Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy: Business Administration, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2017. / The South African mining sector has over the years been perceived to be exploitative and not responsive to the investment interest of immediate stakeholders where they extract (local communities and labour). The perception of non-investment has resulted in amongst others, extensive community and labour unrests leading up to mass killings of mine workers at Marikana by the South African Police. The South African government has enacted policies to guide Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) for the sector but the historic problems associated with this sector persists. As a result of community concerns around mining CSR, communities are mobilising around civic organisations, with the aim of brining the mining sector to account and fostering community development in their localities. This research explores and analyses if the mining sector adheres to CSR in their ventures and how communities perceive the sector’s activities and CSR approaches. The epistemological foundations of this research are mainly positivist adopting theoretical assumptions of the stakeholder theory. The research methods are however those of mixed methods – quantitative sequential qualitative methods. The subsequent research designs are a survey in the quantitative methods and exploratory interviews in the qualitative methods. Data was gathered using a survey questionnaire in the quantitative methods and recorded phenomenological interviews in the qualitative methods. Data was gathered from a sample of 200 community members in the two sampled mining areas of Marikana (100) and Carletonville (100). The former is a platinum belt and the latter is an old gold mining area. To augment quantitative data from the field survey sequential qualitative data was collected through semi-structured interviews (phenomenological interviews) with mining company executives, government leaders, trade unions leadership as well as community members in Makhado and Tshikondeni mining sites. The researcher encountered various limitations including travels to remote areas with lengthy distances on gravel roads, and respondents’ “over-researched” attitudes especially in Marikana and Makhado. The findings suggest that the mine workers’ location, living and working conditions influence their understanding and therefore definition of CSR. Although numerous CSR definitions emerged in the case of Marikana CSR was equated to basic service provision similar to those provided for by the municipality like houses, schools, roads and clinics. In the case of Carletonville which is a well-developed mining town, CSR meant skills development, local enterprise development and provision of bursaries. It emerged that the majority of community members are not aware of the CSR programmes implemented in their localities. Respondents further cited collusive corrupt activities between the mining companies, traditional authorities and municipal leadership as the main deterrent to CSR and to local economic development. Overall findings suggest that the mining sector is adherent to CSR legislation at the minimal level but this does not meet the needs and expectations of community members. The mismatch between community expectations and their understanding of CSR does not align with government policy on CSR requirement of the mining sector. The study recommends, among others, that bold and decisive government enforcement of penalties, which include consistent revoking of mining licences for non-CSR compliance by mining companies. The thesis also highlights the implications for managers as the rise of civic organisations propels a new engagement approach between mining companies and communities. This new approach would have inherent challenges such as delays in reaching consensus and exposing mining companies to internal community politics. Additionally, the study recommends future research be focused on evaluating constitutional powers of traditional leaders in relation to community interests in mining CSR. Furthermore, research could be conducted to establish previous compliance records on post-mining social commitments and environmental rehabilitation of mining companies in South Africa. This thesis brings to the fore, an illustration of the emergent bargaining power communities has and how it compels mining corporates to engage with communities more consultatively. Failure to do so, result in situations such as Coal of Africa impasse in the Makhado area where losses amounting to billions of Rands are incurred. / D

M.A. / Health problems, physical and mental, in industry have an enormous influence on productivity of organisations in South Africa. Certain models of stress implied the perspective that many stressors may serve as possible inputs into the system, for example remuneration, substance abuse, teamwork, management support, change and self control. Outputs from the system include aspects such as accidents, illness, low productivity levels and psycho-social problems. The problem is that illness and absenteeism often have unspecific causes and a complex interaction perspective has been developed in looking at the employee as system in his working environment.

M. S.

Thesis (MPhil (School of Public Management and Planning))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / The negative impact of poverty on development and security in South Africa has been exacerbated by high food prices. However, high food prices have also had a positive effect in that it galvanised civil society into coalescing and finally playing an activist role. Looking at the development of corporate social responsibility and how it was shaped by external influences exerted on it by society, the thesis argues that high food prices might be one of those triggers that might change the implementation of corporate social responsibility from that as a business tool to one that is more developmental in its intent. This argument is one that has been proposed by developmental theorists, but has been resisted by companies for various reasons herein discussed. In the same way that corporate social responsibility is shaped by external factors, development is also determined by the macro (economic) policies and state capacity in which the company operates. State incapacity has led the citizens looking at companies increasingly to fulfil a more developmental role. In this regard there are problems attendant to the private sector assuming the responsibilities of the state and the thesis argues that the private sector should rather play a complementary role to development interventions of government. The combination of the factors highlighted above has led to increased pressure on the private sector to play a more developmental role, and there appears to be a degree of acknowledgment from the private sector. This thesis looks critically at some approaches to corporate social responsibility and uses one particular company to illustrate, not only some of the critical factors of successful engagement with development through CSR, such as leadership and context specific interventions, but also to show that development and, particularly, poverty alleviation is compatible with running a profitable organisation.

