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A conscious leadership model to achieve sustainable business practices
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Industrial management -- Environmental aspects , Sustainable development , Social responsibility of business
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/5885 , http://vital.seals.ac.za8080/10948/28911 , vital:21008
- Description: Business sustainability is a fundamental concern amongst business leaders and it is imperative that business defines an environmentally and socially sustainable path to financial prosperity. This focus on sustainable business practices has been caused by the perceived contribution of businesses to undesirable conditions such as environmental and social degradation including global warming and the global financial crises. This study suggests that a leadership style that differs from leadership that is currently causing business unsustainability is needed in order to achieve the goal of sustainable business practices. This study therefore proposes a new kind of leadership, called conscious leadership. The main contribution of the study is to increase the achievement of sustainable business practices by investigating the importance of conscious leadership in achieving this objective. Convenience sampling was used to select senior managers and directors from mainly JSE listed companies. This resulted in a total of 371 usable questionnaires (317 from listed companies and 54 from unlisted companies) being received. A quantitative approach was adopted to investigate whether conscious leadership would be related to increased sustainability competencies and more effective sustainability-related corporate governance and whether these in turn would increase sustainability behaviours which would generate sustainable business practices as measured by financial, social and environmental performance. Regression analyses were conducted to investigate the hypothesised relationships among these variables. Pearson correlations and descriptive statistics were also calculated. The empirical results showed that respondents in this study regarded conscious leadership, not as a separate construct, but as a way they governed their businesses. The empirical results showed that corporate governance and systems thinking competency had a strong interactive relationship and should therefore be cultivated within business firms. Corporate governance (including conscious leadership) and systems-thinking competency were positive influencers of employee relations, equal opportunities and workforce diversity. The empirical results however showed that corporate governance (including conscious leadership) had a negative influence on profitability. The present study cannot argue for the discouragement of corporate governance (including conscious leadership), as measured in this study, because reduced corporate governance would decrease healthy employee relations and the latter would decrease the achievement of equal opportunities and workforce diversity in these firms. A decrease in healthy employee relations would decrease profitability. The most important finding of this study is that senior managers and directors of big business firms, mostly JSE-listed companies, regarded conscious leadership as an important part of corporate governance. Corporate governance that includes conscious leadership must be developed to higher levels in business firms, so that the negative and not-significant relationships to profitability as viewed by lower and high conscious leaders respectively can be changed to positive relationships.
- Full Text:
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Industrial management -- Environmental aspects , Sustainable development , Social responsibility of business
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/5885 , http://vital.seals.ac.za8080/10948/28911 , vital:21008
- Description: Business sustainability is a fundamental concern amongst business leaders and it is imperative that business defines an environmentally and socially sustainable path to financial prosperity. This focus on sustainable business practices has been caused by the perceived contribution of businesses to undesirable conditions such as environmental and social degradation including global warming and the global financial crises. This study suggests that a leadership style that differs from leadership that is currently causing business unsustainability is needed in order to achieve the goal of sustainable business practices. This study therefore proposes a new kind of leadership, called conscious leadership. The main contribution of the study is to increase the achievement of sustainable business practices by investigating the importance of conscious leadership in achieving this objective. Convenience sampling was used to select senior managers and directors from mainly JSE listed companies. This resulted in a total of 371 usable questionnaires (317 from listed companies and 54 from unlisted companies) being received. A quantitative approach was adopted to investigate whether conscious leadership would be related to increased sustainability competencies and more effective sustainability-related corporate governance and whether these in turn would increase sustainability behaviours which would generate sustainable business practices as measured by financial, social and environmental performance. Regression analyses were conducted to investigate the hypothesised relationships among these variables. Pearson correlations and descriptive statistics were also calculated. The empirical results showed that respondents in this study regarded conscious leadership, not as a separate construct, but as a way they governed their businesses. The empirical results showed that corporate governance and systems thinking competency had a strong interactive relationship and should therefore be cultivated within business firms. Corporate governance (including conscious leadership) and systems-thinking competency were positive influencers of employee relations, equal opportunities and workforce diversity. The empirical results however showed that corporate governance (including conscious leadership) had a negative influence on profitability. The present study cannot argue for the discouragement of corporate governance (including conscious leadership), as measured in this study, because reduced corporate governance would decrease healthy employee relations and the latter would decrease the achievement of equal opportunities and workforce diversity in these firms. A decrease in healthy employee relations would decrease profitability. The most important finding of this study is that senior managers and directors of big business firms, mostly JSE-listed companies, regarded conscious leadership as an important part of corporate governance. Corporate governance that includes conscious leadership must be developed to higher levels in business firms, so that the negative and not-significant relationships to profitability as viewed by lower and high conscious leaders respectively can be changed to positive relationships.
- Full Text:
Antecedents to sustainability of small consulting engineering businesses within the Amathole district municipality
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Small business -- Environmental aspects , Sustainable development , Social responsibility of business
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/5184 , http://vital.seals.ac.za8080/10948/24367 , vital:20819
- Description: The South African consulting engineering industry faces a challenge of relevance, particularly in the wake of government infrastructure investment through the planned National Development Plan and other current infrastructure plans. This challenge is even more so for small consulting engineering businesses within the industry who experienced a decline in earnings by ten percent in the first six months of 2013 as compared to the last six months of 2012 (Consulting Engineers South Africa, 2013:38). Government, as a job creator, has a duty to ensure that the conditions that these businesses operate in are favourable to them in order for the businesses to remain sustainable. Factors that contribute to the sustainability of small consulting engineering businesses need to be identified. Amathole District Municipality (ADM) situated in the Eastern Cape Province and which is the second largest province in South Africa but the second poorest (Eastern Cape Socio Economic Council (ECSECC), 2011:15 cited in Mtshibe, 2013:1) is one of those job creators. According to the Amathole District Municipality (ADM) (2013:38), the district, which comprises of seven local municipalities, is the 3rd largest economy in the province after the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality and Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality, contributing twelve percent to the provincial economy. Figures published in the Division of Revenue Bill, 2014 (RSA, 2014:236) indicate infrastructure development allocations totalling R1.34 billion budgeted to the ADM for the next three years. This translates to job opportunities for the consulting engineering industry of this region. However, the latest ADM SMME procurement data reveals that in the past five years, only a small percentage of tenders awarded were to small consulting engineering businesses with a majority going to medium to large well-established enterprises (ADM, 2014). These results pose a serious challenge for policy makers who have a duty to ensure that work opportunities do not disadvantage emerging small businesses. The main objective of this study was to gain an understanding of the antecedents that impact on the sustainability of small consulting engineering businesses within the Amathole District Municipality. This was done by identifying antecedents to sustainability of small consulting engineering businesses through a detailed literature review. This literature review identified the competitive environment, regulatory environment and policy environment (independent variables) as being antecedents to sustainability of small consulting engineering businesses (dependant variable). In testing the above research objective, the researcher used statistical analysis methods to reach a conclusion with regard to these antecedents. The positivistic research paradigm (quantitative method) was selected in testing this research objective through the use of hypothesis testing. Data was collected using self-administered questionnaires distributed to 100 small consulting engineering businesses using the databases of both the Amathole District Municipality and Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA). Out of the selected sample of 100 small consulting engineering businesses, only 81 responses were received, thus representing an eighty-one percent response rate which is considered adequate. The collected data was then analysed using inferential and confirmatory statistical analysis methods. The analysis was presented in the form of graphs and tables. The results of the empirical survey identified rival competitor influence, the competitive environment and policy environment as being antecedents to sustainability of small consulting engineering businesses within the Amathole District Municipality. Based on these findings, recommendations were made to the management of the Amathole District Municipality in an endeavour to make the environment within which small consulting engineering businesses operate more favourable for the businesses to be sustainable. Suggestions for future research were also made as a way to help in addressing some of the challenges that are faced by the engineering industry.
