Exploring the social impact of corporate social investment in South Africa
Date
2023
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
Abstract
Our research examined the social impact of corporate social investment (CSI)/corporate social responsibility (CSR) in South Africa. It evaluated CSI/CSR activities and their immediate outcomes in three South African provinces, namely Mpumalanga, Western Cape, and Gauteng. CSI initiatives within the financial sector in the three provinces were chosen because the financial sector is one of the top three locations where most CSI/CSR activities occur. The critical systems heuristics theory underpinned this study. To systematically address the key research questions, the explorative sequential mixed-methods research approach was employed, which involved a two-phase research methodology that began with phase one being qualitative and phase two being the quantitative aspect of the proposed research. Semi-structured interviews with 32 key informants from a business mentorship programme and an early childhood development practitioner training programme provided qualitative data. In addition, a self- completion survey questionnaire completed by 427 respondents with experience in conducting CSI/CSR initiatives provided quantitative data. To analyse qualitative data, ATLAS.ti 9.1.3.0 Multilingual qualitative research software was employed. Furthermore, the IBM Statistical
Package for Social Sciences software 25 (SPSS 25) was used for descriptive and inferential statistics analysis of quantitative data. Significant findings revealed that CSI is a charitable activity of business conducted to achieve community relations and development for social good. It turned out that CSI initiatives can potentially reinforce the inequalities and disparities that corporate CSR/CSI should eradicate by maintaining the status quo in South Africa. The study concludes that the would-be beneficiaries cannot voice their interests in the CSI initiatives now in a way that can positively affect their lives. Therefore, engaging in the initiative in a more
inclusive way that allows would-be beneficiaries to represent themselves would be more iii empowering and emancipative. The study, therefore, recommends that when the decision-makers are designing the CSI initiatives, one of the purposes for its establishment should be to ensure ownership of the purported beneficiaries’ businesses in addition to the upskilling of all stakeholders.
Description
A thesis submitted to the Wits Business School, Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, the University of the Witwatersrand in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Philanthropy and Social Investment in Africa Johannesburg 2023
Keywords
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Social Impact, Corporate Social Investment (CSI), Social Impact Assessment, National Development Plan (NDP), Critical Systems Heuristics (CSH), Exploratory Mixed Methods, Systems Thinking, UCTD, Development Assistance Committee (DAC) Criteria
Citation
Mangwiro, Neville Taziva. (2023). Exploring the social impact of corporate social investment in South Africa [PhD thesis, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg]. WireDSpace.https://hdl.handle.net/10539/40091