published_or_final_version / Environmental Management / Master / Master of Science in Environmental Management

published_or_final_version / Business Administration / Master / Master of Business Administration

This essay presents evidence that the institution of the corporation has its origins and its main developmental 'epochs' in Judaeo-Christian theology. The notion of the nahala as the institutional symbol of the Covenant between YHWH and Israel is a primal example of the corporate relationship in its creation of an identity independent of its members, its demand for radical accountability on the part of its members, and in its provision of immunity for those who act in its name. On the basis of the same Covenant, St. Paul transforms an ancillary aspect of Roman Law, the peculium, into the central relationship of the Christian world through its implicit use as the institutional background to the concept of the Body of Christ. The exceptional nature of this relationship allows the medieval Franciscans and the papal curia to create what had been lacking in Roman Law, an institution which can own property but which cannot be owned. This relationship is subsequently theorized as the Eternal Covenant by Reformed theologians and successfully tested in one of the greatest theological/social experiments ever recorded, the 17^th century settlement of North America. The alternative 'secular' explanation of the corporation provided by 19^th century legal philosophy relies implicitly on the theological foundations of the corporation and remains incoherent without these foundations. The theological history of the corporation was recovered in the findings of 20^th century social scientists, who also identified corporate finance as the central corporate activity in line with its Levitical origins. Although the law of the corporation is secular, the way in which this law was made a central component of modern life is theological. Without a recovery of this theological context, the corporation is likely to continue as a serious social problem in need of severe constraint.

Dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for Master‟s Degree of Technology: Marketing, Durban University of Technology, 2007. Thesis (M.Tech.: Marketing)-Dept. of Marketing, Durban University of Technology, 2007. xv, 205 leaves / Cause related marketing (CRM) is becoming a popular marketing strategy used by brand managers, retailers and service companies. It can be described as a marketing strategy that links charities or ‘causes’ with the sales of a product, brand or service. The charity is mentioned in promotional campaigns and a certain percentage is donated to the cause in accordance with unit sales or turnover. A study was conducted in the eThekweni region of Kwazulu Natal, South Africa to gather information on this issue. The study was a quantitative survey and data was collected by means of an interview process. The overall objective of this study was to gain an understanding of consumer behaviour towards companies using CRM in the greater eThekweni region. This objective was made up of three sub-objectives. The first subobjective was to identify whether eThwekeni consumers would switch brands to a company involved with CRM, if price and quality were equal. This was followed by subobjective two, which was to establish whether particular socio-demographic characteristics of consumers would be related to their evaluation of a CRM offer. Finally, sub-objective three was to establish whether those same socio-demographic characteristics would be related to the selection of specific causes. / M