- Full Text:
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Small business -- Environmental aspects , Sustainable development , Social responsibility of business
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/5184 , http://vital.seals.ac.za8080/10948/24367 , vital:20819
- Description: The South African consulting engineering industry faces a challenge of relevance, particularly in the wake of government infrastructure investment through the planned National Development Plan and other current infrastructure plans. This challenge is even more so for small consulting engineering businesses within the industry who experienced a decline in earnings by ten percent in the first six months of 2013 as compared to the last six months of 2012 (Consulting Engineers South Africa, 2013:38). Government, as a job creator, has a duty to ensure that the conditions that these businesses operate in are favourable to them in order for the businesses to remain sustainable. Factors that contribute to the sustainability of small consulting engineering businesses need to be identified. Amathole District Municipality (ADM) situated in the Eastern Cape Province and which is the second largest province in South Africa but the second poorest (Eastern Cape Socio Economic Council (ECSECC), 2011:15 cited in Mtshibe, 2013:1) is one of those job creators. According to the Amathole District Municipality (ADM) (2013:38), the district, which comprises of seven local municipalities, is the 3rd largest economy in the province after the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality and Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality, contributing twelve percent to the provincial economy. Figures published in the Division of Revenue Bill, 2014 (RSA, 2014:236) indicate infrastructure development allocations totalling R1.34 billion budgeted to the ADM for the next three years. This translates to job opportunities for the consulting engineering industry of this region. However, the latest ADM SMME procurement data reveals that in the past five years, only a small percentage of tenders awarded were to small consulting engineering businesses with a majority going to medium to large well-established enterprises (ADM, 2014). These results pose a serious challenge for policy makers who have a duty to ensure that work opportunities do not disadvantage emerging small businesses. The main objective of this study was to gain an understanding of the antecedents that impact on the sustainability of small consulting engineering businesses within the Amathole District Municipality. This was done by identifying antecedents to sustainability of small consulting engineering businesses through a detailed literature review. This literature review identified the competitive environment, regulatory environment and policy environment (independent variables) as being antecedents to sustainability of small consulting engineering businesses (dependant variable). In testing the above research objective, the researcher used statistical analysis methods to reach a conclusion with regard to these antecedents. The positivistic research paradigm (quantitative method) was selected in testing this research objective through the use of hypothesis testing. Data was collected using self-administered questionnaires distributed to 100 small consulting engineering businesses using the databases of both the Amathole District Municipality and Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA). Out of the selected sample of 100 small consulting engineering businesses, only 81 responses were received, thus representing an eighty-one percent response rate which is considered adequate. The collected data was then analysed using inferential and confirmatory statistical analysis methods. The analysis was presented in the form of graphs and tables. The results of the empirical survey identified rival competitor influence, the competitive environment and policy environment as being antecedents to sustainability of small consulting engineering businesses within the Amathole District Municipality. Based on these findings, recommendations were made to the management of the Amathole District Municipality in an endeavour to make the environment within which small consulting engineering businesses operate more favourable for the businesses to be sustainable. Suggestions for future research were also made as a way to help in addressing some of the challenges that are faced by the engineering industry.
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Evaluating selected enterprises for sustainable social development in South Africa :|ba case study of Buffalo City Municipality, Eastern Cape
- Authors: Kajiita, Robert Mutemi
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Social entrepreneurship , Social responsibility of business , Nonprofit organizations -- Management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/10829 , vital:35825
- Description: Globally, countries, institutions, and organizations are investing time, resources, and human capital on finding best solutions to address poverty, inequality and unemployment; and importantly on achieving sustainable development. This study sought to investigate how social enterprises in Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (BCMM) contribute to sustainable social development within the municipality and the country at large. The study endeavoured to answer the following research questions: what is the knowledge level among the selected stakeholders on social enterprise in BCMM? What is the scope, application, and sustainability of selected social enterprises in BCMM? What is the contribution of selected social enterprises in social development in BCMM? What are the bottlenecks associated with the application of social entrepreneurship in BCMM? These questions were answered through mixed methods approaches and techniques, where both qualitative and quantitative data was collected and analysed. The data was collected through in-depth interviews (key informant technique) and a min-survey which was administered to users of the social enterprises. Qualitative data was analysed thematically, while quantitative data was statistically analysed with help of SPSS software. The interpretation of the findings was premised on pragmatic and transformative paradigms. The study further used theoretical lenses such as empowerment theory, capability approach and positive theory of social enterprise to support and explain the findings. The main findings showed that: the selected stakeholders conceptualized social enterprises through the African lens of communal living; the social enterprises widely provided their services across a range of sectors and geographical locations; the social enterprises had direct and indirect contribution to socio-economic development in BCMM. This was specifically through provision of employment, training and skill development among others; the future of social enterprises in the country is bright as many sectors presented opportunities for social investment; and social enterprises face financial constraints, lack of skills in the sector, and competition from the mainstream market. The recommendations from this study address government entities, social services providers and practitioners, social enterprises, and researchers on pertinent endeavours to improve the growth and development of social enterprises. The study concludes that social enterprises are: vital vehicles of socio-economic development, more especially for the marginalized segment of the populations; tools for reducing inequality; platforms for innovations, community participation and conduits of empowerment interventions. Thus, social enterprises play dynamic role and presents potential for capable sustainable social development in the local communities and the South African community at large.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Kajiita, Robert Mutemi
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Social entrepreneurship , Social responsibility of business , Nonprofit organizations -- Management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/10829 , vital:35825
- Description: Globally, countries, institutions, and organizations are investing time, resources, and human capital on finding best solutions to address poverty, inequality and unemployment; and importantly on achieving sustainable development. This study sought to investigate how social enterprises in Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (BCMM) contribute to sustainable social development within the municipality and the country at large. The study endeavoured to answer the following research questions: what is the knowledge level among the selected stakeholders on social enterprise in BCMM? What is the scope, application, and sustainability of selected social enterprises in BCMM? What is the contribution of selected social enterprises in social development in BCMM? What are the bottlenecks associated with the application of social entrepreneurship in BCMM? These questions were answered through mixed methods approaches and techniques, where both qualitative and quantitative data was collected and analysed. The data was collected through in-depth interviews (key informant technique) and a min-survey which was administered to users of the social enterprises. Qualitative data was analysed thematically, while quantitative data was statistically analysed with help of SPSS software. The interpretation of the findings was premised on pragmatic and transformative paradigms. The study further used theoretical lenses such as empowerment theory, capability approach and positive theory of social enterprise to support and explain the findings. The main findings showed that: the selected stakeholders conceptualized social enterprises through the African lens of communal living; the social enterprises widely provided their services across a range of sectors and geographical locations; the social enterprises had direct and indirect contribution to socio-economic development in BCMM. This was specifically through provision of employment, training and skill development among others; the future of social enterprises in the country is bright as many sectors presented opportunities for social investment; and social enterprises face financial constraints, lack of skills in the sector, and competition from the mainstream market. The recommendations from this study address government entities, social services providers and practitioners, social enterprises, and researchers on pertinent endeavours to improve the growth and development of social enterprises. The study concludes that social enterprises are: vital vehicles of socio-economic development, more especially for the marginalized segment of the populations; tools for reducing inequality; platforms for innovations, community participation and conduits of empowerment interventions. Thus, social enterprises play dynamic role and presents potential for capable sustainable social development in the local communities and the South African community at large.
