Abstract in English, Southern Sotho and Xhosa / Global poverty remains one of the significant challenges of human beings in the twenty-first century, despite the United Nation’s declaration that all people have the right to education, work, health, well-being; a healthier environment and equal opportunities. The active role of business organisations is vital and necessary to tackle this challenge. One of the mechanisms that can ensure the participation of business organisations in tackling the challenges of human beings is corporate social responsibility (CSR). Accordingly, the primary purpose of the study was to explore CSR initiatives in Ethiopia, focusing on the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) of the Tigrai Regional State. More specifically, the study aimed at assessing the perceptions SME owners and managers’ perceptions of CSR regarding their economic, legal, ethical, environmental and philanthropic responsibilities. The aim was also to investigate their CSR initiatives and to analyse the driving forces of and barriers to CSR interventions. An exploratory survey research design and a mixed method approach were followed to achieve these objectives. A probability sampling technique was applied to select the 400 sample respondents. A convenient sampling technique was applied to select 15 participants for interviews. Questionnaires, key-informant interviews and secondary documents were used as a means of data collection. Descriptive statistics such as percentages, means, and standard deviations were applied to analyse the quantitative data. The qualitative data was analysed using content analysis where items were transcribed, and emergent themes were identified. The findings of this study are that the SMEs surveyed have an appreciable level of CSR initiatives. They have care and concern towards their employees; the local community and the environment. Furthermore, the SMEs relatively protect the health and safety of their employees, protect against substance abuse and harassment of employees in the workplace; strive to provide professional training to their employees, and arrange orientation programmes, to mention but a few. SMEs have energy and water measurement systems and carry out philanthropic activities that can protect the well-being of the environment, but they are weak in recycling and energy conservation and in creating environmentally friendly new products. At community level, SMEs assist sports activities, road construction, religious organisations and local government. Furthermore, they create gainful employment opportunities. However, they give minimal attention to helping the disabled, war veterans, women, education, and similar areas. The quest for image building, keeping the well-being of the environment, ethical reasons and improving customer relations and loyalty were among the prime factors that motivated SMEs to participate in CSR initiatives. However, the concerted efforts of the enterprises’ participation in CSR activities were constrained by factors such as shortage of finance, lack of skilled and educated workforce who can implement the CSR initiatives and lack of training and information about CSR. To alleviate these constraints, thereby making SMEs the major actors in CSR initiatives, interventions by government and other stakeholders such as NGOs is essential. Furthermore, SMEs should follow a culture-oriented, ethics primary, motivated and collaborative approach rather than profit-oriented CSR. / Ubuhlwempu ehlabathini busengomnye umngeni onzima eluntwini kule nkulungwane yamashumi amabini ananye, nangona iZizwe Ezimanyeneyo zibethelela ukuba bonke abantu banelungelo lokufumana imfundo, umsebenzi, impilo, intlalontle, okusingqongileyo okunempilo namathuba alinganayo. Indima edlalwa ngamaqumrhu orhwebo ingundoqo nesidingo esibalulekileyo ekuhlaseleni lo mngeni. Enye indlela yokuqinisekisa ukuthatha inxaxheba kwamaqumrhu ezorhwebo ekulweni imingeni yoluntu kukulandela inkqubo yoXanduva Lwamaqumrhu Eluntwini, eyaziwa ngokuba yicorporate social responsibilityokanye eshunqulelwa ngokuba yiCSR. Ngoko ke