Economic recession took effect in Malaysia in late 1984 and continued through 1985 and 1986. During this period, there was a sudden surge in economic crime. Its scale has Increased over recent years. When economic crime is on the increase, the costs to society are also increasing, not only in terms of money and property stolen by perpetrators, but also in terms of loss of confidence and respect by the public at large in our government. With the present rapid growth in business and commercial activities, economic crime has found a fertile ground. Economic crime is a 'growth industry'. Unless we study it, understand it, and develop tools to deal with it effectively, we may be witnessing only the beginning of a phenomenon that could undermine the social, economic and political stability of the country. Today's cost of economic crime in Malaysia is estimated to be more than $200 million a year. It victimises thousands of individuals. It undermines the very legitimacy of our institutions. With continued innovation in information and communications technologies, the dimensions of the problem expand; yet our legal and business systems cannot cope with what is happening today. In the opinion of the researcher, there can be little doubt that economic crime will continue to rob society as it has In the past. Despite its current scale, there has not been a study of economic crime In Malaysia. The reason is obvious; for a researcher to embark on a study in this particular area of criminal activity, there would need to be the accessibility to the highly sensitive data on such activities (while recognising that not all the crimes are detected). Many of the agencies charged with Investigation and prosecution of these non-traditional crimes, quite correctly, do not make their detailed findings public. Aggregated data, which are made available to the public, are often not sufficiently specific for research purposes. The secrecy of the Government agencies Is necessary in order for them to function effectively as law enforcement Instruments. Sutherland [1977, page 38] noted that explanations for crime could not be found in poverty alone; criminality is a much more complex phenomenon. For example, he noted that poverty Is no explanation for crimes of the rich and the professional segments of the society. It is noted by this researcher in his three years experience as the Head of Banking and Financial Investigations at the special unit of the Commercial Crime Department, Police Headquarters, Kuala Lumpur, that the problems In dealing with economic crimes could not be addressed in the same manner as In traditional crime. Studies were needed to explain and understand these crimes. From this knowledge base, there would be a better opportunity to formulate policy strategies to address the problems. This research, even though focussing in Malaysia, is meant to act as a springboard for future research within the researcher's organisation, the Royal Police Force of Malaysia, and also at least be useful for new Developing Countries which may have to encounter a similar economic crime phenomenon. The study also examines the major economic institutions in Malaysia such as cooperatives, insurance and stock-exchange and concludes that some of the main causes of economic crime are problems of management. They are: * poor quality and laxity of discipline and management; * financial and technical mismanagement in the operation of companies; * breaches of the law; * poor documentation and record keeping practices; * inadequate and ineffective control system. The findings of the research survey shows that the causes of economic crime in Malaysia are consistent with situational, opportunity and personal pressures. Economic crime in Malaysia is largely due to people who are in position of trust, who have abused their powers in a situation of poor accounting practices. Economic crime could possibly be prevented by improving the system of auditing, improving the management information system and improving the management environment.

Corporate governance is currently on the agenda of many countries, and is receiving considerable attention in the business world as well as in the area of academic research, which is an indication of its importance for business development and for society as a whole. A large body of the currently available knowledge addresses this phenomenon from the perspective of the developed economies. Although the knowledge base about corporate governance in developing countries appears to be limited, it is growing. The main aim of this study is to investigate current corporate governance practices, perceptions and obstacles within Libya following the introduction of the Libyan Corporate Governance Code (LCGC). To achieve this aim, the study investigates: first, the nature and extent of applying current corporate governance; secondly, the perceptions of listed companies' staff (senior managers and employees in financial positions) and Libyan financial experts (academics and auditors) regarding the introduction of the LCGC; thirdly, the current obstacles facing the application of LCGC; and, finally, the views of the Libyan regulators and officials in relation to the obstacles identified and how they may be reduced. In order to accomplish the research objectives, a mixed research methodology was adopted: This involved using two types of research methods for collecting data: semistructured interviews and a questionnaire survey divided into three sequential stages: firstly, interviews were conducted with board members of the companies surveyed; secondly, a questionnaire was distributed to selected staff of the companies surveyed and Libyan financial experts; thirdly, further interviews were conducted with Libyan regulators and officials. The findings of the study revealed that corporate governance in Libya is in its early stages of development and is characterised by a weak legal environment, lack of knowledge about corporate governance, poor leadership, lack of training among directors and weak investment awareness among investors. Therefore, the influence of social, cultural and economic factors is evident. The results also suggest that urgent action is needed in order to facilitate the implementation of a good corporate governance system in Libya.

Waste management has become one of the major global environmental concerns of our times associated, as it is, with the consumerist tendencies which fuel the engine of economic growth and environmental impacts. Existing policies in the UK have not yet managed to curb the problem of steadily increasing waste generation despite efforts by Central government and the European Union to set inflexible national targets for waste management. A major problem is that while central government sets the overall goals to be achieved, actual waste collection and disposal are functions of 'local government. In many cases local governments lack the resources and capacity to make economically efficient and environmentally effective decisions. Waste management infrastructure must be developed for the long-term, yet economic efficiency considerations often conflict with local political objectives and with a wide range of resource constraints. Local government is not always the most suitable level to deal with problems that often have regional impacts or can be more efficiently organised within larger geographic units. The European Commission is starting to re-consider the application of its rigid waste management hierarchy in light of suggestions that sustainable solutions may vary across regions. Changes in the regulatory environment for solid waste and the regionalisation of disposal infrastructure present economic opportunities which pose the need for institutional change in waste practices. The study examines the institutional arrangements for municipal solid waste management within the South West of England region. Using in-depth key actor interviews, questionnaires, and Force Field Analysis, key actor and stakeholders perceptions on the concept of sustainable waste management are examined, and opportunities and obstacles arising from evolving institutional arrangements are identified. The study finds that there are significant barriers to the development of more sustainable Municipal Solid Waste Management (MSWM) in the South West Region, iii especially in the areas of 'culture' (both public culture and organisational), regional institutional capacity, and related markets. Amongst the issues that need to be addressed are the interrelated issues of public awareness, participation and empowerment, parochialism and the lack of power of regional institutions to deal with Local Authority waste management contracts within an implementable strategy for the region, the (often negative) influence of the markets related to MSWM, the lack of responsibility for funding of programmes aimed at changing public behaviour, and potential conflict of interest amongst stakeholder groups. Central government, Local Authorities and the waste management industry all need to instigate significant changes in institutions and institutional arrangements in order to achieve a move towards more sustainable MSWM.

