A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy in the School of Economic and Business Sciences,University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg / Although some previous research has focused on consumer behaviour with respect to corporate social performance (CSP), few empirical studies have been done, especially in the African context. In particular, a highly under-researched topic is the role that corporate social performance (CSP) plays in South Africa. Due to the increasing public awareness of CSR globally, individuals in South Africa are becoming more aware of the need for companies to engage in corporate social responsibility (CSR) and companies have realised that fulfilling social responsibilities has a positive impact on their overall performance and sustainability. In this regard, the current study examines the effects of perceptions of CSP in South Africa. Particularly, it investigates whether the perception of CSP plays a role on individual’s purchasing decisions, in enhancing reputation of a company, and the role that a company’s reputation for social responsibility plays during a corporate crisis.The study uses the exploratory model of surplus, break-even and deficit developed by Coldwell and Joosub (2014) and a modified version of Carroll and Buchholtz’s (2000) model to measure the perceived actual CSP of companies in comparison to what individuals expect a company’s CSP to be. To measure the effects of perception of CSP in relation to actual purchasing behaviour, Carroll’s CSR framework (1991), which takes economic, legal, ethical and philanthropic responsibilities into account, was adopted. To explore whether CSP influences the reputation of a company, Fombrun's, Gardberg, & Sever (2000, p. 253) 20-items RQ grouped into six pillars “(emotional appeal, products & services, financial performance, vision & leadership, workplace environment, and social responsibility)” was used. Finally, to investigate whether CSR-derived reputational capital plays a role in sustaining a company during a crisis, crisis scenarios from Dean (2004) were adopted and modified to suit the study. A qualitative follow-up study, through face-to-face interviews, was carried out to clarify the quantitative findings. A mixed methods technique that combines questionnaires, interviews and content analysis was used to explore the effects of perceptions of CSP on individual purchasing behaviour, reputation capital and crisis management. A sample of 145 students at the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa was used for a quantitative study, and a sample of 30 for a qualitative study. The findings show that a company that fulfils consumer expectations of social performance generates positive perceptions of CSP that not only lead to actual purchases of goods and services but also generate desirable returns through enhanced reputational capital that is seen to sustain a company during a crisis situation. Aspects other than CSP that also influence an individual's actual purchasing behaviour at grass roots level are also described in the study. The study extended the theoretical understanding of CSR by interrogating Carroll’s CSR framework (1991) for empirical analysis and its applicability in an African context. The findings show that CSP plays a positive though relatively minor role in individuals’ actual purchasing behaviour. This study also enhances the theoretical knowledge of individual expectations of CSP and actual CSP of companies in South Africa. Our study validates Coldwell & Joosub’s (2014) exploratory model of surplus, break-even and deficit in the relationship between actual and expected CSP. Also, the study has managerial implications in that those companies that engage in CSR are perceived favourably than those that do not hence enhancing their reputational capital; and that prior CSP reputational capital played a significant role in a crisis situation. Future research could investigate aspects like culture, political settings and the economic foundations of different African countries to confirm the findings of this study. / NG (2020)

The objective of the study was to identify and measure the magnitude of the gap that may exist between the corporate level Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) culture and its ensuing policies and their equivalent at the property level. This gap was hypothesized to be a function of a number of personal characteristics of the General Managers (GMs) coupled with the organizational profile of the hotel. The data were collected via an online survey based on a CSR scale developed by Turker (2009) in combination with other original and previously used smaller scales. The study‟s population consisted of general managers of hotels that were managed by a corporate office and were members of the Central Florida Hotel and Lodging Association and the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association. In total, 564 hotel GMs were contacted by email by their perspective associations and invited to participate in the study. A total of 123 surveys were returned which equated to a 22% response rate. The results indicated that the gaps for all factors were very small. This suggested that based on the GMs‟ perceptions, there was not much variation between their corporations‟ CSR policies and their properties‟ CSR policies. Hence, because of this small variation, it can be speculated that, in this study, hotel GMs were committed to follow precisely the corporate CSR policies and initiatives at their property levels. Notwithstanding the above, the results supported three hypotheses as follows: (a) the more GMs were involved in the community, the less they were committed to CSR policies relating to the government; (b) the more hours per week GMs spent in community volunteerism, the higher was their commitment to overall CSR policies; and iv (c) the higher was the demonstrated commitment of GMs to their corporation‟s CSR policy regarding responsibility to employees, the more they were rewarded through nonmonetary perceived personal success. This study and its ensuing results were of significant importance to the general CSR body of knowledge and unique in terms of their contribution to CSR in the hotel industry. The practical implication from this study was that it sets a number of benchmarks relating to CSR corporate and property level policies and initiatives in a given sector of the hotel industry. In addition, due to the fact that few, if any, gaps were found between the corporate and property level cultures, corporate officers can at least feel fairly comfortable that from the GMs‟ perspectives, CSR initiatives are being implemented at the property level in accordance with corporate policy

