A research dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Commerce (Business Sciences/ Management). Johannesburg South Africa March 2016 / Corporate Social Performance is both a prominent notion that the business world views as strategic and a well-known concept in academia that has been assessed in relation to different constructs. Several scholars have suggested the relationship between corporate social performance and its capability to attract numerous superior job applicants at the organisational level, yet, there is no corresponding evidence at the individual level of analysis. Thus, based on suggestions from the social identity theory and the signaling theory, this study hypothesized that job seekers’ perception of Carroll’s (1979) four dimensions of corporate social performance of an organisation are positively related to the organisation’s attractiveness as an employer and aimed to assess these relationships. Carroll’s (1979) four dimensions of corporate social performance consist of an organisation’s economic, legal, ethical and philanthropic responsibility. This study was quantitative in nature; therefore, the data for this study was collected through the use of previously developed questionnaires that had obtained high Cronbach’s alpha values thus confirming their reliability. Survey results were collected from a sample of 216 final year undergraduate and honours students who were selected via probability sampling technique. These results indicated that job seekers are more likely to pursue jobs from socially responsible organisations; with economic responsibility having the greatest impact on organisational attractiveness. Two Statistical packages, namely, the statistical package of the social sciences and Amos were used to test the conceptual model and to arrive at these findings. The implications of the empirical findings for researchers and South African organisations as well as the study’s contributions to practice and theory are discussed. Just like most studies, this study had several limitations such as the size of the sample and time, just to mention a few, which led to recommendations that future research could take into consideration. / MT2017

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Management specialising in Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation, 2016 / The successful commercialisation of high-tech products and services require an appreciation of the social context in which such products and services are introduced. The market for high-tech products and services in emerging markets are drawing increasing involvement of small and medium sized firms that are either developing high-tech products and services, or selling such products and services imported from developed markets. The need for basic services at the citizen level in emerging markets necessitate firms to adapt the commercialisation strategies and ultimate sales of products and services to address basic needs. Drawing on the theory of social impact measurement, social enterprise selfefficacy and entrepreneurial orientation, this research aims to assess the way in which emerging market firms – using primarily South African firms in the research sample offering high-tech products and services - have had to adjust commercialisation strategies, so as to take cognisance of the social context specific to the target markets. Data was collected from a number of high-tech firms operating in, or offering hightech products and services to emerging markets. The data was subsequently analysed based on the social impact measures, social enterprise self-efficacy and entrepreneurial orientation constructs found in literature, to assess the overall social impact of high-tech SMEs in an emerging market, being predominantly South Africa. The researcher introduced a tailor-made variable, Success by drawing on various data items collected from respondents, such as the age of the firm, and changes in recent employment and turnover figures. The results point to a positive and statistically meaningful relationship between the Success of such firms in the final sample, and the need to demonstrate social impact considerations in the business strategies of such firms offering high-tech products and services in an emerging market. The research outputs align with theory in so far as social impact not being the primary driver of such high-tech firms, but rather a necessary by-product of ensuring sustainability and success, and the need to adapt to the contextual realities present in an emerging market. This is one of the first studies to test the social impact of high-tech firms in an emerging market, especially in so far as outlining the need to expand commercialisation strategies to incorporate social impact awareness. By applying the theory of self-efficacy to social impact, the findings point to the need for hightech firms in emerging markets to not only take note of social needs, but to adapt firm strategy to integrate social impact considerations into the commercialisation strategies, so as to be successful. In other words, to be successful, such high-tech firms need to both talk-the-talk, and walk-the-walk. The implications of the research extend to the way high-tech SMEs approach commercialisation in emerging markets, as well as the team composition of such high-tech firms in order to integrate the necessary skills and experienced resources beyond those necessary for technological commercialisation, thereby having also human resources with the necessary skills and experience needed to take cognisance of, and adapt to relevant social impact contexts. / XL2018