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The effective use of corporate social responsibility as a strategic marketing tool to achieve competitive advantage in the South African banking sector
- Authors: Sogoni, Shalene
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Social responsibility of business , Business communication , Mass media and business , Marketing , Banks and banking -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/44034 , vital:37094
- Description: The South African banking sector has increasingly grown, with the rise of new entrants in the market and a strong fintech focus, offering a completely digital banking service with products designed to improve the money management of clients. Competition within this sector has become rife, giving banks the option to compete by using traditional means or pursue alternative options. In the past, banks focused more on lowering costs, increasing sales, improve customer retention strategies and the development of superior digital products and services driven by new technology. However banking organisations also understand that is not enough. In order to survive in a highly competitive industry, firms will be have to diversify and follow alternative means outside of the standard traditional ways of doing banking. The business case for engaging in corporate social responsibility is clear and unavoidable as the scope and nature of the socio-economic problems within our communities persist, so has these societal problems become interdependent with the business environment. Therefore, executive managers and are now encouraged to become good corporate citizens, by becoming more socially responsible in the way it does its business. In other words, by strategically applying CSR, as a marketing tool, a company can be profitable, obtain a competitive advantage and simultaneously contribute towards making a sustainable difference in society. The intent of this study is to determine if corporate social responsibility is being effectively used as a strategic marketing tool to achieve competitive advantage in the South African banking sector. In addressing the main research question, and several other secondary objectives, this study seeks to enrich the discussion by presenting a theoretical review that demonstrates the relationship between several concepts, namely, corporate strategy, strategic marketing, corporate social responsibility and competitive advantage, interrelated in this study. The study employs a qualitative research approach by empirically conducting in-depth discussions with industry experts on the subject matter at hand, underpinned by academic literature. The study will justify the interdependencies of business and the society and explores the benefits of integrating CSR into the core strategy of business. The findings will be valuable to business executives, corporate social responsibility or marketing managers, academics and scholars who are trying to better understand the determinant’s of corporate social responsibility, strategic management and competitive advantage.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Sogoni, Shalene
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Social responsibility of business , Business communication , Mass media and business , Marketing , Banks and banking -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/44034 , vital:37094
- Description: The South African banking sector has increasingly grown, with the rise of new entrants in the market and a strong fintech focus, offering a completely digital banking service with products designed to improve the money management of clients. Competition within this sector has become rife, giving banks the option to compete by using traditional means or pursue alternative options. In the past, banks focused more on lowering costs, increasing sales, improve customer retention strategies and the development of superior digital products and services driven by new technology. However banking organisations also understand that is not enough. In order to survive in a highly competitive industry, firms will be have to diversify and follow alternative means outside of the standard traditional ways of doing banking. The business case for engaging in corporate social responsibility is clear and unavoidable as the scope and nature of the socio-economic problems within our communities persist, so has these societal problems become interdependent with the business environment. Therefore, executive managers and are now encouraged to become good corporate citizens, by becoming more socially responsible in the way it does its business. In other words, by strategically applying CSR, as a marketing tool, a company can be profitable, obtain a competitive advantage and simultaneously contribute towards making a sustainable difference in society. The intent of this study is to determine if corporate social responsibility is being effectively used as a strategic marketing tool to achieve competitive advantage in the South African banking sector. In addressing the main research question, and several other secondary objectives, this study seeks to enrich the discussion by presenting a theoretical review that demonstrates the relationship between several concepts, namely, corporate strategy, strategic marketing, corporate social responsibility and competitive advantage, interrelated in this study. The study employs a qualitative research approach by empirically conducting in-depth discussions with industry experts on the subject matter at hand, underpinned by academic literature. The study will justify the interdependencies of business and the society and explores the benefits of integrating CSR into the core strategy of business. The findings will be valuable to business executives, corporate social responsibility or marketing managers, academics and scholars who are trying to better understand the determinant’s of corporate social responsibility, strategic management and competitive advantage.
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Human resources strategies for creating a green organisational culture
- Authors: Jacobs, Petro
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Personnel management , Environmental responsibility , Corporate culture , Social responsibility of business
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/22090 , vital:29839
- Description: Organisations of the future have to focus strongly on sustainability to meet the needs of and ensure the survival of future generations. Many organisations either ignore environmental issues or address these issues superficially. To become a green organisation, requires a change in attitude, knowledge and behaviour and therefore a change in organisational culture. The purpose of this study was to explore Human Resources strategies for developing and implementing a green organisational culture in organisations. To address the main problem and the identified sub-problems, a literature study was undertaken. The concept of sustainability was explored, the rationale for going green and major stakeholders in creating a green organisational culture were identified. The literature study provided a synopsis of previous research on HR strategies for managing a culture change and more specifically, for creating and implementing a green culture in organisations. The research revealed that leadership, communication, recruitment, orientation, training, performance management, reward and recognition initiatives, as well as discipline, could be used to develop green values, attitudes and behaviours among organisational members. A web-based survey with a questionnaire as data collecting instrument was conducted among public and private organisations in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan area to determine the extent to which these organisations used the identified HR strategies to create a green organisational culture. A snowball sample technique was used. The main factors surveyed, included leadership, green technologies, green communication, HR strategies and procedures, brand communication and brand image. The results confirmed that executives or senior management were the main drivers to create a green culture; however, even though these leaders were considered passionate about the environment, they did not optimise the vision values and strategy to build a green organisational culture. The study also confirmed that although these organisations used green technologies to reduce waste, they did not encourage or reward employees for their contributions to green initiatives and did not adequately use communication in this respect. The results revealed that of the factors surveyed, leadership and HR strategies or procedures contributed the most to organisations developing a green organisational brand or image. The study confirmed the importance of using an integrated approach to develop a green organisation. Such an approach is initiated by senior management, through the formulation of a green vision, green values and a green strategy, and is supported by both technological resources and employee contributions. In addition, HR strategies should be aligned vertically and horizontally to develop an appropriate green mind-set and behaviour among all organisational members. In this respect, the HR department should also model appropriate green behaviours.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Jacobs, Petro
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Personnel management , Environmental responsibility , Corporate culture , Social responsibility of business
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/22090 , vital:29839
- Description: Organisations of the future have to focus strongly on sustainability to meet the needs of and ensure the survival of future generations. Many organisations either ignore environmental issues or address these issues superficially. To become a green organisation, requires a change in attitude, knowledge and behaviour and therefore a change in organisational culture. The purpose of this study was to explore Human Resources strategies for developing and implementing a green organisational culture in organisations. To address the main problem and the identified sub-problems, a literature study was undertaken. The concept of sustainability was explored, the rationale for going green and major stakeholders in creating a green organisational culture were identified. The literature study provided a synopsis of previous research on HR strategies for managing a culture change and more specifically, for creating and implementing a green culture in organisations. The research revealed that leadership, communication, recruitment, orientation, training, performance management, reward and recognition initiatives, as well as discipline, could be used to develop green values, attitudes and behaviours among organisational members. A web-based survey with a questionnaire as data collecting instrument was conducted among public and private organisations in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan area to determine the extent to which these organisations used the identified HR strategies to create a green organisational culture. A snowball sample technique was used. The main factors surveyed, included leadership, green technologies, green communication, HR strategies and procedures, brand communication and brand image. The results confirmed that executives or senior management were the main drivers to create a green culture; however, even though these leaders were considered passionate about the environment, they did not optimise the vision values and strategy to build a green organisational culture. The study also confirmed that although these organisations used green technologies to reduce waste, they did not encourage or reward employees for their contributions to green initiatives and did not adequately use communication in this respect. The results revealed that of the factors surveyed, leadership and HR strategies or procedures contributed the most to organisations developing a green organisational brand or image. The study confirmed the importance of using an integrated approach to develop a green organisation. Such an approach is initiated by senior management, through the formulation of a green vision, green values and a green strategy, and is supported by both technological resources and employee contributions. In addition, HR strategies should be aligned vertically and horizontally to develop an appropriate green mind-set and behaviour among all organisational members. In this respect, the HR department should also model appropriate green behaviours.
