Abstract   Purpose: This paper aims to investigate how formal and informal cultural systems within an organization, affect the CSR related actions employees are taking at their workplace on a daily basis. The purpose is to explore how the systemsaffect employees’ participation in a company's CSR.   Problem:  There is a need for improvements in CSR activities. This improvement could be carried out by creating deeper employee engagement in CRS development and implementation. Gapsbetween externally communicated CSR and internally implemented CSR exists. Researchers have emphasized the importance of culture as a significant factor for successful CSR as well that many organizations are struggling with the integration of sustainability into the cultures and climates.    Method:The study is conducted through qualitative research and a case study method. The case study consisted of semi-structured interviews, the sample consisted of seven employees. The research in this thesis was conducted through an inductive approach.    Findings: Findings show that the formal cultural systems affected actions related to only one of the CSR aims of the company. The informal cultural systems did not affect employees to take specific actions but rather their mindset. Moreover, findings suggest that employees took CSR related actions without being fully aware of the company’s CSR. The findings also indicated a low awareness of formal documents andidentified factors beyond formal and informal systems that drove and hindered employees to take CSR related actions.

A partir da interpretação do conceito de semiosfera formulado por Iúri Lótman, a comunicação é entendida como um processo de tradução semiótica que ocorre na fronteira entre sistemas culturais. Consiste na transformação da informação em que os códigos são antes recodificados que decodificados, propiciando uma dinâmica também cultural na medida em que nesse processo tradutório estejam envolvidos mais do que simples códigos ou signos, senão padrões culturais que compreendem uma dimensão espaciotemporal em que se inserem as diversas linguagens. O mecanismo que propicia essa dinâmica parte de uma concepção epistemológica do espaço porquanto suponha uma fronteira que atue como filtro tradutor dos textos que se encontram fora de um determinado sistema que esteja sendo observado, modificando seu sentido ao torná-los próprios. Como o espaço semiótico compreende diversos sistemas de signos estruturados em diversas linguagens e submetidos a diversos contextos culturais, essa passagem de um meio a outro pode implicar em níveis de intraduzibilidade e imprevisibilidade que, apesar da resistência que possam suscitar à memória do sistema, uma vez traduzidos, asseguram um ganho qualitativo ao sistema cultural introduzindo informação nova e diversificada. O estrangeiro trata justamente dessa condição de ambiguidade da fronteira em que os textos podem ou não ser traduzidos. A hipótese é que a diversidade constitua-se na situação ideal de manutenção e de desenvolvimento do sistema ao permitir um número maior de interações e semioses, inibindo o risco de redundância e de homogeneização. Propõe-se também que a diversidade seja resultado dessa tensão entre o programa econômico (ideológico) da memória e a permeabilidade da fronteira. A análise desse mecanismo é observada a partir do espaço semiótico do tango que contempla basicamente os sistemas de signos da música, da dança e da canção, além de representações conflitantes que marcam a heterogeneidade e a mobilidade desse espaço de produção de sentido. Constata-se um ganho qualitativo ao sistema-tango na tradução de novos textos de cultura, ainda que estes causem estranhamento à memória por não reconhecer padrões já estabelecidos, forçando-a a reorganizá-los e hierarquizá-los segundo outros valores. Por outro lado, uma vez que não se concede plena autonomia de sentido à linguagem, trabalha-se na perspectiva da admissão de uma dupla matriz espaciotemporal, permitindo tratar da inferência da geopolítica na produção da territorialidade do tango, assim como de seu caráter anacrônico que surge justamente da dissociação entre esses registros epistemológicos. Esta pesquisa busca examinar a operacionalidade dos principais conceitos aplicados ao mecanismo semiótico da comunicação e da cultura a partir da construção de um objeto empírico estruturado em três capítulos (bandoneón, ritmo e memória) em que são investigados os fundamentos ontológicos do tango. Além da discussão epistemológica e estética proposta, a escolha do tema persegue uma valorização do intercâmbio cultural latino-americano para o qual a técnica de observação direta revelou-se como recurso metodológico imprescindível na análise e interpretação dos dados. / From the interpretation of semiosphere formulated by Yuri Lotman, communication is understood as a process of semiotic translation that occurs at the border between cultural systems. It consists in the transformation of information in which the codes are recoded rather than decoded, providing also a cultural dynamics in so far as that in this translation process are involved more than simple codes or signs, but cultural patterns that comprise a spatiotemporal dimension where several languages are inserted. The mechanism that provides this dynamic comes from an epistemological conception of space as it supposes a border that acts as a texts\' translator filter of a given system that is being observed, modifying their sense when appropriating them. As the semiotic space comprises several signs systems structured in diverse languages and submitted to different cultural contexts, this passage from one medium to another can imply in levels of untranslatability and unpredictability that, despite the resistance that might give rise to the system memory, once translated, ensures a qualitative gain to the cultural system by introducing new and diversified information. The stranger deals with this condition of ambiguity of the border in which the texts may or may not be translated. The hypothesis is that diversity is constituted in the ideal situation of maintenance and development of the system as it allows a larger number of interactions and semiosis, inhibiting the risk of redundancy and homogenization. It is also proposed that diversity is a result of this tension between economic program (ideological) of memory and the permeability of the border. The analysis of this mechanism is observed from the semiotic space of tango, which covers the systems of signs, music, dance and song, and conflicting representations that characterize the heterogeneity and mobility of this space of production of meaning. It is observed a noticeable qualitative gain to the tango system in the translation of new texts of culture, even though they cause estrangement to memory by not recognize patterns already established, forcing it to rearrange and hierarchize them according to other values. On the other hand, since language does not have a full autonomy of meaning, one works from the perspective of the admission of a double space-temporal matrix, allowing deal with the inference of geopolitics in the production of the tango\'s territoriality, as well as its anachronic character that arises from dissociation between these epistemological records. This research aims to examine the operability of the main concepts applied to the semiotic mechanism of communication and culture from the construction of an empirical object structured into three chapters (bandoneón, rhythm and memory) in which are investigated the ontological foundations of tango. Besides the proposed epistemological and aesthetic discussion, the choice of theme pursues a valorization of a Latin American cultural exchange, for which the technique of direct observation proved to be an indispensable methodological resource for the data analysis and interpretation