A Dissertation Report presented to the Witwatersrand Business School Witwatersrand University In fulfilment of the requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Management June 2017 / Impact investment is an innovative mechanism developed within the realm of development finance to intentionally create measurable positive impact beyond financial returns. It has become an instrument for South African banks to achieve their Financial Sector Charter goals of making a viable contribution towards economic growth, development, empowerment and reduction of inequalities and poverty in our society. South Africa is the largest market in Southern Africa for impact investment and the management dilemma faced by the South African Banking Sector as the financial intermediaries is how to account and measure the social value created by the impact investments? This study investigated the measurement practices of social value of impact investment and developed theoretical constructs on how the financial intermediaries measure social value. A multiple qualitative case study method utilising purposive sampling was employed. The sample included fourteen interviews that covered the South African Banking as financial intermediary (micro and macro perspective) and its value chain and the competitive landscape perspectives. The study had three sub-questions focusing on the conceptualisation of impact investment, the nature of the South African impact investment ecosystem and the nature of measurement of social value. Data was triangulated by integrating semi-structured interviews, field notes and secondary documents. The data analysis used Attride-Stirling’s thematic networks as an analytical tool to analyse the qualitative data. This consisted of three stages that covered six steps of analysis. The analysis used Excel software to navigate from the interview question, coding, labelling, definition of codes, issues discussed, theme identification, organising and global theme deduction, description of network, and the triangulation of data (respondents quotes, field notes and document text). The findings of the study developed three models, an impact investment conceptual model, impact investment ecosystem model for South African Banking Sector and the financial intermediary social value equation model that depicts the measurement ratios of hybrid returns of impact investment. The study recommends the seven emerging theoretical propositions as the backbone of measuring the innovative social finance. The emergent models’ theoretical propositions will ensure that practitioners use the models to measure and account for the SA Banking Sector’s social value creation and the models will influence the intellectual framing of those in academic and reflective practitioner domain. This study’s overall contribution was to create the foundation of a method and theory for measuring social value in anticipation and seeking to influence the types of managerial knowledge needed to deal with societal and organisational concerns in the fourth industrial revolution. / MT2017

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters in Management Strategic Marketing 2016 / Context: Annually in South Africa, results of the Sunday Times Top Brands survey are released. Within this study is a ranking “brands that do the most to uplift the community” voted by the public, which is widely quoted by those brands included in the study. If this is the dominant study reporting on a “socially responsible organisation”, the study provides a guideline on how the organisation will be more likely to be thought to be in the top companies “doing the most to uplift communities”. A brief statement of the conceptual framework of the research: This, study employed the recently developed Porter and Kramer (2011) Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) vs. Creating Shared Value (CSV) model as a return on corporate social development programs framework. The study sought to assess whether management in companies that are highly ranked adopt the CSR paradigm constructs (where the value is doing good) or the CSV paradigm constructs (where the value is economic and societal benefits relative to cost) as proposed by the Porter and Kramer (2011) model [Abbreviated abstract. Open document to view full version] / GR2018

Masters in the Field of Environmental Sciences (MSc CW/RR) - GEOL7007 Research Report School of Animal Plants and Environmental Science. Johannesburg 2017. / In recent times increasing emphasis has been placed on the important role that corporations must play in the creation of greener economies. This has given rise to greater corporate environmental disclosure and reporting, and a wealth of research into the link between sustainability reporting and financial and environmental business performance. Notwithstanding this, it has been noted that corporate responses to environmental sustainability issues are highly variable, and very little research has been conducted to determine where businesses focus their environmental sustainability efforts and to what extent they have made measureable progress in this regard. The purpose of this study was to assess and compare the implementation of sustainability initiatives across a variety of fast moving consumer goods companies, including large multinational organisations, privately owned South African and publically traded JSE listed companies. This was achieved through the evaluation and scoring of an environmental self-assessment questionnaire distributed annually over a three year period between 2012 and 2014. In total, the survey, which covered a cross section of business relevant environmental issues, allowed for the profiling of 851 company responses. Scoring of these responses was based on a defined matrix with a grading system of 0 – 6. Results showed that overall, larger companies appear to be making significantly better progress when it comes to tackling environmental issues than their smaller privately owned competitors. Of the product categories investigated, the sustainability performance of liquor suppliers was the best while transport suppliers scored significantly lower than their peers. Publically listed JSE-listed companies and large multinational companies had similar sustainability performance to one another but both these groups performed significantly better than their privately owned South African competitors. Of those supplier Groups surveyed, JSE listed companies were the only business Group who showed significant year-on-year improvement in performance. An evaluation of scores achieved across the different environmental issues covered revealed that suppliers indicated they performed best in the areas of waste minimisation, operational energy mitigation and sustainable product design, while they made least progress when it came to climate change mitigation, sustainability reporting and biodiversity conservation. Results suggest that overall: companies made most progress on environmental issues that offered the greatest potential for increasing revenues or reducing operating costs; large public corporations performed significantly better than privately owned companies when it came to tackling environmental sustainability issues; and despite increasing emphasis being placed on transitioning to more sustainable business models, only one group of suppliers showed a measurable improvement in sustainability performance over the course of the study. / LG2017