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Patents, pills, poverty and pandemic: the ethical issues
- Authors: Brown, Walter
- Date: 2003
- Subjects: Kant, Immanuel, 1724-1804 -- Ethics , AIDS (Disease) -- Treatment -- South Africa -- Moral and ethical aspects , AIDS (Disease) -- Moral and ethical aspects , HIV infections -- South Africa , HIV infections -- Treatment -- South Africa -- Moral and ethical aspects , Social responsibility of business , Pharmaceutical industry -- South Africa -- Moral and ethical aspects
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:2705 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002835 , Kant, Immanuel, 1724-1804 -- Ethics , AIDS (Disease) -- Treatment -- South Africa -- Moral and ethical aspects , AIDS (Disease) -- Moral and ethical aspects , HIV infections -- South Africa , HIV infections -- Treatment -- South Africa -- Moral and ethical aspects , Social responsibility of business , Pharmaceutical industry -- South Africa -- Moral and ethical aspects
- Description: This thesis argues that corporations qua corporations are moral agents sui generis and hence capable of being held morally responsible. I argue that corporations qua corporations are responsible for the actual and foreseen consequences of their actions. I analyse normative theories and the different proscriptive responsibilities they place on moral agents and hence corporations. I examine Kantianism, utilitarianism and virtue ethics. I argue for a unique normative ethical theory that incorporates reasoning from all three of the normative theories. I argue for a broad range of reasons to factor into deciding whether an act is ethical or not. One of the claims of this thesis is that ethical theories must incorporate an agent’s motivation, intention and character traits as relevant to deciding on whether an action is ethical or not. My thesis argues for an indispensable role for the virtues while at the same time incorporating impartial beneficence and universal rationality from utilitarianism and Kantianism. This position I, following the literature, refer to as moderate virtue theory. Having established corporate qua corporate responsibility I question the pharmaceutical corporation’s practice of patenting life saving medication during a state of pandemic in poor countries. The moderate virtue theory position prioritises contexts and the actual human condition and criticises normative theories that attempt to give universal, abstracted answers to ethical problems. It is for this reason and the current (2003) HIV/AIDS pandemic that I focus on a particular context. I examine the practice of patenting life saving medication within South Africa and argue, applying moderate virtue theory, that this act cannot be justified. I argue that a pharmaceutical corporation that patents life saving medication in South Africa cannot justify that action and thus is morally responsible for that action. I also argue that corporations patenting HIV/AIDS medication in South Africa have unethical motivations and intentions.
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- Authors: Brown, Walter
- Date: 2003
- Subjects: Kant, Immanuel, 1724-1804 -- Ethics , AIDS (Disease) -- Treatment -- South Africa -- Moral and ethical aspects , AIDS (Disease) -- Moral and ethical aspects , HIV infections -- South Africa , HIV infections -- Treatment -- South Africa -- Moral and ethical aspects , Social responsibility of business , Pharmaceutical industry -- South Africa -- Moral and ethical aspects
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:2705 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002835 , Kant, Immanuel, 1724-1804 -- Ethics , AIDS (Disease) -- Treatment -- South Africa -- Moral and ethical aspects , AIDS (Disease) -- Moral and ethical aspects , HIV infections -- South Africa , HIV infections -- Treatment -- South Africa -- Moral and ethical aspects , Social responsibility of business , Pharmaceutical industry -- South Africa -- Moral and ethical aspects
- Description: This thesis argues that corporations qua corporations are moral agents sui generis and hence capable of being held morally responsible. I argue that corporations qua corporations are responsible for the actual and foreseen consequences of their actions. I analyse normative theories and the different proscriptive responsibilities they place on moral agents and hence corporations. I examine Kantianism, utilitarianism and virtue ethics. I argue for a unique normative ethical theory that incorporates reasoning from all three of the normative theories. I argue for a broad range of reasons to factor into deciding whether an act is ethical or not. One of the claims of this thesis is that ethical theories must incorporate an agent’s motivation, intention and character traits as relevant to deciding on whether an action is ethical or not. My thesis argues for an indispensable role for the virtues while at the same time incorporating impartial beneficence and universal rationality from utilitarianism and Kantianism. This position I, following the literature, refer to as moderate virtue theory. Having established corporate qua corporate responsibility I question the pharmaceutical corporation’s practice of patenting life saving medication during a state of pandemic in poor countries. The moderate virtue theory position prioritises contexts and the actual human condition and criticises normative theories that attempt to give universal, abstracted answers to ethical problems. It is for this reason and the current (2003) HIV/AIDS pandemic that I focus on a particular context. I examine the practice of patenting life saving medication within South Africa and argue, applying moderate virtue theory, that this act cannot be justified. I argue that a pharmaceutical corporation that patents life saving medication in South Africa cannot justify that action and thus is morally responsible for that action. I also argue that corporations patenting HIV/AIDS medication in South Africa have unethical motivations and intentions.
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Assessing ecological intelligence and behaviours in organisations
- Authors: Hill, Hayden Clee
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Sustainable development -- Management , Social responsibility of business , Executive ability
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/8284 , vital:26319
- Description: The earth has been undergoing a process of global warming and climate change for a period exceeding 100 years. These two occurrences have had many adverse effects on the sustainability of the environment as well as on humans and organisations. The direct cause of global warming and climate change, including the consequential negative ramifications, are due to humans use of natural resources mostly in the form of the consumption of products and services. Organisations are regarded as the largest consumers of products and services within society and as a result are responsible for the major contributions made to global warming and climate change. In order to rectify the negative impact made by organisations in terms of their ecological behaviour and ensure organisational sustainability theory, stipulates that a behavioural change within leadership is required. Ecologically intelligent leaders who hold an affirmation of an ecological worldview and enact pro-ecological behaviours are pivotal to the proliferation of ecological leadership and a subsequent rise in organisational pro-ecological behaviour, towards a sustainable future. On the basis of the above mentioned statements, gained from various literature, a conceptual model was formed and an exploratory research study undertaken to substantiate the presence of correlational or causal relationships between a leader’s ecological intelligence with the enactment of ecological leadership and organisational pro-ecological behaviour. The sample consisted of 42 respondents who occupied positions of leadership within organisations that were members of the Southern African Association for Energy Efficiency. The findings provide substantiating evidence of the presence of ecological intelligence within leadership, the enactment of ecological leadership as well as organisational pro-ecological behaviour. Furthermore significant correlational relationships exist between ecological leadership and organisational pro-ecological behaviour. There is also substantiating indication that the enablers of a leader’s ecological intelligence, an affirmation of an ecological worldview and pro-ecological behaviour, facilitate the outcome of organisational pro-ecological behaviour.
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- Authors: Hill, Hayden Clee
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Sustainable development -- Management , Social responsibility of business , Executive ability
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/8284 , vital:26319
- Description: The earth has been undergoing a process of global warming and climate change for a period exceeding 100 years. These two occurrences have had many adverse effects on the sustainability of the environment as well as on humans and organisations. The direct cause of global warming and climate change, including the consequential negative ramifications, are due to humans use of natural resources mostly in the form of the consumption of products and services. Organisations are regarded as the largest consumers of products and services within society and as a result are responsible for the major contributions made to global warming and climate change. In order to rectify the negative impact made by organisations in terms of their ecological behaviour and ensure organisational sustainability theory, stipulates that a behavioural change within leadership is required. Ecologically intelligent leaders who hold an affirmation of an ecological worldview and enact pro-ecological behaviours are pivotal to the proliferation of ecological leadership and a subsequent rise in organisational pro-ecological behaviour, towards a sustainable future. On the basis of the above mentioned statements, gained from various literature, a conceptual model was formed and an exploratory research study undertaken to substantiate the presence of correlational or causal relationships between a leader’s ecological intelligence with the enactment of ecological leadership and organisational pro-ecological behaviour. The sample consisted of 42 respondents who occupied positions of leadership within organisations that were members of the Southern African Association for Energy Efficiency. The findings provide substantiating evidence of the presence of ecological intelligence within leadership, the enactment of ecological leadership as well as organisational pro-ecological behaviour. Furthermore significant correlational relationships exist between ecological leadership and organisational pro-ecological behaviour. There is also substantiating indication that the enablers of a leader’s ecological intelligence, an affirmation of an ecological worldview and pro-ecological behaviour, facilitate the outcome of organisational pro-ecological behaviour.