A partir da interpretação do conceito de semiosfera formulado por Iúri Lótman, a comunicação é entendida como um processo de tradução semiótica que ocorre na fronteira entre sistemas culturais. Consiste na transformação da informação em que os códigos são antes recodificados que decodificados, propiciando uma dinâmica também cultural na medida em que nesse processo tradutório estejam envolvidos mais do que simples códigos ou signos, senão padrões culturais que compreendem uma dimensão espaciotemporal em que se inserem as diversas linguagens. O mecanismo que propicia essa dinâmica parte de uma concepção epistemológica do espaço porquanto suponha uma fronteira que atue como filtro tradutor dos textos que se encontram fora de um determinado sistema que esteja sendo observado, modificando seu sentido ao torná-los próprios. Como o espaço semiótico compreende diversos sistemas de signos estruturados em diversas linguagens e submetidos a diversos contextos culturais, essa passagem de um meio a outro pode implicar em níveis de intraduzibilidade e imprevisibilidade que, apesar da resistência que possam suscitar à memória do sistema, uma vez traduzidos, asseguram um ganho qualitativo ao sistema cultural introduzindo informação nova e diversificada. O estrangeiro trata justamente dessa condição de ambiguidade da fronteira em que os textos podem ou não ser traduzidos. A hipótese é que a diversidade constitua-se na situação ideal de manutenção e de desenvolvimento do sistema ao permitir um número maior de interações e semioses, inibindo o risco de redundância e de homogeneização. Propõe-se também que a diversidade seja resultado dessa tensão entre o programa econômico (ideológico) da memória e a permeabilidade da fronteira. A análise desse mecanismo é observada a partir do espaço semiótico do tango que contempla basicamente os sistemas de signos da música, da dança e da canção, além de representações conflitantes que marcam a heterogeneidade e a mobilidade desse espaço de produção de sentido. Constata-se um ganho qualitativo ao sistema-tango na tradução de novos textos de cultura, ainda que estes causem estranhamento à memória por não reconhecer padrões já estabelecidos, forçando-a a reorganizá-los e hierarquizá-los segundo outros valores. Por outro lado, uma vez que não se concede plena autonomia de sentido à linguagem, trabalha-se na perspectiva da admissão de uma dupla matriz espaciotemporal, permitindo tratar da inferência da geopolítica na produção da territorialidade do tango, assim como de seu caráter anacrônico que surge justamente da dissociação entre esses registros epistemológicos. Esta pesquisa busca examinar a operacionalidade dos principais conceitos aplicados ao mecanismo semiótico da comunicação e da cultura a partir da construção de um objeto empírico estruturado em três capítulos (bandoneón, ritmo e memória) em que são investigados os fundamentos ontológicos do tango. Além da discussão epistemológica e estética proposta, a escolha do tema persegue uma valorização do intercâmbio cultural latino-americano para o qual a técnica de observação direta revelou-se como recurso metodológico imprescindível na análise e interpretação dos dados. / From the interpretation of semiosphere formulated by Yuri Lotman, communication is understood as a process of semiotic translation that occurs at the border between cultural systems. It consists in the transformation of information in which the codes are recoded rather than decoded, providing also a cultural dynamics in so far as that in this translation process are involved more than simple codes or signs, but cultural patterns that comprise a spatiotemporal dimension where several languages are inserted. The mechanism that provides this dynamic comes from an epistemological conception of space as it supposes a border that acts as a texts\' translator filter of a given system that is being observed, modifying their sense when appropriating them. As the semiotic space comprises several signs systems structured in diverse languages and submitted to different cultural contexts, this passage from one medium to another can imply in levels of untranslatability and unpredictability that, despite the resistance that might give rise to the system memory, once translated, ensures a qualitative gain to the cultural system by introducing new and diversified information. The stranger deals with this condition of ambiguity of the border in which the texts may or may not be translated. The hypothesis is that diversity is constituted in the ideal situation of maintenance and development of the system as it allows a larger number of interactions and semiosis, inhibiting the risk of redundancy and homogenization. It is also proposed that diversity is a result of this tension between economic program (ideological) of memory and the permeability of the border. The analysis of this mechanism is observed from the semiotic space of tango, which covers the systems of signs, music, dance and song, and conflicting representations that characterize the heterogeneity and mobility of this space of production of meaning. It is observed a noticeable qualitative gain to the tango system in the translation of new texts of culture, even though they cause estrangement to memory by not recognize patterns already established, forcing it to rearrange and hierarchize them according to other values. On the other hand, since language does not have a full autonomy of meaning, one works from the perspective of the admission of a double space-temporal matrix, allowing deal with the inference of geopolitics in the production of the tango\'s territoriality, as well as its anachronic character that arises from dissociation between these epistemological records. This research aims to examine the operability of the main concepts applied to the semiotic mechanism of communication and culture from the construction of an empirical object structured into three chapters (bandoneón, rhythm and memory) in which are investigated the ontological foundations of tango. Besides the proposed epistemological and aesthetic discussion, the choice of theme pursues a valorization of a Latin American cultural exchange, for which the technique of direct observation proved to be an indispensable methodological resource for the data analysis and interpretation