A research report submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters in Psychology by Coursework and Research Report in the field of Organisational Psychology in the Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 15 March 2017. / Organisations are increasingly moving towards the integration of “social, environmental and economic considerations into their business practices and structures” (Asemah Okpanachi, & Edegoh, 2013, p.45). This is due to the fact that organisations have been put under immense pressure by various stakeholders to assume ethical identities and improve the quality of life of both employees and the broader community through incorporating some form of corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities within their organisations (Peterson, 2004). Equally important is the retention of high quality and experienced employees in organisations, as this not only saves production time and costs but also saves the organisation costs associated with the hiring and training of replacement staff ((Bothma & Roodt, 2013). It is well established in the literature that employees infer judgments about certain activities that their organisations partake in and these judgments consequently influence employee behavior (Rupp, Ganapathi, Aguilera, & Williams, 2006). Considering the importance of both CSR and the prevention of voluntary turnover intentions, it seemed essential to explore how these constructs relate in the organisational context. As such, this study aimed to explore the nature of the relationships between the three dimensions of CSR (philanthropic, environmental, and internal) and voluntary turnover intentions in a sample of South African employees. Moreover it has been suggested that other mechanisms might have an influence on this relationship (Dawley, Houghton, & Bucklew, 2010). Subsequently, this study also sought to explore whether perceived organisational support and organisational commitment mediated the relationships between the different forms of corporate social responsibility and voluntary turnover intentions. A quantitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional, correlational research design was used in the present study. The total sample consisted of 106 employees from various South African organisations and positions. Participants who volunteered and consented to be part of the study were asked to complete a self-constructed demographic questionnaire, Pitt and Siemer’s (2012) External and Internal Corporate Social Responsibility Scales, Eisenberger et al.’s (1986) Perceived Organisational Support Scale, Mowday and Steers’ (1979) Organisational Commitment Questionnaire, and Kantor’s (2013) Voluntary Turnover Intention Scale. / XL2018

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Management in Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation Johannesburg, 2017 / This research report is based on the motivations for ecological responsiveness as identified by Bansal and Roth (2000). It considers the resultant actions of different motivations for ecological responsiveness (ER), and their ability to moderate the relationship between ER and Intrapreneurship in South Africa. The study adopted a deductive positivist paradigm that assumed an ecocentric approach to management and organisational research. A quantitative, cross-sectional research design was employed and the use of both primary data collection from surveys and secondary data collection from websites and annual reports were utilised in order to determine the existence of relationships between the variables of ecological responsiveness and intrapreneurship, and the moderating variables of legitimation, competitiveness and ecological responsibility. Multiple regression analysis was used to statistically test the relationship between the independent variable of ecological responsiveness and the dependent variable of intrapreneurship, as well as the moderating effect of the variables listed above. The population of this study was employees with management/supervisory positions within financial institutions of South Africa. It was required that these organisations were listed and had accessible or publically available annual reports in order for content analysis to be conducted. The final sample consisted of 210 management level employees who were in the majority employed at 3 different large, listed, South African banks. This study found support for hypothesized relationships between ecological responsiveness and intrapreneurship, as well as the positive moderating effect of the motive of ecological responsibility on this relationship. Results pertaining to the moderating effect of legitimation and competitive motives were not supported. In addition, the study found support for the proposed relationship between an organisations ecological qualitative content analysis (QCA) score and the level of ecological responsibility perception in the organisation. The general findings contribute to research in the field of motivations for environmental corporate social responsibility (ECSR) and the resulting actions. / MT2017

This qualitative study examines whether microblogging illustrates or contradicts the longstanding notion that the Internet allows for greater public participation in important issues, thus potentially expanding public sphere. The study analyzes 5 years of tweets about climate change between ExxonMobil and Greenpeace USA using a new hybrid, or blended methodology that combines Kenneth Burke's rhetorical analysis of cluster-agons with eight physical attributes of the Internet that Marshall Poe identified as influential in pushing societies and ideas in new directions. Clusters are also examined using Grace Poh Lyn's reflexive analysis. Additionally, the analysis also considers the use of agitative and control strategies, discursive tensions between freedom and domination, and the rhetorical use of public vernaculars. Analysis of the tweets reveals that business organizations that at first glance or in theory seem to be at odds actually share common discursive practices. They communicate about the same issues at the same or similar times using the same language for the same primary purpose-survival of the organization-while giving the impression that they are working for the good of their respective publics for environmental causes or the bottom line, or even both. The researcher concludes that although there are specific cases of microblogging in which the public benefits to some extent, those gains are either very short-lived or are more likely to exist in theory rather than practice due to the fluid nature of microblogging as well as continued organizational missteps which I call "corporate ejacking." / by Mark A. Kattoura. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2013. / Includes bibliography. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / System requirements: Adobe Reader. / The author wishes readers to note the correction of the following person referred to in this dissertation as Burke (1964) to be cited as Burke, K. (1964). Fact, inference, and proof in the analysis of literary symbolism. In S. Hyman (Ed.), Terms for order (pp. 145-172). Bloomington: Indiana University Press. / The author wishes readers to note the correction of the following person referred to in this dissertation as Poh Lyn (2009) to be cited as Teo-Dixon, G. Poh Lyn. (2009). Rotten with perfection?: An exploration of the rhetoric of knowledge in knowledge management (Doctoral dissertation). Massey University, Albany, New Zealand.