injongo ephambili yolu phando yayikukuqwalasela imizamo yeCSR kwilizwe lase-Ethiopia, kugxininiswa kumashishini amancinci naphakathi (iiSME) kwiphondo eliyiTigrai Regional State. Ngokuthe gca, uphando lwalujolise ekuvavanyeni izimvo zabanini nabaphathi beeSMEngeCSR malunga noxanduva kwezoqoqosho, ezoMthetho, iinqobo zokuziphatha, ezendalo engqongileyo nezenzo zenceba. Enye injongo yayikukufumanisa ngamalinge eCSR nokuhlalutya iimeko eziphembelela nezithibaza imizamo yeCSR. Kwaqala kwenziwa uhlolo zimvo ekutshayeleleni uphando, kwalandeliswa ngomxube weendlela zophando ukuze kuphunyezwe iinjongo. Isampulu yabathathi nxaxheba abangama-400 yayingabantu abakhethwe nje kungajongwanga mpawu zithile. Kwabuya kwakhethwa isampulu yabathathi nxaxheba abali-15 kubantu ababekufuphi nabafumaneka lula ukuze kuqhutywe udliwano ndlebe nabo. Kwaqokelelwa iinkcukacha zolwazi/idatha ngokusebenzisa uluhlu lwemibuzo, udliwano ndlebe nabantu abaphambili nemibhalo eseyikade ikho ngalo mbandela. Ekuhlalutyeni idatha esekelwe kumanani kwenziwa ubalo ngokucacisa amanani anika iipesenti, imindilili neyantlukwano yezibalo ezifunyenweyo nomndilili. Idatha esekelwe kwingxoxo nokuzathuza yahlalutywa ngokuphengulula iziqulatho apho kwabhalwa ulwazi, kwaza kwachongwa imixholo ethile edulayo. Olu phando lufumanise ukuba iiSME zinamalinge eCSR ancomekayo. Zibonakalisa inkathalo kubaqeshwa bazo; kubahlali bendawo nakwindalo ezingqongileyo. Ngaphezulu, iiSME ziyazama ukuyiqaphela impilo nokhuseleko lwabaqeshwa bazo, ziyabakhusela ekusebenziseni gwenxa iziyobisi nasekuphathweni gadalala emsebenzini; zizama nokuqhuba uqeqesho olusemgangathweni kubasebenzi nokucwangcisa iinkqubo zokuqhelisa abafiki emsebenzini – le yimigudu nje embalwa eyenziwa ziiSME. Ezi SME zineenkqubo zokumeta/zokulinganisela amanzi nombane kwaye zenza imisebenzi yenceba yokukhusela indalo ezingqongileyo kodwa zibuthathaka ekusebenziseni kaninzi iimveliso, ekongeni umbane nasekwenzeni iimveliso ezintsha nezingayonakalisiyo indalo engqongileyo. Ekuhlaleni, iiSME zinceda kwezemidlalo, ekwakhiweni kweendlela, kwimibutho yezenkolo naseburhulumenteni bendawo. Ngaphezulu, zidala amathuba omsebenzi aluncedo. Noxa kunjalo, aziniki ngqwalasela yaneleyo ekuncedeni amagqala emfazwe, abafazi, ezemfundo neminye imiba eyeleleyo. Ukunxanelwa ukwakha igama elihle, ukugcina indalo engqongileyo, ukuphucula intsebenziswano nokuthembeka kwabaxumi yaba zezinye izinto ezikhuthaza ukuba iiSME zithathe inxaxheba kumalinge eCSR. Noxa kunjalo, imizamo ezinikeleyo yenkampani kwimisebenzi yeCSR yayithityazwa zizinto ezifana nokunqaba kwemali, ukungabikho koqeqesho nolwazi ngeCSR, ukunqongophala kwabasebenzi abafundileyo nabanezakhono ababenokwazi ukuqhuba imisebenzi yeCSR. Ukususa le miqobo nokwenza iiSME zibe ngabadlali abaphambili kwimigudu yeCSR, kunyanzelekile ukuba urhulumente angenelele, ngokunjalo nabanye abathathi nxaxheba abafana namaqumrhu angengowaseburhulumenteni (iiNGO). Ngaphaya koko iiSME kufuneka zilandele indlela yokusebenza ethathela ingqalelo inkcubeko, iinqobo zokuziphatha, inkuthazo nentsebenziswano ngaphezu kokwenza ingeniso yeCSR. / Tlala lefatsheng e dula e le nngwe ya diphephetso tsa bohlokwa ho batho selemo-kgolong sa bomashome a mabedi a motso o le mong, ho sa natswe phatlalatso ya mokgatlo wa Matjhaba a Kopaneng wa hore batho bohle ba na le tokelo ya thuto, mosebetsi, bophelo bo botle, boiketlo; tikoloho e phetseng hantle le menyetla e lekanang. Tshebetso e matla ya mekgatlo ya kgwebo e bohlokwa mme e ya hlokeha ho sebetsana le bothata bona. E nngwe ya ditsela tse ka netefatsang bonkakarolo ba mekgatlo ya kgwebo ho lwantsheng diphephetso tsa batho ke boikarabello ba mekgatlo setjhabeng (CSR). Kahoo, morero wa sehlooho wa phuputso e ne e le ho batlisisa matsholo a CSR Ethiopia, re tsepame hodima dikgwebo tse nyane le tse mahareng (diSME) tsa Tigrai Regional State. Ka ho toba ho feta, phuputso e reretswe ho lekanya maikutlo a beng ba diSME le maikutlo a baokamedi mabapi le CSR ka boikarabello ba bona ba moruo, molao, boitshwaro, tikoloho le boikarabello ba ho thusa ba bang. Sepheo e ne boetse e le ho batlisisa matsholo a