The use of music for healing is ubiquitous in every human community. Music Therapy, however, as the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional, may not share the same pervasive prevalence in human society. This study explored how a culturally-sensitive music therapy process may be designed among baTonga of Mazabuka, particularly in relation to the participants’ existing understandings of masabe (musical healing ritual) Participants' perceptions of musical healing rituals of masabe were explored through focus groups, as well as, if the participants were amenable, to the use of musical healing rituals. We then designed a music therapy session together. The participants expressed delight at their involvement in the study as it communicated interest in their lives. The study affirmed their worldview and how that could be incorporated into wellness responses associated with their community. The study found that baTonga rely on musical healing rituals as they are aligned to their relational cosmology and accommodates their perceptions of wellbeing. BaTonga ritual music is rich in symbolism and imagery. Because buTonga personhood might be experienced at the intersection of the individual and the community, and at the intersection of the individual, the community and the natural environment, this study found that music therapy here would benefit from drawing on ecologically-informed community music therapy approaches. A music therapist’s role in buTonga may be seen similarly to how the role of a mun’ganga (an afflicted shamanic healer) is perceived in the community. The study argues that there is indeed a place for culture-centred, culturally sensitive and inclusive anti-oppressive music therapy among BuTonga. This research study contributes to the ongoing conversation about evolving meanings, theories, approaches and practices of music therapy. / Dissertation (MMus)--University of Pretoria, 2019. / Music / MMus / Unrestricted

Race, ethnicity and culture have been a central theme in South African history, and while not disregarding the recent socio-political changes, many South Africans of different races continue to lead essentially different lives. Public schools are becoming more racially and culturally integrated and it is important that this leads to incisive change and not merely altering the racial demographics of the learner and educator bodies. Culture in South Africa is dynamic and the values and norms of members of a particular group are in a state of flux. Moreover, the shift from a traditional teacher-centred curriculum to an outcomes-based curriculum in South African education means that the teacher is encouraged to accept each learner in the culturally diverse classroom as an individual, who brings a unique life experience into the classroom and contributes to learning in the context. The learner's cultural background, family and community should be considered in both the selection of learning material and in classroom interaction. This study investigates the South African adolescent's perspective of culture by means of a literature review, a photographic essay and an empirical investigation using a combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches. The literature review expanded on the concepts of race, culture and ethnicity. Topics relating to the life in Johannesburg that adolescents perceived as significant were commented on in the photographic essay. Thereafter, adolescent learners from two ex-model C schools in Johannesburg were selected as participants in the empirical research. The quantitative research considered aspects such as learner prejudice, ethnic group preference and the value attached to cultural traditions using questionnaires and sociograms as data gathering methods. The qualitative phase used focus group discussions using as a stimulus a posed photograph of a racially diverse group of learners engaged in a group activity. Learners were selected, for the focus discussion groups, on the basis of the results of the sociogram used in the quantitative phase. Findings showed that learners regard diversity as a resource although evidence suggests that black learners are moving away from traditional cultural practices. Based on the findings of the literature study and the empirical inquiry recommendations for the improvement of practice are made. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Socio-Education)

