Thesis (M.S.)--The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 2009. / Directed by Anne E. Hershey; submitted to the Dept. of Biology. Title from PDF t.p. (viewed May 13, 2010). Includes bibliographical references (p. 33-39).

Zugl.: Oestrich-Winkel, Europ. Business School, Diss., 2008.

Zugl.: Nizza, Universiẗat, Masterarbeit, 2004.

Includes bibliographical references. / With Corporate Social Responsibility coming to prominence over the last few decades, business has become a central player in the sphere of development. The business case for CSR, by far the most dominant argument for CSR, suggests that CSR is the answer to social ills, injustice and poverty, but seeks ways to get a return on their investment and gain a competitive advantage through CSR/CSI activities. Critics have argued that business cannot be counted on to voluntarily contribute to social good - citing the nature of business as the greatest deterrent to positive behaviour. A third stream recognises the potential of CSR but identifies constraints in the present manifestations of CSR and CSI in South Africa, and calls for a more critical engagement of business in society. A fourth approach recognises that due the nature of CSR and the politics that surrounds its practice, CSR can be seen as a type of imperialism, holding the notions of dominance and superiority over their beneficiaries in the South, and not taking into consideration their experiences or feedback. Using the critical case of a large South African petroleum company, this thesis seeks to answer the central research question, “What approach to C SR does Company X take? What underpins this approach? ” This thesis furthermore subscribes to the need for more critical, Southern perspectives that needs to be acknowledged in the CSR rhetoric and argues that political and economic rather than social considerations currently dominate the sphere of CSR. This is further emphasised through the political environment in which CSR takes place. Finally, this paper, argues that the language of CSR in South Africa needs to be rethought. In South Africa, CSR more often than not is interpreted to mean companies’ CSI activities. Using authors such as Fig (2005) and Fig et al, 2007, this thesis argues that wrapped up in the notion of CSI are inherent political considerations that thwart the developmental potential of CSI.

Includes abstract. / Scroll down to electronic link to access the thesis. / This is a study on the spatial mismatch hypothesis, unemployment and the use of social networks for job search in Site C, Khayelitsha. The spatial mismatch hypothesis proposes that where employment centres are located a significant distance from low-income residential areas, the result is unemployment, low wages and limited access to information for people residing in these peripheral residential areas.

In Southern Africa, burgeoning intercultural contact results in the emergence of (bicultural) sociocultural contexts which emphasize African traditional and Western industrial values to different degrees. In transitioning between these contexts, Southern Africans may experience feelings of dissonance which potentially threaten identity. In managing these transitions, individuals arguably employ various hybridization strategies in order to navigate socio-cultural contexts whilst maintaining a coherent sense of self. Though part of a broader Southern African study initiated by Cumpsty in 1998, this dissertation represents a stand-alone inquiry into how the value-priorities of school-leaving respondents in Rundu, northern Namibia, have changed or stayed the same between 1998 and 2017. What is more, it seeks to ascertain if/how these respondents have hybridized their value-systems confronted with increasingly bicultural experiences. Cumpsty's quantitative instrument for measuring values was administered to the entire school-leaving cohort in two schools in Rundu in 1998 and in 2017. This data was comparatively analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics in order to measure the extent to which change/continuity had occurred over the nearly 20 year period. Profiles were generated from the two sets of quantitative data, which revealed how respondents hybridized African traditional and Western industrial values, and the results were analyzed comparatively. This dissertation's central finding has been an unexpected pattern of general continuity in the value-priorities of respondents between 1998 and 2017, which is also demonstrated in the patterns found in the dominant profiles. These results indicate the use of distinct strategies which allow respondents to integrate African traditional and Western industrial values into hybrid value-systems - which in turn allow them to navigate bicultural experiences whilst maintaining a coherent sense of identity - and therefore repudiates the notion of globalisation resulting in increasing socio-cultural uniformity. This finding indicates that if the definition of development is broadened to encompass the satisfaction of fundamental human needs, then an account of identity is crucial, which in turn renders an account of values indispensable to the development debate in Southern Africa. Lastly, this dissertation uses Cumpsty's instrument, which is fundamentally flawed, and ends with a critique of the instrument.

