides a basis
for companies, funding institutions, such as international banks, and O&G host
governments to consider different approaches to social investment. The research
may also provide a basis for training social investment experts in the O&G industry,
for example, by prompting reflection on their own (and their companies’) values,
and possible tensions they may face in future social investment work.
This research highlights both the importance and the complexity of social investment experts’ work in O&G operations. Social investment experts’ work is important because they may act as community ‘translators’ and advocates when liaising
with companies’ decision-making personnel, lessening the power imbalance between
companies and impacted communities. Social investment work is complex because
they must negotiate conflicting community engagement functions. This research
highlights the need for O&G companies to recognise the work social investment
experts do and to ensure that they have the tools to do it genuinely, for example, by
re-envisaging social investment in more modest terms, rather than as a ‘miracle tool’
aimed at performing multiple community engagement functions.
Although this research was small in size and scope, it usefully highlights the
contradictory nature of O&G social investment, and the complex positioning of
social investment personnel, particularly when their personal views are at odds with
institutional policies and practices. I hope that this research serves as a starting
point from which companies, O&G experts, communities, host country governments
and international banks can build more creative and ethical approaches to social
investment which promote positive futures for all people, rather than short-term
gains for a few.
References
Andreotti, V. D. O. (2011). (Towards) decoloniality and diversality in global citizenship education. Globalisation, Societies and Education, 9(3–4), 381–397.
Bergek, A., Hekkert, M., & Jacobsson, S. (2008). Functions in innovation systems: A framework
for analysing energy system dynamics and identifying goals for system-building activities by
entrepreneurs and policy makers. Innovation for a low carbon economy: Economic, institutional
and management approaches, 79.
Escobar, A. (2002). The problematization of poverty: The tale of three worlds and development. In
S. A. H. Susanne & Jane (Eds.), Development: A cultural studies reader. Oxford: Blackwell.
Escobar, A. (2004). Beyond the third world: imperial globality, global coloniality and antiglobalisation social movements. Third World Quarterly, 25(1), 207–230.
Ferguson, J. (2013). Declarations of dependence: Labour, personhood, and welfare in southern
Africa. Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute, 19(2), 223–242.
Ferguson, J. (2015). Give a man a fish: Reflections on the new politics of distribution. London: Duke
University Press.
139
9.6 Conclusion
This research has highlighted the conflicting interests guiding O&G social investment, and the complexity of O&G experts’ work. This research provides a basis
for companies, funding institutions, such as international banks, and O&G host
governments to consider different approaches to social investment. The research
may also provide a basis for training social investment experts in the O&G industry,
for example, by prompting reflection on their own (and their companies’) values,
and possible tensions they may face in future social investment work.
This research highlights both the importance and the complexity of social investment experts’ work in O&G operations. Social investment experts’ work is important because they may act as community ‘translators’ and advocates when liaising
with companies’ decision-making personnel, lessening the power imbalance between
companies and impacted communities. Social investment work is complex because
they must negotiate conflicting community engagement functions. This research
highlights the need for O&G companies to recognise the work social investment
experts do and to ensure that they have the tools to do it genuinely, for example, by
re-envisaging social investment in more modest terms, rather than as a ‘miracle tool’
aimed at performing multiple community engagement functions.
Although this research was small in size and scope, it usefully highlights the
contradictory nature of O&G social investment, and the complex positioning of
social investment personnel, particularly when their personal views are at odds with
institutional policies and practices. I hope that this research serves as a starting
point from which companies, O&G experts, communities, host country governments
and international banks can build more creative and ethical approaches to social
investment which promote positive futures for all people, rather than short-term
gains for a few.
References
Andreotti, V. D. O. (2011). (Towards) decoloniality and diversality in global citizenship education. Globalisation, Societies and Education, 9(3–4), 381–397.
Bergek, A., Hekkert, M., & Jacobsson, S. (2008). Functions in innovation systems: A framework
for analysing energy system dynamics and identifying goals for system-building activities by
entrepreneurs and policy makers. Innovation for a low carbon economy: Economic, institutional
and management approaches, 79.
Escobar, A. (2002). The problematization of poverty: The tale of three worlds and development. In
S. A. H. Susanne & Jane (Eds.), Development: A cultural studies reader. Oxford: Blackwell.
Escobar, A. (2004). Beyond the third world: imperial globality, global coloniality and antiglobalisation social movements. Third World Quarterly, 25(1), 207–230.
Ferguson, J. (2013). Declarations of dependence: Labour, personhood, and welfare in southern
Africa. Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute, 19(2), 223–242.
Ferguson, J. (2015). Give a man a fish: Reflections on the new politics of distribution. London: Duke
University Press.