bona a CSR le ho manonna ditshumetso le dithibelo tsa matsholo a CSR. Ho latetse moralo wa kutullo wa dipatlisiso hammoho le katamelo ya mekgwa e fapaneng ho fihlella dipheo tsena. Tekgeniki ya ho etsa sampole ya monyetla e sebedisitswe ho kgetha sehlopha sa baarabi ba 400. Tekgeniki ya ho etsa sampole e bonolo e sebedisitswe ho kgetha bankakarolo ba 15 ba diinthavu. Ho sebedisitse mathathamo a dipotso, diinthavu tsa ditsebi tsa bohlokwa le ditokomane tsa bobedi jwalo ka mokgwa wa pokeletso ya tlhahisoleseding. Dipalopalo tse hlalosang tse jwalo ka diperesente, dikakaretso, le dikgeloho tse tlwaelehileng di sebedisitswe ho manolla tlhahisoleseding ya bongata. Tlhahisoleseding ya boleng e manollotswe ka tshebediso ya manollo ya dikateng moo dintho di ileng tsa ngolwa fatshe kamora kgatiso mme hwa hlwauwa ditema tse hlahellang. Diphetho tsa phuputso ena ke hore diSME tse fupuditsweng di na le boemo bo amohelehang ba matsholo a CSR. Di hlokomela le ho tsotella bahiruwa ba tsona; setjhaba sa lehae hammoho le tikolohoh. Ho feta moo, ka kakaretso diSME di sireletsa bophelo bo botle le polokeho ya basebetsi ba tsona,di sireletsa kgahlano le tlhekefetso ya dithethefatsi le tlhekefetso ya basebetsi sebakeng sa tshebetso;di sitlalletsa ho fana ka thupelo ya seporofeshenale ho basebetsi ba tsona, le ho hlophisa mananeo a tsebiso sebakeng, ho qolla tse mmallwa feela. DiSME di na le merero ya tekanyo ya matla le metsi hape di etsa mesebetsi ya ho thusa baahi e ka sireletsang boiketlo ba tikoloho, empa dia fokola ha ho tluwa ho tshebediso hape ya dintho le poloko ya matla le ho hlahiseng dihlahiswa tse ntjha tse bolokang tikoloho. Boemong ba setjhaba, diSME di thusa ditshebetsong tsa dipapadi, kahong ya ditsela, mekgatlong ya bodumedi le ho mmuso wa lehae. Ho feta moo, di fana ka menyetla ya mesebetsi ya bohlokwa. Leha ho le jwalo, ha di shebane haholo le ho thusa ba nang le bokowa, masole a kgale, basadi, thuto, le dibaka tse jwalo ka tseo. Telekiso ya ho aha seriti, ho boloka boiketlo ba tikoloho, mabaka a boitshwaro le ho ntlafatsa maqhama a bareki le botshepehi e ne le a mang a mabaka a mantlha a kgannelang diSME ho nka karolo matsholong a CSR. Empa, maiteko a matla a dikgwebo tsena a ho nka karolo mesebetsing ya CSR a ne a thibelwa ke dintlha tse ka reng ho fokola ha tjhelete, tlhokeho ya basebetsi ba nang le tsebo le thuto ba ka kenyang matsholo a CSR tshebetsong le tlhokeho ya thupelo le lesedi mabapi le CSR. Ho hlola mathata ana, e le ho etsa diSME dibapadi tsa mantlha matsholong a CSR, ho hlokeha hore mmuso le baamehi ba bang ba jwalo ka mekgatlo ya diNGO ba kene dipakeng. Hapehape, diSME di lokela ho latela katamelo ya setso, boitshwaro, tjantjello le tshebedisano ho ena le CSR e shebaneng le phaello. / Graduate School of Business Leadership / D. B. L.

Abstracts in English, Southern Sotho and Afrikaans / The purpose of the study was to explore and describe the perceptions of electricity stakeholders (referred to for the purposes of the study as electricity customers) regarding their communication with Lesotho Electricity and Water Authority (LEWA) during electricity tariff reviews in 2016 and 2017. LEWA is the electricity regulator, while Lesotho Electricity Company (LEC) is the national power distributor in Lesotho. The electricity customers participated in the review process. The study was framed within development communication, with particular focus on its derivative, participatory communication. The principles of stakeholder theory were also considered. The study combined both quantitative and qualitative research approaches for data collection. The findings of the study were triangulated using an online self-administered questionnaire, a focus group moderator’s guide and a qualitative document analysis. The results were interpreted in line with the proposed practical guidelines. The finding of the study is that although LEWA endeavoured to collaborate with electricity customers during electricity tariff review processes, its implementation of participatory communication was inadequate. Furthermore, electricity customers have not yet fully embraced