Financial institutions are becoming increasingly accountable to a broader range of stakeholders, particularly with regard to their lending habits and their subsequent social and environmental footprint. As a consequence, a substantial number of banks, predominantly from the minority world, have voluntarily adopted the Equator Principles, a set of environmentally and socially sound lending guidelines aimed at the project finance industry. It is imperative that Indian banks become signatories; increasingly they are funding national infrastructure growth at the expense of the environment and communities which inhabit areas of development. Previously, Indian bankers have been absent from the Equator dialogue; this research sought to include them and ascertain the future of responsible lending within the Indian context. Across the minority world, responsible lending is entwined with the motivation to become a good corporate citizen. An analysis of Indian corporate social responsibility initiatives demonstrated that a number of financial institutions and corporations are encouraging innovation, sustainable development and independence within their local communities; a positive outcome for the potential of Equator adoption in India. The global financial crisis presently threatens to negate the progress banks have made with their commitment to responsible project finance. However, the reshaping and redefining of the global banking system presents an opportunity for financial institutions worldwide to be more responsible with the allocation of credit on an individual basis and the financing of large-scale development projects. India, at this time of major infrastructure growth, can either develop at the expense of its natural and social environments, or strive towards lifting its population out of poverty within a sustainable, responsible framework.

M.Com. (Financial Management) / The concept of social responsibility has been in existence for centuries, but the modern notion of corporate social investment (CSI) only emerged in the 1950s. Since then, the adoption of initiatives and integration of CSI by corporations has seen a steady growth, primarily driven by stakeholders. The rise of CSI can also be attributed to a better understanding of its associated business benefits. The relationship between CSI and company performance has been investigated since the mid-1970s and consensus about this relationship has still not been reached. In this study, secondary data from company reports is used to perform a panel regression analysis to determine the relationship between CSI and company financial performance for 30 South African companies listed on both the FTSE/JSE Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) Index and FTSE/JSE Top 40 Index for the period 2010 to 2013. The relationship between the financial performance measures, return on assets (ROA), earnings per share (EPS) and CSI was confirmed as positive while the relationship between CSI and return on equity (ROE) was confirmed as negative. Mixed or inconsistent results makes it impossible to support the notion of a positive or negative relationship for the study overall. The results of this study only prove a relationship between CSI and financial performance in South Africa for the relevant companies and cannot therefore be generalised.

M.Comm. / The study assessed the conformance of the companies listed on the Johannesburg Securities Exchange Social Responsibility Index to the best practices regarding the composition of the board and its committees. The board of directors is regarded as an effective mechanism in solving the agency problem that is caused by the separation of control and ownership. The composition of the board and its committees, particularly the strong presence of independent non-executive directors, enable the board to effectively monitor the actions of executive management which minimise the occurrence of fraud and corporate failures. Companies that subscribe to good corporate governance practices which includes the composition of the board and its committees are regarded highly by investors. The study assessed the extent to which the companies listed on the JSE SRI index conformed to the corporate governance best practices. The sample consists of the constituents of the JSE SRI Index. The study found that not all companies are conformed to the corporate governance best practices regarding the composition of the board and its committees.