- Full Text:
Companies creating shared value through their business models
- Authors: Ncemane, Bonakele
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Business planning , Strategic planning , Social responsibility of business , Capitalism -- Moral and ethical aspects
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/42935 , vital:36712
- Description: The subject of this treatise was the construct “Creating Shared Value”. The purpose was to explore the business models companies use to create shared value. The study was based on the life insurance industry. The study employed a qualitative paradigm and four Cases were content analysed. It was found that business models used by the insurance industry increase quality of life and thereby increasing social value; further these business models increases economic value for business through the reduction of insurance costs . This mutual and simultaneous creation of economic value and social value is the underlying principle of the Shared Value Construct. Secondly it was found that business models used by the life insurance companies selected for the study manifested hybrid business models with features of both inclusive and social business models components. Practical implications – Policy makers should consider providing universal coverage based on the emerging hybrid business model as an alternative to National Health Insurance business model that is aimed at compulsory membership of citizens to a medical aids. These model enhance early detection of disease’s which promotes better health management and prevention, literature review correlated this with better productivity, less insurance claims and general wellbeing of the citizens.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Ncemane, Bonakele
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Business planning , Strategic planning , Social responsibility of business , Capitalism -- Moral and ethical aspects
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/42935 , vital:36712
- Description: The subject of this treatise was the construct “Creating Shared Value”. The purpose was to explore the business models companies use to create shared value. The study was based on the life insurance industry. The study employed a qualitative paradigm and four Cases were content analysed. It was found that business models used by the insurance industry increase quality of life and thereby increasing social value; further these business models increases economic value for business through the reduction of insurance costs . This mutual and simultaneous creation of economic value and social value is the underlying principle of the Shared Value Construct. Secondly it was found that business models used by the life insurance companies selected for the study manifested hybrid business models with features of both inclusive and social business models components. Practical implications – Policy makers should consider providing universal coverage based on the emerging hybrid business model as an alternative to National Health Insurance business model that is aimed at compulsory membership of citizens to a medical aids. These model enhance early detection of disease’s which promotes better health management and prevention, literature review correlated this with better productivity, less insurance claims and general wellbeing of the citizens.
- Full Text:
A transdisciplinary explanatory critique of environmental education
- Authors: Price, Leigh
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Environmental education , Business enterprises -- Environmental aspects , Corporations -- Environmental aspects , Social responsibility of business , Social responsibility of business -- Study and teaching , Environmental education -- Philosophy , Environmental ethics -- Study and teaching
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:1804 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003689
- Description: This study originates out of my experience as an environmental educator working within business and industry in Zimbabwe and South Africa. It is motivated by my observation that, despite much environmental rhetoric and training, environmental education in industry rarely leads to significant advances towards environmental protection. I assume that the problem of the mismatch between rhetoric and action involves both semiotic and non-semiotic components and therefore, after a thorough exploration of my methodological options, I adopt a qualitative transdisciplinary textual analysis of relevant documents using Fairclough’s Critical Discourse Analysis and Bhaskar’s Dialectical Critical Realism, with some insights taken from Bhaskar’s more recent concept of Meta-Reality. My main conclusions from the study indicate that causally efficacious philosophical mistakes, relating to theories of structure/agency and theories of epistemology, are an important aspect of the problem being considered. Specifically, I demonstrate that these mistakes function to buttress ideology and its attendant contradictions which in turn function to provide the preconditions that maintain inequalities and poor environmental practice in business and industry. Prior and current events, such as climate change and the trend towards globalisation, the ‘free market economy’ and psychological characteristics of the author, relevant to the problem, are also important. In line with Bhaskar’s emancipatory aim for explanatory critique, I end with tentative recommendations for a re-imagined environmental education for business and industry which require (un)action. Consistent with my methodological choices, my recommendations have a (qualified) universal application, despite my focus on texts from South Africa and Zimbabwe. My recommendations are summarised below: • there should be consistency between theory and practice such that performance contradictions are avoided; • we should not act from a fear of survival based on past, no longer relevant experiences (e.g. from childhood) as this is unlikely to be an adequate base for present actions; • we should avoid voluntarism by acting with the resources at our disposal, based on a true understanding of our strengths and weaknesses and our own specificities; • we should avoid assuming the stance of the ‘victim’ by refusing to blame other agents or circumstances, without distorting or underestimating the causal efficacy of those agents or circumstances (related to avoiding voluntarism, whilst nevertheless not resorting to determinism either); • we should direct our action towards the abolition of inequalities and master-slave relationships (related to the avoidance of performance contradictions); • we should act from the position of epistemological humility, rather than from the position of epistemological privilege; • we should consider action as ‘shedding’ based on an understanding of the Transformational Model of Social Activity (TMSA); and • we should consider learning to be ‘shedding’ based on the necessity of (un)knowledge, or ignorance, as a requirement of arriving at relatively new knowledge. This study is also a contribution to contemporary methodological discussions relevant to Critical Discourse Analysis in that it extends these discussions to include psychoanalytical (as well as the more familiar phenomenological and ideological) depth explanations of lived illusion. Furthermore, this study is an experimental attempt to apply the concept of ‘meta-reflexivity’ in Critical Discourse Analysis.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Price, Leigh
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Environmental education , Business enterprises -- Environmental aspects , Corporations -- Environmental aspects , Social responsibility of business , Social responsibility of business -- Study and teaching , Environmental education -- Philosophy , Environmental ethics -- Study and teaching
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:1804 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003689
- Description: This study originates out of my experience as an environmental educator working within business and industry in Zimbabwe and South Africa. It is motivated by my observation that, despite much environmental rhetoric and training, environmental education in industry rarely leads to significant advances towards environmental protection. I assume that the problem of the mismatch between rhetoric and action involves both semiotic and non-semiotic components and therefore, after a thorough exploration of my methodological options, I adopt a qualitative transdisciplinary textual analysis of relevant documents using Fairclough’s Critical Discourse Analysis and Bhaskar’s Dialectical Critical Realism, with some insights taken from Bhaskar’s more recent concept of Meta-Reality. My main conclusions from the study indicate that causally efficacious philosophical mistakes, relating to theories of structure/agency and theories of epistemology, are an important aspect of the problem being considered. Specifically, I demonstrate that these mistakes function to buttress ideology and its attendant contradictions which in turn function to provide the preconditions that maintain inequalities and poor environmental practice in business and industry. Prior and current events, such as climate change and the trend towards globalisation, the ‘free market economy’ and psychological characteristics of the author, relevant to the problem, are also important. In line with Bhaskar’s emancipatory aim for explanatory critique, I end with tentative recommendations for a re-imagined environmental education for business and industry which require (un)action. Consistent with my methodological choices, my recommendations have a (qualified) universal application, despite my focus on texts from South Africa and Zimbabwe. My recommendations are summarised below: • there should be consistency between theory and practice such that performance contradictions are avoided; • we should not act from a fear of survival based on past, no longer relevant experiences (e.g. from childhood) as this is unlikely to be an adequate base for present actions; • we should avoid voluntarism by acting with the resources at our disposal, based on a true understanding of our strengths and weaknesses and our own specificities; • we should avoid assuming the stance of the ‘victim’ by refusing to blame other agents or circumstances, without distorting or underestimating the causal efficacy of those agents or circumstances (related to avoiding voluntarism, whilst nevertheless not resorting to determinism either); • we should direct our action towards the abolition of inequalities and master-slave relationships (related to the avoidance of performance contradictions); • we should act from the position of epistemological humility, rather than from the position of epistemological privilege; • we should consider action as ‘shedding’ based on an understanding of the Transformational Model of Social Activity (TMSA); and • we should consider learning to be ‘shedding’ based on the necessity of (un)knowledge, or ignorance, as a requirement of arriving at relatively new knowledge. This study is also a contribution to contemporary methodological discussions relevant to Critical Discourse Analysis in that it extends these discussions to include psychoanalytical (as well as the more familiar phenomenological and ideological) depth explanations of lived illusion. Furthermore, this study is an experimental attempt to apply the concept of ‘meta-reflexivity’ in Critical Discourse Analysis.