the importance of participating in electricity tariff review processes, because they perceive such endeavours not to be useful. As a result, the findings of the study encapsulate revised practical guidelines to fit an electricity review setting, which could serve as a heuristic for similar organisations as well as provide insights into the benefits of participatory communication in the various aspects of their work. / Morero wa phuputso ena e ne e le ho hlahloba le ho hlalosa maikutlo a ba nang le seabo motlakaseng (ba boletsweng e le bareki ba motlakase molemong wa phuputso) mabapi le puisano ya bona le Lekgotla la Taolo ya Motlakase le Metsi Lesotho (LEWA) nakong ya ditlhahlobo tsa ditefiso tsa motlakase ka selemo sa 2016 le 2017. LEWA ke molaodi wa motlakase, athe Khampani ya Motlakase ya Lesotho (LEC) ke yona moabi wa matla wa naha ya Lesotho. Bareki ba motlakase ba nkile karolo tshebetsong ya tlhahlobo. Phuputso e hlophisitswe kahara puisano ya ntshetsopele, e shebane haholo le puisano ya yona eo eseng ya pele, le ya bonkakarolo. Ditekanyetso tsa dikgopolo tsa ba amehang le tsona di ile tsa hlokomelwa. Phuputso e kopantse mekgwa ya dipatlisiso ya bongata le boleng ka bobedi bakeng sa pokello ya datha. Diphumano tsa phuputso di ne di arotswe ka dikgutlo-tharo ka tshebediso ya lethathamo la dipotso le fumanehang inthaneteng, tataiso ya motho ya lekanyang wa sehlopha seo ho tsepamisitsweng maikutlo ho sona le manollo ya tokomane ya boleng. Diphetho di ile tsa hlaloswa ka tumellano le ditataiso tse sebetsang. Phumano ya phuputso ke hore leha e le hore LEWA e ne e leka ho sebedisana le bareki ba motlakase nakong ya ditshebetso tsa tlhahlobo ya ditefiso, ho kenngwa tshebetso ha yona ha dipuisano tsa bonkakarolo ho ne ho sa lekana. Ntle le moo, bareki ba motlakase ha ba so ka ba amohela bohlokwa ba ho nka karolo ditshebetsong tsa tlhahlobo ya ditefiso tsa motlakase, hobane ba bona boiteko bo jwalo bo sena thuso. Ka lebaka leo, diphumano tsa phuputso di akarelletsa ditataiso tse ntlafaditsweng tse sebetsang bakeng sa ho nepahala boemong ba tlhahlobo ya motlakase, bo ka sebetsang e le tharollo bakeng sa mekgatlo e tshwanang hammoho le ho fana ka lesedi la melemo ya puisano ya bonkakarolo dikarolong tse fapaneng tsa mosebetsi wa yona. / Die doel van hierdie studie was om die persepsies van elektrisiteitsbelanghebbers (waarna vir die doel van die studie verwys word as elektrisiteitskliënte) rakende hul kommunikasie met die Lesotho Electricity and Water Authority (LEWA) gedurende elektrisiteitstariefhersienings in 2016 en 2017, te ondersoek en te beskryf. LEWA is die elektrisiteitsreguleerder, terwyl die Lesotho Electricity Company (LEC) die nasionale kragverspreider in Lesotho is. Die elektrisiteitskliënte het aan die hersieningsproses deelgeneem. Die studie het in die konteks van ontwikkelingskommunikasie geskied, met spesifieke fokus op die afleiding, deelnemende kommunikasie. Die beginsels van belanghebberteorie is ook in ag geneem. Die studie het kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe navorsingsbenaderings tot data-insameling gekombineer. Die bevindings van die studie is getrianguleer met behulp van ʼn aanlyn selfgeadministreerde vraelys, ʼn fokusgroepmoderatorsgids en ʼn kwalitatiewe dokumentontleding. Die resultate is geïՙnterpreteer ooreenkomstig die voorgestelde praktiese riglyne. Die gevolgtrekking van die studie is dat hoewel LEWA probeer het om met elektrisiteitskliënte saam te werk gedurende elektrisiteitstariefhersieningsprosesse, hul implementering van deelnemende kommunikasie ontoereikend was. Verder besef elektrisiteitskliënte nog nie ten volle die belangrikheid van deelname aan elektrisiteitstariefhersieningsprosesse nie, omdat hulle sodanige pogings nie as nuttig ervaar nie. Gevolglik is die bevindings van die studie ʼn samevatting van hersiene praktiese riglyne om by ʼn elektrisiteitshersieningskonteks te pas, en dit kan dien as heuristiek vir soortgelyke organisasies en kan ook insig gee in die voordele van deelnemende kommunikasie in die verskillende aspekte van hul werk. / Communication Science / M.A. (Communication)