Exploring the culture of corporate social investment within a multinational corporation: a Gauteng-based case study
Date
2018
Authors
Sewram, Komcilla
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Abstract
The South African government impels business to contribute to the country’s transformation
through corporate social investment (CSI) to accelerate social development. The study
focused on the sub-element of CSI as part of the broader corporate social responsibility CSR
frame. CSI in South Africa assumes a vastly different dimension from that of global
practices, founded predominantly on the country’s historical disparities. Post-apartheid
legislation makes CSI an obligatory practice. A business’s commitment reflects in company
policies, operations and organisational culture. The case study of a multinational corporation
(MNC) used face-to-face interviews and a semi-structured interview schedule with eleven
purposively sampled employees. Via a qualitative, interpretive paradigm, the study
examined participant perspectives on the prevailing corporate culture on CSI. Corporate
culture by way of the shared values and beliefs of employees as significant stakeholders was
analysed and the New Institutional Economics (NIE) framework was applied. Thematic
analysis concluded that over time the company made notable progress in its CSI practices.
The MNC continues to instil a CSI culture across its operations, so social responsibility
embeds as an essential element of its corporate culture. A key outcome of this research is an
adapted CSI model. The pivotal role of leadership and the positioning of the CSI department
within the MNC are a priority for entrenching a CSI culture. Related themes were the
importance of marketing and communication, employee volunteering, policy and
sustainability. The commitment of MNCs is fundamental to the dependency discourse
articulated by state and civil society that business invest in social development to facilitate
access to the economy for vulnerable communities. A strategic social contract between
private sector, government and civil society is pivotal for a well-functioning state – a
synergy, central to tackle widespread inequality and poverty in South Africa. CSI is a vital
conduit to propel social development.
Description
A research report submitted to the
School of Human and Community Development
Faculty of Humanities
University of the Witwatersrand
In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Arts in the field of Social
Development
March 2018
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Citation
Sewram, Komcilla Ragoobathy (2018) Exploring the culture of corporate social investment within a multinational corporation : a Gauteng based case study, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, https://hdl.handle.net/10539/25967