A sustainability reporting framework for South African Higher Education Institutions
- Authors: Bosire, Samuel Mobisa
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Sustainable development reporting -- South Africa , Business intelligence -- South Africa , Universities and colleges -- South Africa , Corporate governance -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DBA
- Identifier: vital:8798 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1016126
- Description: Sustainability has gained prominence globally among nations, regions and organisations as a result of factors such as the effects of climate change on the environment, diminishing natural resources and rising population growth with their concomitant impact on economies and social systems. South Africa is a signatory to the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) that promotes international principles and best practices on sustainable development. Sustainability Reporting is one such best practice. Sustainability Reporting is imperative for good governance and organisations are now expected to support sustainability issues, risks and performance in a balanced and reasonable way. The United Nations and other global bodies have been in the vanguard in promoting guidelines for sustainability reporting with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) being the most Prominent Sustainability reporting guideline. The South African Higher Education Institutions generate a number of reports in the course of any given academic year. As has been the case in the global corporate world, failures in governance in some South African universities point to weaknesses in their governance, especially when it comes to oversight of the operations of institutions. Considering this, it is important to critically examine strategic planning processes to understand the aspects that are important for the survival of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and therefore they should be regularly and closely monitored. The study begins by exploring literature relating to strategic planning, governance, sustainability reporting practices and Business Intelligence (BI) technologies in Higher Education. The primary objective of the investigation is to propose a sustainability reporting framework for Higher Education Institutions in South Africa. It is argued that with the aid of appropriate BI tools, the proposed Sustainability Reporting framework would be useful in tracking progress in the implementation of strategic plans and at the same time strengthen governance in institutions. The study identified elements of Sustainability Reporting that are important for strategic planning. To develop the proposed framework, an empirical investigation was undertaken. Four online questionnaires were completed and returned by 108 participants comprising of Registrars and Information Managers at 23 South African Higher Education Institutions as well as to Information Managers in selected International Higher Education Institutions and Managers at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU). The online questionnaires were developed to elicit information to include in the proposed framework. To analyse results, both descriptive and inferential statistics such as Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were used. Results from the surveys revealed that Higher Education Institutions globally and in South Africa are grappling with the same issues. When it comes to Sustainability Reporting, factors such as information culture and Business Intelligence maturity levels were not found to be very different among the various institutions. In the case study at NMMU, correlational analysis confirmed that variables such as Management buying and the availability of BI reports were positively related to effective strategic planning and vice versa. Similarly, a strong correlation was observed between reporting guidelines and strategic planning. Moreover, the study highlighted the critical role of management and leadership in a university in creating an environment that supports Sustainability Reporting. In conclusion, it was recommended that efforts should be directed at creating awareness and at training staff on aspects that promote sustainability. It is incumbent upon the institution to take advantage of and promote technological tools and techniques to enable the easy flow of data and information in understandable and usable formats to all its stakeholders. Finally, a Framework for Sustainability Reporting for Higher Education Institutions (FSRHEI) and guidelines for implementing Sustainability Reports are proposed.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
- Authors: Bosire, Samuel Mobisa
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Sustainable development reporting -- South Africa , Business intelligence -- South Africa , Universities and colleges -- South Africa , Corporate governance -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DBA
- Identifier: vital:8798 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1016126
- Description: Sustainability has gained prominence globally among nations, regions and organisations as a result of factors such as the effects of climate change on the environment, diminishing natural resources and rising population growth with their concomitant impact on economies and social systems. South Africa is a signatory to the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) that promotes international principles and best practices on sustainable development. Sustainability Reporting is one such best practice. Sustainability Reporting is imperative for good governance and organisations are now expected to support sustainability issues, risks and performance in a balanced and reasonable way. The United Nations and other global bodies have been in the vanguard in promoting guidelines for sustainability reporting with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) being the most Prominent Sustainability reporting guideline. The South African Higher Education Institutions generate a number of reports in the course of any given academic year. As has been the case in the global corporate world, failures in governance in some South African universities point to weaknesses in their governance, especially when it comes to oversight of the operations of institutions. Considering this, it is important to critically examine strategic planning processes to understand the aspects that are important for the survival of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and therefore they should be regularly and closely monitored. The study begins by exploring literature relating to strategic planning, governance, sustainability reporting practices and Business Intelligence (BI) technologies in Higher Education. The primary objective of the investigation is to propose a sustainability reporting framework for Higher Education Institutions in South Africa. It is argued that with the aid of appropriate BI tools, the proposed Sustainability Reporting framework would be useful in tracking progress in the implementation of strategic plans and at the same time strengthen governance in institutions. The study identified elements of Sustainability Reporting that are important for strategic planning. To develop the proposed framework, an empirical investigation was undertaken. Four online questionnaires were completed and returned by 108 participants comprising of Registrars and Information Managers at 23 South African Higher Education Institutions as well as to Information Managers in selected International Higher Education Institutions and Managers at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU). The online questionnaires