- Full Text:
The relationship between perceived ethical leadership and employee life-satisfaction in South Africa
- Authors: van Rooyen, Uné
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Leadership -- Moral and ethical aspects , Leadership , Business ethics , Social responsibility of business
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/44100 , vital:37110
- Description: Leadership behaviour has a significant impact on follower outcomes. How leaders are perceived in terms of ethical leadership and integrity may have an impact on follower well-being. This non-experimental, correlational study aimed to determine the relationships between Ethical Leadership, employee Life-satisfaction and Job-satisfaction in South Africa. Perceived Leader Integrity was used as an indicator of Ethical Leadership. Employing the survey method, Ethical Leadership was measured with the Perceived Leadership Integrity Scale (PLIS), Life-satisfaction was measured with the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) and Job-satisfaction was measured with the Michigan Organisational Assessment Questionnaire Jobsatisfaction Subscale (MOAQ-JSS). The sample consisted of lower and middle managers in various organisations across different geographical locations in South Africa. Data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics, including Cronbach’s alpha testing, Person Product Moment correlation calculations as well as Independent samples T-tests and ANOVA statistics. The results indicated a positive, yet negligible relationship between Perceived Leader Integrity and Life-satisfaction, and a fair positive relationship between Perceived Leader Integrity and Job-satisfaction, as well as between Lifesatisfaction and Job-satisfaction. Despite several limitations, the study contributes to the current body of knowledge regarding leadership and well-being, specifically in a South African context. Recommendations for future research include cultural considerations, and more specific populations groups, among others.
- Full Text:
The relationship between perceived ethical leadership and employee life-satisfaction in South Africa
- Authors: van Rooyen, Uné
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Leadership -- Moral and ethical aspects , Leadership , Business ethics , Social responsibility of business
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/44100 , vital:37110
- Description: Leadership behaviour has a significant impact on follower outcomes. How leaders are perceived in terms of ethical leadership and integrity may have an impact on follower well-being. This non-experimental, correlational study aimed to determine the relationships between Ethical Leadership, employee Life-satisfaction and Job-satisfaction in South Africa. Perceived Leader Integrity was used as an indicator of Ethical Leadership. Employing the survey method, Ethical Leadership was measured with the Perceived Leadership Integrity Scale (PLIS), Life-satisfaction was measured with the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) and Job-satisfaction was measured with the Michigan Organisational Assessment Questionnaire Jobsatisfaction Subscale (MOAQ-JSS). The sample consisted of lower and middle managers in various organisations across different geographical locations in South Africa. Data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics, including Cronbach’s alpha testing, Person Product Moment correlation calculations as well as Independent samples T-tests and ANOVA statistics. The results indicated a positive, yet negligible relationship between Perceived Leader Integrity and Life-satisfaction, and a fair positive relationship between Perceived Leader Integrity and Job-satisfaction, as well as between Lifesatisfaction and Job-satisfaction. Despite several limitations, the study contributes to the current body of knowledge regarding leadership and well-being, specifically in a South African context. Recommendations for future research include cultural considerations, and more specific populations groups, among others.
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Redefining success : social justice and the ends of business
- Authors: Zorn, Gwendolyn Philippa
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Success , Social justice , Success in business , Social responsibility of business , Business ethics , Corporate profits
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:2745 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1012061
- Description: Success in business is for the most part defined in financial terms and, because of this, business operations are almost entirely, if not entirely, directed to this end. The principle behind this rationale has been informed by the thought that the best contribution businesses can make to social justice is to focus on the bottom line. By appealing to enlightened self-interest and the high premium people place on freedom, neoliberal economists like Milton Friedman and Friedrich Hayek argue that maximising profits is necessarily socially responsible. And, moreover, that not to pursue this end is socially irresponsible. Social responsibility is the ultimate justification that thinkers such as Friedman and Hayek appeal to when claiming that the business of business is to maximise profit. Yet this position is internally inconsistent. The position is ultimately justified by what is socially just but this means that in fact social justice, and not profit-making, ought to be the end of business. I shall argue that taking this commitment seriously involves rejecting the idea that the aim of business is to maximise profits. This is not to say that businesses should not make profits, rather it implies that this feature is not what ultimately makes them successful. The central contribution of this project is to resolve the contradictions embedded in the traditional approach to business by arguing that the primary aim of business is the promotion of social justice. To this end success in business needs to be redefined so that it reflects the achievement of its ultimate ends and not simply its instrumental means (profit) to the realisation of these aims. We ought then to revise our fundamental assumptions about the structures and policies that are necessary for business to achieve its real end of social justice.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Zorn, Gwendolyn Philippa
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Success , Social justice , Success in business , Social responsibility of business , Business ethics , Corporate profits
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:2745 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1012061
- Description: Success in business is for the most part defined in financial terms and, because of this, business operations are almost entirely, if not entirely, directed to this end. The principle behind this rationale has been informed by the thought that the best contribution businesses can make to social justice is to focus on the bottom line. By appealing to enlightened self-interest and the high premium people place on freedom, neoliberal economists like Milton Friedman and Friedrich Hayek argue that maximising profits is necessarily socially responsible. And, moreover, that not to pursue this end is socially irresponsible. Social responsibility is the ultimate justification that thinkers such as Friedman and Hayek appeal to when claiming that the business of business is to maximise profit. Yet this position is internally inconsistent. The position is ultimately justified by what is socially just but this means that in fact social justice, and not profit-making, ought to be the end of business. I shall argue that taking this commitment seriously involves rejecting the idea that the aim of business is to maximise profits. This is not to say that businesses should not make profits, rather it implies that this feature is not what ultimately makes them successful. The central contribution of this project is to resolve the contradictions embedded in the traditional approach to business by arguing that the primary aim of business is the promotion of social justice. To this end success in business needs to be redefined so that it reflects the achievement of its ultimate ends and not simply its instrumental means (profit) to the realisation of these aims. We ought then to revise our fundamental assumptions about the structures and policies that are necessary for business to achieve its real end of social justice.
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The relationship between organisational commitment, work engagement and turnover intentions
- Authors: Robinson, Nicole Dianne
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Social responsibility of business , Organizational commitment , Labor turnover
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/6582 , vital:21119
- Description: “The question of employee turnover has come to gain greater attention especially in the 21st century where organisations all over the world, in various industries, have faced this problem at some stages of their evolution” (Zahra et al, 2013:78). Turnover intentions have further become a vital study for organisations and researchers as research has found that once an employee has actually implemented the behaviour to quit, it is highly unlikely that an employer will be able to “gain access to them to understand their prior situation” (Darroux, Johnathan & Thibeli, 2013:78). Several studies have been devoted to examine the impact of various factors such as organisational commitment, work engagement, age, gender and tenure on turnover intentions in an attempt to assist organisations in alleviating the challenges associated with turnover (Darroux, Johnathan & Thibeli, 2013). The results of these studies have continually shown that both work engagement and organisational commitment have a significant effect on turnover intentions (Yin & Yang, 2002; Meyer, Stanley, Herscovitch & Topolnytsky, 2002 and Tett & Meyer, 1993).
- Full Text:
- Authors: Robinson, Nicole Dianne
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Social responsibility of business , Organizational commitment , Labor turnover
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/6582 , vital:21119
- Description: “The question of employee turnover has come to gain greater attention especially in the 21st century where organisations all over the world, in various industries, have faced this problem at some stages of their evolution” (Zahra et al, 2013:78). Turnover intentions have further become a vital study for organisations and researchers as research has found that once an employee has actually implemented the behaviour to quit, it is highly unlikely that an employer will be able to “gain access to them to understand their prior situation” (Darroux, Johnathan & Thibeli, 2013:78). Several studies have been devoted to examine the impact of various factors such as organisational commitment, work engagement, age, gender and tenure on turnover intentions in an attempt to assist organisations in alleviating the challenges associated with turnover (Darroux, Johnathan & Thibeli, 2013). The results of these studies have continually shown that both work engagement and organisational commitment have a significant effect on turnover intentions (Yin & Yang, 2002; Meyer, Stanley, Herscovitch & Topolnytsky, 2002 and Tett & Meyer, 1993).