Given South Africa’s racialized history of access to education, redress efforts targeted at achieving equity in access to universities for students from across racial backgrounds have been well underway for over two decades now. More recently, within the higher education sector, ensuring that access translates into success has become a priority. Drawing on this concern, this research study looks into what constitutes success for previously excluded students at a historically white university. In addition, this research study examines the experiences of these students to uncover factors which contribute to either enabling or constraining their abilities to achieve this much sought after success. The analysis presented in this study arrived at the conclusion that institutional practices continue to entrench various forms of systematic exclusion which in turn significantly affect black students’ abilities to achieve success at a historically white university.

This media creative project explores the experiences of South African women on social media platforms. The idea for this project stems from my personal experiences as an avid consumer and viewer of online content generated by these women. My engagement with YouTube began about ten years ago, when I started to consistently watch YouTube videos. Later, I would go on to consume Instagram posts by digital content creators. However, these consumption choices of mine were not functions of random videos or pictures promoted on these platforms. Rather my consumption was driven by a desire to see women who looked like me - black women. From 2009 onward black diasporic women, and women on the African continent, were suddenly, it seemed, putting out content related to black women's experiences in the world, with themes relating to education, hair, beauty and all other sorts of lifestyle-related topics. I would be lying if I did not mention how the women on YouTube talking about their natural hair drove me to explore a hair routine away from chemicals. Straightening our natural hair and being 'presentable' according to Eurocentric standards were for a long time, a burden into my life. I began consuming their videos whereby the content creators were encouraging the viewers to own their natural hair and most importantly, own whatever hairstyle they seemed to 3 fit. The choice of how we present ourselves seemed to come back to us, and the space in which it was performed felt like a safe, communal one. Six years ago, a black youtuber called Chizi Duru, had cut all her hair to start all over again without any chemicals. The act of cutting off all your hair within the community was labeled 'The Big Chop': an act of rebirth, renewal and resistance for black women. I went along and did the same, following her journey and exploring my own.

Problem - A new kind of companies was identified twenty years ago, the BornGlobals (BGs).Those companies tend to go abroad in a very early stage, sometimesright after their inception. Although the Western literature has showed much progressin studying this phenomenon and developing many theories, its Chinese counterparthas not been developed in the same degree. Meanwhile, due to the limitation ofliterature translation and different process of knowledge accumulation, the emergenceof the Chinese BGs raises many questions about its reasons, drive factors andformation mechanism. Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to explore the new phenomenon of BGs inChinese firms, increase a better understanding of relevant theories, and investigate thekey factors of Chinese BGs' emergence. Design - The paper draws on previous studies on Western perspective of BGs. Inorder to be less influenced by Western theories, an inductive approach is used formultiple case study of two Chinese companies. Semi structured interviews wereconducted with the representative from each company through telephone and CMCinterviews. Findings - The main reason of Chinese BGs internationalize very early is to becomedeveloped and strong, so that they can re-enter their domestic market. Their truevision is to go abroad and begin to operate in a less hostile environment than the onein China. Education, prior knowledge, technology and networks were found to be ofsimilar great importance as in the western literature. On the other hand, their growth isalso facilitated by the low costs that exist in China. In the global market, they haveaccess to materials and human resources to allow them to have a competitiveadvantage. At the end, the model representing our findings is developed. Practical implications - This study provides the information on how the founders ofBGs think and act, and which traits characterize them and give a better view on whythese firms became BGs and how they will continue their expansion. As well as, helpmanagers to understand how Chinese BGs will proceed and let them be able to actproactively. Originality/value - The findings of study may develop the BG literature, especially inthe area of China, and confirm or challenge other existing theories. The paperconfirmed the western literature in many points, but also provided new informationabout the vision of these companies in China.

Thesis (doctoral)--Universität, Münster, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references.