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The main aim of this study is to develop, from an ethical perspective, a justification for corporate social responsibility. The research methodology used is that of a critical study of relevant literature. The history of corporate social responsibility is discussed and definitions of key concepts are analyzed. Attention is paid to the controversies surrounding corporate social responsibility, and the views of critics as well as advocates of corporate social responsibility are examined. From the literature study it is concluded that since corporations are part of larger social systems, they are not only accountable to their shareholders but their success and long-term survival depends on fulfilling their responsibilities to a range of stakeholders. Stakeholders are defined as those groups or individuals with whom an organization interacts or has a relationship of interdependence, and who are affected by its actions, decisions, policies, practices or goals. The study focuses on the stakeholder approach to corporate social responsibility and aims to show how such an approach underpins the idea of corporate social responsibility. It is argued that corporations have moral as well as social responsibilities to stakeholders who are affected by their operations. Emphasis is placed on business ethics as providing the framework for a set of principles or a code according to which a company should make its business decisions and on which it should base its relationships with stakeholders. The research indicates that companies that aim to operate ethically also benefit in terms of profitability and social acceptance. With reference to several South African companies as examples, the study focuses on corporate social responsibility towards key stakeholders such as local communities, the environment, employees, and customers. In each case it is investigated what the specific responsibility requires of the corporation, and what practical measures can be used to meet the responsibility. It is argued that management's task is to treat stakeholders as equal, balance their sometimes conflicting claims, and promote good relationships among them Managers must consider the ethical and social as well as the economic implications of their decisions. The concluding chapter looks more closely at issues that need to be taken into account as far as corporate social responsibility in South Africa is concerned. As a result of the legacy of white rule and apartheid, active steps need to be taken to address economic imbalances between blacks and whites. Both the government and corporate structures have a role to play in creating mechanisms to meet the economic needs of the black community. It is recommended that the means through which this can be achieved are processes such as affirmative action, transformation, black economic empowerment, and poverty alleviation. The study concludes that social involvement by companies is not a favour extended to society or an optional "extra", but a business imperative and a moral obligation that is fundamental to being a company with legitimacy. The social goals of a company should be supportive of the goals of business and its social involvement strategy should be aligned with the overall business strategy. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die hoofdoel van hierdie studie is om korporatiewe sosiale verantwoordelikheid vanuit 'n etiese perspektief te regverdig. Die navorsingsmetodologie behels 'n kritiese ondersoek van tersaaklike literatuur. Die geskiedenis van korporatiewe sosiale verantwoordelikheid word bespreek en definisies van sleutelkonsepte word ontleed. Aandag word geskenk aan die debatte rondom korporatiewe sosiale verantwoordelikheid en die sienings van teenstanders sowel as voorstanders van korporatiewe sosiale verantwoordelikheid word ondersoek. Uit die literatuurstudie word afgelei dat aangesien korporasies deel van groter sosiale stelsels uitmaak, hulle nie slegs rekenpligtig teenoor hul aandeelhouers is nie, maar dat hul sukses en langtermyn-oorlewing afhang van die nakoming van hul verantwoordelikhede teenoor verskeie belangegroepe. Belangegroepe word omskryf as daardie groepe of individue met wie 'n organisasie in wisselwerking is of 'n interafhanklike verhouding het, en wat deur sy handelinge, besluite, beleide, praktyke en doelwitte geraak word. Die studie fokus op die belangegroep-benadering tot korporatiewe sosiale verantwoordelikheid en poog om te toon hoe so 'n benadering die idee van korporatiewe sosiale verantwoordelikheid ondersteun. Daar word aangevoer dat korporasies morele sowel as sosiale verpligtinge het teenoor belangegroepe wat deur hul bedrywighede geraak word. Klem word gelê op sake-etiek wat die raamwerk verskaf vir 'n stel beginsels of 'n kode waarvolgens 'n maatskappy sy sakebesluite behoort te neem en waarop hy sy verhoudings met belangegroepe moet baseer. Die navorsing toon dat maatskappye wat etiese optrede nastreef: ook voordeel trek wat winsgewendheid en sosiale aanvaarding betref Met verwysing na 'n aantal Suid-Afrikaanse maatskappye as voorbeelde, fokus die studie op korporatiewe sosiale verantwoordelikheid teenoor sleutelbelangegroepe soos plaaslike gemeenskappe, die omgewing, werknemers en kliënte. In elke geval word gekyk na wat die spesifieke verantwoordelikheid van die korporasie vereis, en watter praktiese stappe gedoen kan word om dit na te kom. Daar word aangevoer dat dit die bestuur se taak is om belangegroepe as gelyk te behandel, hul soms strydige eise te balanseer en goeie verhoudings onder hulle te bevorder. Bestuurders moet die etiese en sosiale sowel as die ekonomiese implikasies van hul besluite in aanmerking neem Die slothoofstuk kyk meer in besonderhede na kwessies wat in aanmerking geneem moet word wat korporatiewe sosiale verantwoordelikheid in Suid-Afrika betref Weens die nalatenskap van wit oorheersing en apartheid is aktiewe stappe nodig om die ekonomiese wanbalanse tussen swart en wit mense aan te spreek. Beide die regering en korporatiewe strukture het 'n rol te speel om meganismes te skep om aan die ekonomiese behoeftes van die swart gemeenskap te voldoen. Daar word aanbeveel dat dit bereik kan word deur prosesse soos regstellende aksie, transformasie, swart ekonomiese bemagtiging en armoedeverligting. Die studie kom tot die slotsom dat sosiale betrokkenheid deur maatskappye nie 'n guns aan die samelewing of 'n opsionele "ekstra" is nie, maar 'n sake-imperatief wat grondliggend is tot die legitimiteit van 'n maatskappy. Die sosiale doelwitte van 'n maatskappy behoort die sakedoelwitte te ondersteun en sy sosialebetrokkenheid-strategie moet in ooreenstemming met die oorhoofse sakestrategie wees.