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The influence of corparate social responsibilty on the engagement and organisational commitment of employees
- Authors: Kondlo, Nomnikelo
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Social responsibility of business , Management -- employee participation , Organizational commitment
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8847 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020103
- Description: Companies are facing unprecedented pressure from various stakeholders to behave as responsible corporate citizens. The issue of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has therefore gained prominence as a central facet of both social and business platforms in recent years. There is overwhelming evidence from research literature that CSR is an emerging and increasingly important driver of employee engagement and organisational commitment. Studies however also point out that businesses that have engaged in CSR have generally failed to embrace fully the fact that it can be an important driver of employee engagement and not many of them are using this potentially powerful tool to attract, engage and retain employees. The primary objective of the study is to investigate the perceived economic benefit, social impact and environmental impact of CSR on employee engagement and organisational commitment in business firms. Convenience sampling was used to select a stratified sample of 150 employees from six different industries in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolis. While 150 questionnaires were distributed, only 91 respondents eventually participated (response rate = 60.7 percent). The data analyses included the calculation of Cronbach alpha coefficients, descriptive statistics (percentages, means, standard deviation and frequency scores), multiple regression, Pearson correlations and Scheffé tests. The empirical results show, among others, that the economic benefit of CSR has the strongest effect on affective commitment of employees; that the environmental benefit of CSR plays a big role in employees wanting to stay with their firms (continuance commitment) and feeling obliged to stay with their firms (normative commitment); and that the social benefit of CSR has a strong effect on the level of employee engagement. The managerial implications of these findings are discussed. The shortcomings of the study and gaps for future research are also highlighted.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Kondlo, Nomnikelo
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Social responsibility of business , Management -- employee participation , Organizational commitment
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8847 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020103
- Description: Companies are facing unprecedented pressure from various stakeholders to behave as responsible corporate citizens. The issue of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has therefore gained prominence as a central facet of both social and business platforms in recent years. There is overwhelming evidence from research literature that CSR is an emerging and increasingly important driver of employee engagement and organisational commitment. Studies however also point out that businesses that have engaged in CSR have generally failed to embrace fully the fact that it can be an important driver of employee engagement and not many of them are using this potentially powerful tool to attract, engage and retain employees. The primary objective of the study is to investigate the perceived economic benefit, social impact and environmental impact of CSR on employee engagement and organisational commitment in business firms. Convenience sampling was used to select a stratified sample of 150 employees from six different industries in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolis. While 150 questionnaires were distributed, only 91 respondents eventually participated (response rate = 60.7 percent). The data analyses included the calculation of Cronbach alpha coefficients, descriptive statistics (percentages, means, standard deviation and frequency scores), multiple regression, Pearson correlations and Scheffé tests. The empirical results show, among others, that the economic benefit of CSR has the strongest effect on affective commitment of employees; that the environmental benefit of CSR plays a big role in employees wanting to stay with their firms (continuance commitment) and feeling obliged to stay with their firms (normative commitment); and that the social benefit of CSR has a strong effect on the level of employee engagement. The managerial implications of these findings are discussed. The shortcomings of the study and gaps for future research are also highlighted.
- Full Text:
Does the directors' fiduciary duty to act in the best interests of the company undermine other stakeholders' interests? : a comparative assessment of corporate sustainability
- Authors: Hamadziripi, Friedrich
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Corporate governance -- Law and legislation , Social responsibility of business , Sustainable development
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , LLM
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/5916 , vital:29419
- Description: This study sets out to answer the question whether compliance with the directors’ fiduciary duty to act in the best interests of the company undermines other stakeholders’ interests and corporate sustainability. It adopts a comparative approach whereby the South African legal system is compared to that of the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States of America where corporate scandals in the last two decades resulted in the collapse of some large companies. Qualitative research methods namely the critical and evaluation, comparative and legal historical approaches are employed. The adoption of the comparative and historical approach to this study makes it significant for company law literature. The study is hinged on two company law principles. The first one is that a company is a juristic and fictitious person. The second one is the separation of ownership and control of a company. To effectively understand how the directors’ fiduciary duty to act in the best interests of the company has evolved over time, a historical overview of fiduciary obligations is presented. Four different views about the origins of fiduciary obligations are examined. It is submitted that the old English case of Keech v Sandford1 and the South Sea Company Bubble are very significant to the development of fiduciary obligations and their assimilation into company law. Thereafter, a discussion on the nature and scope of the directors’ duty in question is presented. An analysis of the relationship between directors and the company and how rights and duties between the two legal subjects arise is also undertaken. It will be shown that the directors’ fiduciary duty to act in the best interests of the company is broken down into a number of mandatory rules. After outlining some selected company stakeholders, an argument is presented on who the legitimate beneficiaries of directors’ fiduciary obligations should be. Further, the study provides an explanation of the concept of ‘the best interests of a company’ before addressing the tension between the pursuit of sustainability and the best interests of the company. An important question in the context of this study is how can directors’ fiduciary obligations be enforced? Identifying that there is public and private enforcement of fiduciary obligations, this study focusses on private enforcement which mainly consists of judicial and administrative remedies. Judicial remedies especially the derivative action and oppression remedies will be examined. A greater part of the discussion will dwell heavily on whether the available remedies are relevant and/or effective in protecting various stakeholders’ interests. Due to the nature of the office of director, it can be contended that directors should not be held liable for every decision they make. As such, American courts have come up with what has come to be known as the business judgment rule. This rule protects directors from civil liability if they act in good faith, with due care, without any personal interest and within the director’s authority. It will be shown that the rule manifests or operates either as an abstention doctrine, as a standard of liability or as an immunity doctrine. As an abstention or standard of liability doctrine, the rule requires the plaintiff to rebut a presumption that directors acted in good faith in the best interests of the company. As an immunity doctrine, the rule requires the director to prove that s/he qualifies for the immunity.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Hamadziripi, Friedrich
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Corporate governance -- Law and legislation , Social responsibility of business , Sustainable development
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , LLM
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/5916 , vital:29419
- Description: This study sets out to answer the question whether compliance with the directors’ fiduciary duty to act in the best interests of the company undermines other stakeholders’ interests and corporate sustainability. It adopts a comparative approach whereby the South African legal system is compared to that of the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States of America where corporate scandals in the last two decades resulted in the collapse of some large companies. Qualitative research methods namely the critical and evaluation, comparative and legal historical approaches are employed. The adoption of the comparative and historical approach to this study makes it significant for company law literature. The study is hinged on two company law principles. The first one is that a company is a juristic and fictitious person. The second one is the separation of ownership and control of a company. To effectively understand how the directors’ fiduciary duty to act in the best interests of the company has evolved over time, a historical overview of fiduciary obligations is presented. Four different views about the origins of fiduciary obligations are examined. It is submitted that the old English case of Keech v Sandford1 and the South Sea Company Bubble are very significant to the development of fiduciary obligations and their assimilation into company law. Thereafter, a discussion on the nature and scope of the directors’ duty in question is presented. An analysis of the relationship between directors and the company and how rights and duties between the two legal subjects arise is also undertaken. It will be shown that the directors’ fiduciary duty to act in the best interests of the company is broken down into a number of mandatory rules. After outlining some selected company stakeholders, an argument is presented on who the legitimate beneficiaries of directors’ fiduciary obligations should be. Further, the study provides an explanation of the concept of ‘the best interests of a company’ before addressing the tension between the pursuit of sustainability and the best interests of the company. An important question in the context of this study is how can directors’ fiduciary obligations be enforced? Identifying that there is public and private enforcement of fiduciary obligations, this study focusses on private enforcement which mainly consists of judicial and administrative remedies. Judicial remedies especially the derivative action and oppression remedies will be examined. A greater part of the discussion will dwell heavily on whether the available remedies are relevant and/or effective in protecting various stakeholders’ interests. Due to the nature of the office of director, it can be contended that directors should not be held liable for every decision they make. As such, American courts have come up with what has come to be known as the business judgment rule. This rule protects directors from civil liability if they act in good faith, with due care, without any personal interest and within the director’s authority. It will be shown that the rule manifests or operates either as an abstention doctrine, as a standard of liability or as an immunity doctrine. As an abstention or standard of liability doctrine, the rule requires the plaintiff to rebut a presumption that directors acted in good faith in the best interests of the company. As an immunity doctrine, the rule requires the director to prove that s/he qualifies for the immunity.
