4. Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) - Faculties submissions

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    Understanding Corporate Social Investments` results measurement in South Africa: A Case of Three Foundations
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Chipato, Ngonidzashe; Fowler, Alan; Moyo, Bhekinkosi
    Corporate Social Investments (CSIs) bridge the gap between social development work and private corporate sector involvement. In South Africa, CSIs are implemented through different mechanisms. Companies set up separate entities such as Corporate Foundations (CFs) to implement social development projects directly or partner with the government or Non- Governmental Organisations (NGOs). Corporate Social Investments are a component of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and the term is mainly used in South Africa. CSI aims at fulfilling the company's obligations of compliance with the law and there is an expectation that these investments can uplift the socioeconomic status of the communities they operate in. CFs are usually a part of the company's CSI and registered as separate entities, typically Non-Profit entities. Challenges exist in the current CSI delivery, results measurement, and practice, including methods used and a need for more consensus on the types of outcomes to measure. This research fills this gap by assessing the three CFs implementing CSI projects in different fields. The research focuses on the results measurement of the work of three CFs in South Africa. The gist of the study is on how rigorous Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) methods can provide corporates with useful feedback and use the knowledge as a strategic tool. The research draws from theories on CSR (legitimacy, Knowledge-Based View) and M&E (Evaluation). The research utilises a qualitative exploratory methodology that allows for deeper insights and probing into the CSI activities of the three selected foundations. Data was collected from foundation staff, community, implementing partners, and external evaluators. Information from the secondary sources assisted in corroborating the primary data. The research compares the different approaches from the three foundations. Including three foundations provides a broader perspective from different foundations, identifies similarities, and differences, and justifies the need for a more standard approach to results measurement across foundations. CFs publicly publish results on their websites and reports, showing the extent of their reach in numbers. This research argues that providing a mix of results in numbers and narratives allows for a more robust approach to results measurement beyond compliance reporting which can allow for corporates to gain a competitive advantage and justify continued CSI funding to the shareholders. Organisations in South Africa often implement CSI activities to fulfil the Broad- Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE). As a result, the M&E activities provide data 5 that can respond to BBBEE requirements, mostly the number of people reached. These results are reported in the CF’s annual reporting and the corporate sustainability reporting. CFs are set up to fulfil the BBBEE of the company, and research shows that responsible investment can have a positive implication for the business. The research argues on the importance of understanding how specific results can imply business growth. This is shown through the relevance and importance of triple-loop learning, where the foundation produces data that can support transformative processes for the business. To achieve this, the research recommends a more robust and mixed method approach to tracking results and aggregating them over time, which can be shown in the proposed social statement. This system allows better engagement with results from multiple stakeholders and comparisons across projects.
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    An exploratory study of creating opportunities out of solving societal challenges in the South African banking sector: A Creating Shared Value perspective
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2022) Moloi, Tsele; Horne, Renee
    The purpose of this study is to explore the Creating Shared Value (CSV) practices that the South African banking sector undertakes to create business opportunities out of solving societal challenges. Anchored on stakeholder theory, the study seeks to establish this potential link between the opportunity concept and societal challenges by deploying the qualitative multiple case study analysis of four major banks and the banking association of South Africa (BASA). The study proposes a CSV-opportunity conceptual framework. The research relied on a multi- method approach, including preliminary interviews, semi-structured in-depth interviews, document analysis, and field notes to collect qualitative data. Thematic content analysis and coding were deployed. The empirical findings suggest that CSV is mostly motivated and driven from a responsive business case (regulatory compliance, risk management, societal contract and legitimacy), a compelling societal case (desire for societal change), corporate societal initiatives (CSR, corporate philanthropy, corporate sponsorships) and a compelling business case (business opportunity). However, the compelling business case comes as a by-product or an after-thought of these other motivating factors. These motivating factors are leveraged as transitional vehicle and enabler of CSV business opportunities. This means that within social constructivism view, business opportunities are created regardless of the motivating driving factors. Findings further indicate that CSV is seen and understood as an extension of other related concepts. Most importantly, CSV is understood as an extension of the transformation of the banking sector and society to ensure that it is inclusive of many previously marginalised as a result of the country’s history of apartheid and its skewed economic activity. The empirical evidence shows that the stakeholder co-creation nature of CSV is both internal and external. Unlike CSV pioneers who presupposed CSV as a Utopian concept, free of trade- offs and challenges, the empirical results indicate a CSV that is fraught with both internal and external challenges. Internal challenges include measurement and trade-off challenges between business and society. The external challenges include external stakeholder co-creation and other external issues such as the deep-seated structural challenges of unemployment, poverty and inequality facing South Africa, all of which appear to hinder CSV interventions. Through the newly proposed CSV-opportunity framework, this study contributes to theory and practice. The study further demonstrates that CSV is indeed a social constructionist phenomenon where opportunity is subjectively constructed through actions and interactions with the social world
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    Digitalisation of corporate firms in South Africa: a catalyst in shared value creation with rural communities
    (2020) Jonas, Nomakhosazana
    Introduction: The markets that corporations have historically drawn their profits from are increasingly becoming saturated, compelling firms to explore new competitive strategies and look for new markets. Rural communities present a potential new market for corporate firms. The opportunity exists to leverage the enabling potential of digital technology in creating shared value. The study aim was to explore the influence of digitalisation of corporate firms on fast tracking shared value creation with rural communities Method: A qualitative examination of commonalities in the perceptions and experiences of key influencers in large corporates in South Africa was undertaken. Using the phenomenological method, thirteen interviews with Board members and C-suite executives in corporate firms in South Africa were conducted. A thematic analysis was done using the Nvivo12 qualitative software. Findings: Shareholders need to shift the profit maximisation paradigm to one embracing inclusive societal progress as well as profits. This requires including social impact as a measurable output and key performance indicator. Data showed that Corporate Social Investment (CSI) should be more economically driven and a key focus of all managers across all business operations and not the sole responsibility of one department or individual. Additionally, digitalisation should be a priority in the agenda of the CEO due to its ongoing transformational impact on business models, processes, budgets and customer experience. Lastly skills such as emotional Intelligence and problem-solving skills are crucial in environments transformed by digitalisation and should receive the same attention as technical skills. Corporations need to first evolve the paradigm of rural communities to understanding and embracing technology before digitalisation can be used to enable Creating Shared Value (CSV). Conclusion: Key to unlocking the catalytic potential for digitalisation is a transformation of the paradigm where profit maximisation and complete ownership of the consumer are prioritised. This mindset stands in the way of collaborative strategies required to create CSV with rural communities. Further research is needed to explore rural communities ‘understanding of the enabling potential of technology and how it can be used to enable CSV.