by Jeremy Chung-lai Pong, Brenda Margaret Wai-ming Ko. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1993. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 45). / ACKNOWLEDGEMENT --- p.i / ABSTRACT --- p.ii / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.iii / LIST OF TABLES --- p.iv / Chapter / Chapter I. --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Definition --- p.1 / Classical View --- p.2 / Contemporary View --- p.3 / Practical View --- p.4 / Chapter II. --- OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT --- p.7 / Background of Hong Kong Companies --- p.7 / Empirical Studies of CSR --- p.7 / Chapter III. --- RESEARCH PLANNING --- p.9 / Chapter IV. --- RESEARCH METHODOLOGY --- p.12 / Questionnaire Design --- p.12 / Pilot Run --- p.14 / Distribution of Questionnaire --- p.14 / Chapter V. --- RESULTS --- p.16 / Company Profile --- p.16 / Interpretation of CSR --- p.17 / Introduction of CSR --- p.19 / Extent of CSR Knowledge --- p.20 / CSR Awareness and Activities Undertaken --- p.21 / Analysis under the Pyramid Model --- p.24 / Perceived Customers Support on CSR --- p.28 / Comparison of Responses between Top Management and Middle Management --- p.29 / Comparison of Ideals and Actions --- p.35 / Chapter VI. --- CONCLUSION --- p.36 / APPENDIX --- p.40 / BIBLIOGRAPHY --- p.45

Global sustainability issues cross all sectors of society, including businesses, governments, and communities and come with substantial costs. Business organizations are increasingly expected to address sustainability issues in a responsible manner and to disclose socially responsible behaviors accurately and transparently, showing that they are effective at managing and being proactive about sustainability challenges. In light of these pressures and expectations for business organizations, the fundamental research question for this study was whether variation existed in the levels of engagement in sustainability efforts across firms globally, and, more importantly, why such variation existed. The level of strategic firm engagement in sustainability was proposed to be influenced by stakeholders and other factors that had relevance to sustainability. Three types of stakeholders with the potential power and legitimacy for influencing strategic decisions regarding firm engagement in sustainability were investigated - executive management, community and government. Multiple firm-related and country-related contextual factors were also investigated as influencers. The study was global in nature, consisting of four hundred companies in twenty-five countries. Stakeholder theory, as the foundation of the investigation, was supported by the results of the study. Executive management, community, and government as stakeholders were found to have significant influence on the level of firm engagement in sustainability. Firm size, country economy, country technological readiness, country fossil fuel dependence, and industry sector were also found to have significant influence on the level of firm engagement in sustainability and approximately 26% of the variation in firm sustainability engagement was accounted for by the combined influence of executive management, government and community as stakeholder influences and firm size and country technological readiness as contextual factors. Specific findings showed that there were higher levels of firm engagement in sustainability when executive management provided explicit support for sustainability as a strategic issue, in communities with positive supportive norms for sustainability and a higher propensity for citizen-based political action and when there was an optimal level of government regulation and formalized institutional power. Other factors that led to higher levels of firm engagement in sustainability were for firms in energy-related and automotive industry sectors, for larger firms based on revenue size, and for firms with headquarters located in countries with developed economies and higher technological readiness.

published_or_final_version / abstract / Urban Planning and Environmental Management / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

Thesis (Ph.D) - University of Queensland, 2006. / Includes bibliography.