- Full Text:
Identifying drivers of corporate social responsibility for community involvement
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Social responsibility of business , Corporate governance
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/6597 , http://vital.seals.ac.za8080/10948/28810 , vital:21124
- Description: Organisations operate under unpredictable business environments. These business environments can be classified into internal and external environments. The decision taken by organisations to allocate resources for CSR depends on business environments. Organisations have no control of external business environments. Global financial crisis is an example of an external business environment of which organisations have no control over. The event in the business environments can influence the organisation to review its CSR operations. The beneficiaries of the organisation's CSR program get affected by such decision reviews and face even bigger challenges.
- Full Text:
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Social responsibility of business , Corporate governance
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/6597 , http://vital.seals.ac.za8080/10948/28810 , vital:21124
- Description: Organisations operate under unpredictable business environments. These business environments can be classified into internal and external environments. The decision taken by organisations to allocate resources for CSR depends on business environments. Organisations have no control of external business environments. Global financial crisis is an example of an external business environment of which organisations have no control over. The event in the business environments can influence the organisation to review its CSR operations. The beneficiaries of the organisation's CSR program get affected by such decision reviews and face even bigger challenges.
- Full Text:
An exploratory case study on the barriers, challenges and benefits of sustainability reporting by small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in South Africa
- Authors: Mhlope, Veliswa
- Date: 2021
- Subjects: Small business -- South Africa -- Case studies , Sustainable development reporting -- South Africa -- Case studies , Social responsibility of business , Environmental responsibility -- South Africa , Environmental reporting -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/172018 , vital:42149
- Description: SMEs in South Africa and other developing countries have been slow to take up sustainability reporting. This qualitative study is aimed to study the challenges and barriers faced by SMEs, together with the potential benefits for SMEs participating in this type of reporting. It also makes recommendations about how SMEs can participate in and benefit from sustainability reporting. The study shows that indeed there are several challenges in terms of getting involved in sustainability reporting for SMEs. On the other hand, the research finds that the SMEs who are already participating in sustainability reporting can show the benefits of engaging in sustainability reporting and that these benefits far outweigh the challenges. The participating SMEs are also able to show that they have attained a competitive advantage as a result of engaging in sustainability reporting. If, however, sustainability reporting is to become entrenched into SMEs, a few changes need to take place to address challenges such as lack of information about sustainability reporting and its benefits, lack of regulations and more importantly, lack of awareness about sustainable development. As the South African government begins to respond to issues such as climate change, skills development and good governance, it will become necessary for them to introduce regulations to manage this risk. It is also highly possible that in the next few years, reporting will become a regulatory requirement that SMEs will be forced to comply with to continue to do business. The SMEs who are already practising sustainability practices will benefit from being first movers. Those SMEs who start sooner rather than later will already have the internal resources and capabilities to take advantage of the legislative environment. They will have a head start over their rivals in terms of gaining competitive advantage.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Mhlope, Veliswa
- Date: 2021
- Subjects: Small business -- South Africa -- Case studies , Sustainable development reporting -- South Africa -- Case studies , Social responsibility of business , Environmental responsibility -- South Africa , Environmental reporting -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/172018 , vital:42149
- Description: SMEs in South Africa and other developing countries have been slow to take up sustainability reporting. This qualitative study is aimed to study the challenges and barriers faced by SMEs, together with the potential benefits for SMEs participating in this type of reporting. It also makes recommendations about how SMEs can participate in and benefit from sustainability reporting. The study shows that indeed there are several challenges in terms of getting involved in sustainability reporting for SMEs. On the other hand, the research finds that the SMEs who are already participating in sustainability reporting can show the benefits of engaging in sustainability reporting and that these benefits far outweigh the challenges. The participating SMEs are also able to show that they have attained a competitive advantage as a result of engaging in sustainability reporting. If, however, sustainability reporting is to become entrenched into SMEs, a few changes need to take place to address challenges such as lack of information about sustainability reporting and its benefits, lack of regulations and more importantly, lack of awareness about sustainable development. As the South African government begins to respond to issues such as climate change, skills development and good governance, it will become necessary for them to introduce regulations to manage this risk. It is also highly possible that in the next few years, reporting will become a regulatory requirement that SMEs will be forced to comply with to continue to do business. The SMEs who are already practising sustainability practices will benefit from being first movers. Those SMEs who start sooner rather than later will already have the internal resources and capabilities to take advantage of the legislative environment. They will have a head start over their rivals in terms of gaining competitive advantage.
- Full Text:
Corporate Social Responsibility as a strategy for community development in the Eastern Cape Province: The Case of Volkswagen in Uitenhage
- Authors: Mutongoza, Bonginkosi Hardy
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Social responsibility of business , Community development
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom (Development Studies)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/16963 , vital:40789
- Description: The turn of the new millennium has brought with it a heightened emphasis on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), particularly more recently in the global South where underdevelopment is more prevalent. While corporates continue to be viewed as more better-placed than global South governments in the attempt to deal with underdevelopment, this contribution of corporates does not come naturally since their primary focus is making profit. In the case of South Africa, the CSR agenda is regulated primarily by two legal instruments: the B-BBEE Act and the Companies Act. This study set out to determine whether CSR is an effective strategy for community development (CD). The study relied on a qualitative research methodology, employing face-to-face interviews and focus group discussions as the primary sources of data. Data was gathered primarily from two sets of samples: a community sample which comprised of members from wards 47, 50 and 51 in Uitenhage; and a sample comprising of officials from the B-BBEE Commission, the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Local Economic Development, and the Volkswagen Community Trust. Participants were purposively sampled in order to save time and resources. The study established that although CSR can be employed for the purposes of achieving community development, there is need for dedicated policies that deal specifically with CSR and set the parameters within which CSR can be carried out. The effectiveness of the CSR agenda in South Africa, thus, relies heavily on the institution of an effective regulatory framework.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Mutongoza, Bonginkosi Hardy
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Social responsibility of business , Community development
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom (Development Studies)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/16963 , vital:40789
- Description: The turn of the new millennium has brought with it a heightened emphasis on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), particularly more recently in the global South where underdevelopment is more prevalent. While corporates continue to be viewed as more better-placed than global South governments in the attempt to deal with underdevelopment, this contribution of corporates does not come naturally since their primary focus is making profit. In the case of South Africa, the CSR agenda is regulated primarily by two legal instruments: the B-BBEE Act and the Companies Act. This study set out to determine whether CSR is an effective strategy for community development (CD). The study relied on a qualitative research methodology, employing face-to-face interviews and focus group discussions as the primary sources of data. Data was gathered primarily from two sets of samples: a community sample which comprised of members from wards 47, 50 and 51 in Uitenhage; and a sample comprising of officials from the B-BBEE Commission, the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Local Economic Development, and the Volkswagen Community Trust. Participants were purposively sampled in order to save time and resources. The study established that although CSR can be employed for the purposes of achieving community development, there is need for dedicated policies that deal specifically with CSR and set the parameters within which CSR can be carried out. The effectiveness of the CSR agenda in South Africa, thus, relies heavily on the institution of an effective regulatory framework.
- Full Text:
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