were developed to elicit information to include in the proposed framework. To analyse results, both descriptive and inferential statistics such as Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were used. Results from the surveys revealed that Higher Education Institutions globally and in South Africa are grappling with the same issues. When it comes to Sustainability Reporting, factors such as information culture and Business Intelligence maturity levels were not found to be very different among the various institutions. In the case study at NMMU, correlational analysis confirmed that variables such as Management buying and the availability of BI reports were positively related to effective strategic planning and vice versa. Similarly, a strong correlation was observed between reporting guidelines and strategic planning. Moreover, the study highlighted the critical role of management and leadership in a university in creating an environment that supports Sustainability Reporting. In conclusion, it was recommended that efforts should be directed at creating awareness and at training staff on aspects that promote sustainability. It is incumbent upon the institution to take advantage of and promote technological tools and techniques to enable the easy flow of data and information in understandable and usable formats to all its stakeholders. Finally, a Framework for Sustainability Reporting for Higher Education Institutions (FSRHEI) and guidelines for implementing Sustainability Reports are proposed.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
Study South Africa
- International Education Association of South Africa (IEASA), Jooste, Nico
- Authors: International Education Association of South Africa (IEASA) , Jooste, Nico
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Education, Higher -- South Africa , Education and globalization -- South Africa Student mobility -- Africa International education -- South Africa Education, Higher -- International cooperation , Universities and colleges -- South Africa , Technical Institutes -- South Africa , Vocational guidance -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: text , book
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/64864 , vital:28621 , ISBN 9780620620123
- Description: [Editor's Letter]: This 14th edition of Study South Africa foregrounds the celebration of 20 years of a democratic South Africa. Patrick Fish was commissioned to write a series of articles reflecting the development of South African Higher Education since 1994 for this edition. Reading through this the reader will hopefully experience a sense of the transformation of the South African Higher Education system. Although we all agree in South Africa that we are not done yet, we also recognise that given the South African realities, the change from a race based and fragmented system of higher education to a single but diverse system is well under way. The South African Universities transformed from mostly mono cultural to multicultural institutions that largely reflects the composition of the South African population. The University campuses also demonstrate the institutional appetite to be international. Not only do they jointly house more than 50,000 international students but are also involved in numerous ways in bringing the benefits of being globally connected to the local communities. We are one of the few higher education systems that largely fund our international activities from institutional budgets. This is one of the main reasons that South African Universities practice a style of internationalisation that is relevant to our institutional needs, as well as the local and national needs. Through our internationalisation endeavours we have connected with the rest of Africa in a very special way. Not only do we educate large numbers of students from other African countries but through the South African Higher Education alumni that now live all over the African continent we have built permanent connections that will enhance and develop long standing relationships. IEASA celebrates with all South Africans 20 years of democracy and realise that it is indeed a privilege to be practitioners in transformed ‘knowledge cities’. We are, however, saddened by the incidents of intolerance and destruction in other parts of the world that make the work of higher education institutions impossible, and can only in solidarity with those scholars at risk celebrate with deep appreciation the efforts and determination of those South Africans that made it possible for us to be Universities in a free and democratic society. , 14th Edition
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
- Authors: International Education Association of South Africa (IEASA) , Jooste, Nico
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Education, Higher -- South Africa , Education and globalization -- South Africa Student mobility -- Africa International education -- South Africa Education, Higher -- International cooperation , Universities and colleges -- South Africa , Technical Institutes -- South Africa , Vocational guidance -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: text , book
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/64864 , vital:28621 , ISBN 9780620620123
- Description: [Editor's Letter]: This 14th edition of Study South Africa foregrounds the celebration of 20 years of a democratic South Africa. Patrick Fish was commissioned to write a series of articles reflecting the development of South African Higher Education since 1994 for this edition. Reading through this the reader will hopefully experience a sense of the transformation of the South African Higher Education system. Although we all agree in South Africa that we are not done yet, we also recognise that given the South African realities, the change from a race based and fragmented system of higher education to a single but diverse system is well under way. The South African Universities transformed from mostly mono cultural to multicultural institutions that largely reflects the composition of the South African population. The University campuses also demonstrate the institutional appetite to be international. Not only do they jointly house more than 50,000 international students but are also involved in numerous ways in bringing the benefits of being globally connected to the local communities. We are one of the few higher education systems that largely fund our international activities from institutional budgets. This is one of the main reasons that South African Universities practice a style of internationalisation that is relevant to our institutional needs, as well as the local and national needs. Through our internationalisation endeavours we have connected with the rest of Africa in a very special way. Not only do we educate large numbers of students from other African countries but through the South African Higher Education alumni that now live all over the African continent we have built permanent connections that will enhance and develop long standing relationships. IEASA celebrates with all South Africans 20 years of democracy and realise that it is indeed a privilege to be practitioners in transformed ‘knowledge cities’. We are, however, saddened by the incidents of intolerance and destruction in other parts of the world that make the work of higher education institutions impossible, and can only in solidarity with those scholars at risk celebrate with deep appreciation the efforts and determination of those South Africans that made it possible for us to be Universities in a free and democratic society. , 14th Edition
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
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