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"October 2008" / Thesis (PhD)--Macquarie University, Division of Society, Culture, Media and Philosophy, Dept. of Sociology 2009. / Bibliography: leaves 273-293. / Introduction -- Patterns of corporate activity as patterns of corporate dominance: legal, organisational, and economic features of corporations -- Representations of corporate dominance in insidious injuries -- The legal basis of corporate dominance: History of the corporation -- Legal individualism and corporate personhood -- Theories of the corporation -- The legal regulation of corporations - corporate liability laws -- Conclusion. / Corporations are no longer simply a type of business structure; they are dominant social institutions. As institutions, corporations are archetypes of contemporary complex social organisation and should, therefore, be a central concern for sociology. Yet with few notable exceptions, sociologists have failed to address their increasingly dominant position in contemporary societies. In this thesis I argue the importance of a renewed sociological interest in corporations. This must acknowledge, but go beyond, the political-economic outcomes of corporations to address the profound consequences of the legal foundations of the corporate form. Corporations are created and regulated by legal doctrine; it is only with a legal mandate that corporations are able to act as employers, suppliers and investors. On this basis, I claim that any understanding of corporate dominance and its effects must commence with an appreciation of the laws that enable the corporation to exist and operate. -- While contributing significantly to wealth creation, corporate dominance also increases the potential for harm to occur to individuals and communities who fall within a corporation's scope. The contemporary proliferation of industrial illnesses is a prime example of this and is examined through a case study of the operations of an Australian asbestos corporation, James Hardie. This case study is timely and unique in its specification of the link between corporate activity and law in contemporary society. -- I argue that corporate activity such as that in the case study is enhanced and legitimated by the legal description of the corporation that assigns to it the capacities of a human individual through corporate legal personhood. Corporate personhood is examined as an example of the legal individualism endorsed in liberal common law countries. By exploring accounts of corporate structure, decision-making and work processes, I explain how the individualised description of the corporation is at odds with its collective realities; the largest and most successful corporations are collectives of human and monetary resources. -- In light of this, I question the extent to which the effective regulation of corporations can be achieved within existing legal frameworks. Building upon research into workplace health and safety in the United Kingdom, the regulation of workplace deaths in Australia is examined to demonstrate the various approaches to regulating corporations and to identify their shortcomings. This is a striking example of the problems law faces in regulating corporations by virtue of its individualistic design. -- The thesis concludes with an affirmation that sociology needs to grapple with issues of corporate activity and that an understanding of the legal basis of the corporation is the foundation of such studies. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / 295 leaves

Corporate social responsibility has become the business issue of the 21st century. Heightened expectations of the business sector, globalisation and increased media attention on the role of business in society are casting an intense spotlight on this issue. As a result, pressure has built on business to play a larger role in bringing about socio-economic development to many local communities where they operate. While for a long time companies have been involved in the community on a philanthropy basis, many companies today are reassessing the manner in which they conduct their corporate social responsibility programmes. Many companies are including corporate social responsibility issues into their strategic planning process and overall corporate strategy. Emphasis is given to certain strategic indicators that must be present in order for a company to be said to have taken a strategic approach to corporate social responsibility. This study adopted a critical-realist approach using a case study method to evaluate DaimlerChrysler South Africa’s corporate social investment programmes in the local community of the Border-Kei region against these strategic indicators. This new form of engagement is even challenging for a multinational corporation, which may feel that it is only obliged to assist the local community where its corporate headquarters is located. But as companies derive an everlarger share of revenue and profits from international operations, multinational companies are being called upon to redefine “community”, by looking beyond local, domestic and geographical communities to include those in regions where they have factories or factories operated by key suppliers. This study found that DCSA was strategically involved and had a good relationship with its local community. However, the company needs to be more connected with the rural communities to make local projects more successful especially after handover.

This thesis analyses conflicts in the role of business as a social partner in the South African economy by studying skills development in the Border-Kei Region. Skills development is a key component of the South African government’s programme of labour market regulation and is founded on a participatory approach. The skills development framework requires the participation and co-operation of multiple social partners but relies heavily on the role of business in the attainment of national and sectoral skills development objectives. Unfortunately, however, there are significant conflicts in the role which business is expected to play which consequently hinder the efficiency of the framework and the likelihood that that these objectives will be realised. One of the most pertinent examples of these conflicts is the voluntary nature of the skills development framework, which incentivises but does not compel organisations to invest in training and development. Other conflicts include dissonances between national and employer led strategies and organisational disincentives to engage in training and development. This qualitative study uses an interpretive approach to study how and to what extent the Skills Development Act is implemented in selected organisations in Buffalo City as well as studying the issues pertaining to the implementation process. By using a purposive sampling approach, this research includes both primary data in the form of semi-structured interviews and secondary data in the form of documentary sources. The data represents the perspectives of business, labour and government and provides significant depth of insight into the discussions and issues surrounding skills development in Buffalo City. This dissertation argues that South Africa’s vocational training system, institutionalised through appropriate legislation, may not be sufficient to mobilise social partners, and of primary concern in this research – business – to invest in skills development. It suggests that extensive reliance on business is an insufficient way in which to upskill the labour market. However, with few alternatives to this approach, it is subsequently essential that business is encouraged to buy into the collective interest of skills development objectives. This primarily entails overcoming the challenges that embody the framework and increasing state emphasis on skills development.

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