The focus of this thesis was to develop a simplified framework for future sustainability reports. The traditional approach to corporate reporting is limited in its ability to meet expectations of stakeholders for what drives value creation in a business. Sustainability performance reports are aimed at providing stakeholders information regarding a company’s non-financial performance and to provide stakeholders some information regarding the future performance that can be expected. The idea behind sustainability and the triple bottom line is that a company’s ultimate success can and should be measured not just by the financial bottom line, but also by its social, environmental and economic success. Sustainability reporting, also known as triple bottom line reporting incorporates the economic, social and environmental performance of a company, but there is no universally accepted definition of the subject. Sustainability is a contested subject and defined differently by different groups to suit their purposes. This places the phenomenon in a situation where its future is threatened. / D.B.L.

It is increasingly evident that human development is proceeding in an unsustainable manner, and that large business organisations are significantly complicit in this process. In this context, the purpose of this study is to explore the possibilities by which business organisations could come to support sustainable development, with a particular focus on related barriers and how they may be overcome. Literature on business and sustainable development is dominated by managerialist, organisation-centric perspectives, where the focus is on business profitability rather than planetary sustainability. This study seeks to challenge this mainstream literature, engaging with more critical perspectives and exploring the subtleties of the contradictory arguments presented by these two literatures. Empirical investigation involved two major steps. First the thesis employs a) a content analysis and b) a “close reading” of corporate public utterances on sustainability. Secondly, and more substantively, the thesis comprises a series of semi-structured interviews with individuals in organisations. To obtain a range of perspectives on the sustainable development-business relationship, a number of “different types” of organisation are sampled, in the form of social enterprises, large PLCs, SMEs and co-owned businesses. Based on the research findings, it is argued that the most significant barriers within the business-sustainable development relationship in fact concern the nature of modern international financial capitalism, and the nature of business itself. Certain characteristics, such as growth, competition and self-interest, essential to both the nature of the “system” and the nature of business, are fundamentally incompatible with sustainable development. In recognising this dissonance, a blank canvas is created where new imaginings of “sustainable business” can begin to take place. Through detailed engagement with the critical and managerialist literatures, and drawing insight from the different types of organisations sampled, the thesis identifies a number of characteristics, such as collaboration, compromise and consideration of the common good, which may have the potential to enable an alternative, more “human”, and ultimately more “sustainable” form of business organisation.

This thesis explores whether dialogue between a company and a non-profit organisation (NPO) can influence a company’s way of working towards being more conflict sensitive. As a case-study I analysed the dialogue between the French oil and gas company, Total S.A. (Total), and the US based NPO, CDA Collaborative Learning Projects (CDA) relating to the company’s operations in Myanmar/Burma. The objectives of the research were to ascertain if dialogue had a positive impact, and if so, what it was about the dialogue that enabled change, what was the process of change that could be observed and how embedded such change was. Drawing on post-modernism, systems thinking and complexity thinking, I have built on organisational change, conflict transformation, dialogue and cross-sector partnership literature to examine the role of dialogue as an enabler of change. While highlighting parallels in the discourses, I analyse the process and degree of change within the company through two conflict transformation models, one by Lederach (1997) and the other by Lederach, Neufeld and Culbertson (2007), which I feel best synthesise these parallels. The research is a longitudinal case-study (2002-2012), based on semi-structured interviews and document analysis. The study adds to the limited academic research on conflict sensitivity in general, and on the implications for a company’s way of working in particular. Although I find that within the business sector, the notion of conflict sensitivity is assumed in the wider concept of corporate social responsibility, noteworthy is the relevance of dialogue in change processes. Dialogue is an essential enabler as it sparks transformational levers also recognised in the literature reviewed. However it is not sufficient. The research illustrates that the dialogue between CDA and Total has played a critical role in facilitating a shift in the company’s way of working, with the contribution of other influences at play. As such, I draw attention to the complexity of the change process and discuss the current nature of the drivers of change within Total.