Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In the world of business today, the reputation of an organisation matters tremendously. After the
global financial crisis in 2008-2009, it has never been more difficult for organisations to maintain a
positive reputation. The past decade differs from previous ones, as rules and regulations enforced
by regulatory bodies are more rigid, public criticism and expectations are greater and the emotional
contracts between employees and leadership are not as strong as they once were.
The financial services industry, in South Africa and abroad, has been inundated by unethical
behaviour and the global downturn has exacerbated this problem. In light of the revelations that
have come to pass worldwide, the magnifying glass has been firmly fixed on companies operating
within the financial services sector. The crisis has led to numerous companies questioning and
reviewing their own compliance and organisational practices to establish whether they are ethical.
In the South African financial services industry there has been a war raging among organisations
fighting for market share. With the increased competition levels among businesses, there is a
desire to find new and creative ways of achieving competitive advantage. Business ethics,
therefore, has become essential in the conducting of any type of business. The competitive
advantage of business ethics revolves around the building of relationships with organisational
stakeholders based on its integrity, which will maintain these relationships.
By establishing an ethics programme, an organisation could enable the management of business
ethics in the workplace. Ethics programmes often convey the values of the organisation, making
use of policies and codes to guide behaviour and the decision-making process of stakeholders.
These programmes could be used, during turbulent times, to maintain a moral path, especially
when leaders require a clear moral compass for guidance. This moral compass function is also
very helpful for new employees, as they may need to be familiarised with ethically correct
behaviour within the organisation that aligns with its values. If employees are satisfied with the
ethics programme, it could work as a mechanism to stimulate productivity, teamwork and to
motivate personnel.
A study was conducted within a private sector organisation in the South African financial services
industry with a focus on evaluating the effectiveness of their ethics programme. The findings from
the fieldwork established that the ethics programme of the organisation was found to be highly
effective, as perceived by both employees and directors. An effective ethics programme means
that the ethical culture of the organisation is strong. The findings serve to confirm that, by
monitoring the key variables that play an important role in predicting the effectiveness of ethics
programmes, organisations can achieve a positive result by knowing what the impact of potentially
harmful behaviour can have on the ethical climate and culture. The findings also serve to confirm
that an effective ethics programme can become a source of competitive advantage if engaged
correctly by the entire organisation.
This study may be used to argue that sound business ethics and ethics programmes can be
viewed as a new competitive advantage that organisations require for long-term sustainability and
business success. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In vandag se sakewêreld is die reputasie van ’n organisasie geweldig belangrik. Sedert die globale
finansiële krisis in 2008-2009 is dit vir organisasies moeiliker as ooit om ’n positiewe reputasie te
handhaaf. Die afgelope dekade is anders as die voriges omdat reëls en regulasies wat deur
reguleringsliggame afgedwing word, meer rigied is, openbare kritiek en verwagtinge groter is, en
die emosionele kontrakte tussen werknemers en leierskap nie meer so sterk is as vroeër nie.
Die bedryf van finansiële dienste – in Suid-Afrika en in die buiteland – is erg geteister deur
onetiese gedrag, en die globale insinking het dié probleem vererger. In die lig van onthullings wat
wêreldwyd plaasvind, word die vergrootglas ferm gerig op maatskappye wat binne-in die
finansiëledienste-sektor sake doen. Die krisis het tot gevolg gehad dat talle maatskappye hul eie
reëlnakoming en organisatoriese praktyke bevraagteken en hersien om vas te stel of hulle wel
eties is.
In die Suid-Afrikaanse (SA) finansiëledienste-bedryf het daar onder organisasies ’n oorlog om
markaandeel gewoed Met die toenemende vlakke van mededinging onder sake-ondernemings, is
daar ’n begeerte om nuwe en kreatiewe maniere te vind om mededingende voordeel te bereik.
Sake-etiek het dus noodsaaklik geword om enige soort besigheid te bedryf. Die mededingende
voordeel van sake-etiek draai om die bou van verhoudings met organisatoriese aandeelhouers,
gebaseer op hul integriteit wat hierdie verhoudings in stand gaan hou.
Deur die vestiging van etiese programme kan ’n organisasie die bestuur van sake-etiek in die
werkplek moontlik maak. ’n Etiese program dra dikwels die waardes van die organisasie oor met
die gebruik van beleid en kodes as riglyne vir gedrag en die besluitnemingsproses van
aandeelhouers. Hierdie programme kan in onstuimige tye gebruik word om ’n morele weg te
handhaaf, veral wanneer leiers ’n helder morele kompas nodig het vir leiding. Die funksie van
hierdie morele kompas is ook baie nuttig vir nuwe werknemers omdat hulle vertroud wil raak met
eties korrekte gedrag binne-in die organisasie wat in lyn is met sy waardes. As werknemers
tevrede is met die etiese program, kan dit dien as meganisme om produktiwiteit en spanwerk te
stimuleer, asook om hulle te motiveer.
’n Studie wat binne-in ’n organisasie in die private sektor van die Suid-Afrikaanse
finansiëledienste-bedryf gedoen is, het gefokus op evaluering van die doeltreffendheid van hul
etiese program. Die bevindings van die veldwerk het gestaaf dat die etiese program van die
organisasie hoogs doeltreffend was, soos waargeneem deur die werknemers en direkteure. ’n
Doeltreffende etiese program beteken dat die etiese kultuur van die organisasie sterk is. Die
bevindings dien as bevestiging dat, deur die monitering van die belangrikste veranderlikes wat ’n
belangrike rol speel in die voorspelling van die doeltreffendheid van etiese programme,
organisasies ’n positiewe uitslag kan bereik indien hulle weet wat die impak van potensieel
skadelike gedrag op die etiese klimaat en kultuur kan hê. Die bevindings bevestig ook dat ’n
doeltreffende etiese program ’n bron van mededingende voordeel kan word as dit korrek deur die
hele organisasie omarm word.
Hierdie studie kan gebruik word in ’n betoog dat gesonde sake-etiek en etiese programme beskou
kan word as ’n nuwe mededingende voordeel wat organisasies benodig vir langtermynvolhoubaarheid
en sake-sukses.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/21433 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Adam, Hassan Ali |
| Contributors | Malan, D., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Graduate School of Business. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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