I empirically investigate the managements’ decision to voluntarily disclose strategic information. While carrying a benefit of reduced information asymmetry, strategic information disclosure carries a cost of investors disagreeing with managements’ strategy and thus refusing to provide funding to the firm. Using a hand- collected sample of information releases, I identify firm characteristics that affect the likelihood of strategic information disclosure. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2015 / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Thesis (MTech (Environmental Management))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2018. / Worldwide, there is a growing about the protection of the environment while ensuring social and economic development for the benefit of the existing and forthcoming generation which pressures every person to take reasonable measures when conducting his/her business. Amongst the reasonable measures, there are environmental legislative provisions enacted by the international community, as well as locally, to regulate required actions for the protection of the environment. South Africa’s environmental legislation outlines ecologically sustainable development by making provisions in the Bill of Rights in the Constitution for everyone to take reasonable legislative measures to alleviate damaging impacts on the environment. International conventions have assisted South Africa and other countries worldwide in environmental protection, thus improving ecologically sustainable development. Eskom’s (the South African power utility) distribution department, referred to as the Company from here onwards, has established environmental objectives and commitments to prevent pollution, promote environmental reporting, comply with all the applicable environmental legislations and other relevant requirements to ensure performance is measured and continual improvement is achieved. The research used both quantitative and qualitative research methods to analyse environmental obligations and associated environmental liabilities of the Company to improve ecologically sustainable development. In order to answer the research questions and achieve the objectives, a set of questionnaires was distributed to sampled respondents; data were retrieved using SAP EH&S Incident Management software while independent variable (environmental obligation) and dependent variables (environmental liability and ecologically sustainable development) were identified. Site visits were also conducted. Furthermore, a correlation coefficient analysis test was calculated using Microsoft excel and a graph was used to illustrate the R-Square value. Positive (+1) relationship between variables was observed which indicates dependability of dependent variable to the independent variable. The research findings indicate that the environment can be safeguarded through understanding and implementing environmental obligations and environmental liabilities to protect the environment for the benefit of the current and future generations by improving ecologically sustainable development. South Africa (1998a) explained that the environment is held in public trust for the people, thus the beneficial use of environmental resources serves the public interest and the environment must be safeguarded as a common heritage. Therefore, anyone found to have contravened legislation will be held liable in the form of sanctions as stated in South Africa, (1998c). An environmental obligation is a duty of care imposed on the user, landowner or a person in control of the protection of the environment and, where protection is impossible, to remediate the impact for the benefit of contemporary and upcoming generations. This is reasonably in line with the principles of sustainable development and a continual improvement of environmental quality and services. There have been dependent variables in the research where both environmental liability and ecologically sustainable development are dependent on environmental obligations (an independent variable) being realised. For this reason, every person or institution should ensure that environmental obligations are understood, adhered to and ensure that ecologically sustainable development is achieved. The Company has undertaken business activities to ensure that electricity is distributed to a wider population, bearing in mind that the interaction may have negative impact on the environment. When any incident that degrades the environment occurs, the incident is reported and managed throughout its life-cycle. There are, however, cases where environmental obligations are not understood or implemented. There is a need to ensure that all people that undertake activities that have a negative impact on the environment, such as pollution of the environment, are properly trained to be able to identify such activities, set environmental objectives and management programmes. Additionally, monitor the implementation of those programmes to ensure that these objectives are met and to achieve ecologically sustainable development. Ecologically sustainable development is achieved when environmental obligations are adhered to and required environmental liabilities are implemented and monitored. SANS ISO 14001: 2015 is an Environmental Management System which can be implemented to help any company understand its business operations, identify environmental issues, find solutions and ensure that all environmental issues are addressed, and good environmental performance is realized.