This thesis attempts to address how and why North Shäwa deteriorated from a political heartland to a region of impoverished peasants by the beginning of the 20th century. One of the factors that determine the selection of the place for a seat of the government for a region or country and sustainability of its system is its resource potential. In this case, arable and grazing land with other related land resources were decisive. They were some of the major factors contributing to both the origin and development of the kingdom. However, by the beginning of the 20th century, the region was abandoned by the court and by a significant proportion of its population. This was mainly because of the impoverishment of the region. The growth of the number of consumers (town dwellers) and the supplies needed by the kingdom exceeded the carrying capacity of North Shäwa. The economic productivity of the region could not correspond to the development of its needs. Thus, this thesis accords due emphasis to the factors that contributed to the impoverishment of North Shäwa and the consequences that followed. Throughout the thesis, North Shäwan peasants are the main subject of discussion. Political, social, cultural and geographical factors that impacted on the peasants’ economy and that retarded its development are discussed in the study. It also attempts to unearth the measures taken by the court and peoples of North Shäwa to withstand or escape from the prevailing socio-economic problems. Finally a comparison is made with other regions of the country to describe the political and socio-economic status of North Shäwans that continue to live in the region. This discussion covers the period from the 1880s up to the Italian occupation of Ethiopia in 1935 / History / D.Litt. et Phil. (History)

Race, ethnicity and culture have been a central theme in South African history, and while not disregarding the recent socio-political changes, many South Africans of different races continue to lead essentially different lives. Public schools are becoming more racially and culturally integrated and it is important that this leads to incisive change and not merely altering the racial demographics of the learner and educator bodies. Culture in South Africa is dynamic and the values and norms of members of a particular group are in a state of flux. Moreover, the shift from a traditional teacher-centred curriculum to an outcomes-based curriculum in South African education means that the teacher is encouraged to accept each learner in the culturally diverse classroom as an individual, who brings a unique life experience into the classroom and contributes to learning in the context. The learner's cultural background, family and community should be considered in both the selection of learning material and in classroom interaction. This study investigates the South African adolescent's perspective of culture by means of a literature review, a photographic essay and an empirical investigation using a combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches. The literature review expanded on the concepts of race, culture and ethnicity. Topics relating to the life in Johannesburg that adolescents perceived as significant were commented on in the photographic essay. Thereafter, adolescent learners from two ex-model C schools in Johannesburg were selected as participants in the empirical research. The quantitative research considered aspects such as learner prejudice, ethnic group preference and the value attached to cultural traditions using questionnaires and sociograms as data gathering methods. The qualitative phase used focus group discussions using as a stimulus a posed photograph of a racially diverse group of learners engaged in a group activity. Learners were selected, for the focus discussion groups, on the basis of the results of the sociogram used in the quantitative phase. Findings showed that learners regard diversity as a resource although evidence suggests that black learners are moving away from traditional cultural practices. Based on the findings of the literature study and the empirical inquiry recommendations for the improvement of practice are made. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Socio-Education)

This thesis attempts to address how and why North Shäwa deteriorated from a political heartland to a region of impoverished peasants by the beginning of the 20th century. One of the factors that determine the selection of the place for a seat of the government for a region or country and sustainability of its system is its resource potential. In this case, arable and grazing land with other related land resources were decisive. They were some of the major factors contributing to both the origin and development of the kingdom. However, by the beginning of the 20th century, the region was abandoned by the court and by a significant proportion of its population. This was mainly because of the impoverishment of the region. The growth of the number of consumers (town dwellers) and the supplies needed by the kingdom exceeded the carrying capacity of North Shäwa. The economic productivity of the region could not correspond to the development of its needs. Thus, this thesis accords due emphasis to the factors that contributed to the impoverishment of North Shäwa and the consequences that followed. Throughout the thesis, North Shäwan peasants are the main subject of discussion. Political, social, cultural and geographical factors that impacted on the peasants’ economy and that retarded its development are discussed in the study. It also attempts to unearth the measures taken by the court and peoples of North Shäwa to withstand or escape from the prevailing socio-economic problems. Finally a comparison is made with other regions of the country to describe the political and socio-economic status of North Shäwans that continue to live in the region. This discussion covers the period from the 1880s up to the Italian occupation of Ethiopia in 1935 / History / D.Litt. et Phil. (History)