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Corporate social responsibility and social justice advocacy : an exploration of factors which impact on corporate South Africa’s engagement
Thesis (MPA)--Stellenbosch University, 2020.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | en_ZA |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2020
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| _version_ | 1867614044666462208 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Jones, Louise |
| author2 | Smit, Arnold |
| author_browse | Jones, Louise Smit, Arnold |
| author_facet | Smit, Arnold Jones, Louise |
| author_sort | Jones, Louise |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MPA)--Stellenbosch University, 2020. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/108446 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | en_ZA |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:45:46.810Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2020 |
| publishDateRange | 2020 |
| publishDateSort | 2020 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/108446 Corporate social responsibility and social justice advocacy : an exploration of factors which impact on corporate South Africa’s engagement Jones, Louise Smit, Arnold Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. School of Public Leadership. Social responsibility of business -- South Africa Responsibility -- Social aspects -- South Africa Corporate governance -- South Africa Social advocacy -- South Africa Social justice -- South Africa UCTD Thesis (MPA)--Stellenbosch University, 2020. ENGLISH SUMMARY: This study sets out to explore the factors which impact on corporate engagement with social justice advocacy. The position argued is that corporates should embed social justice advocacy as part of their broader CSR strategies. The study employs qualitative research through semi-structured interviews across three defined target groups: corporates who do not engage with advocacy, corporates (including corporate-established trusts) who do fund advocacy, and social justice organisations. The research findings for the first objective identify six interrelating data themes, which together contribute to inhibit corporate engagement with social justice advocacy. The factors point to a fundamental lack of understanding of the social justice terrain, a fear of reputational risk, a pursuit of short-term profit rather than sustainable profit, a compliance approach to regulatory and governance requirements, a disconnectedness from their operating environment, and recognises that business purpose will determine societal engagement. A second objective examines areas for consideration or caution relating to corporate engagement with social justice advocacy. These findings observe a caution against a ‘business-as-usual’ approach; the influence of power within partnerships; issues of accountability and governance; conditionality of funding and conflict of interest; integrating advocacy at different levels of business strategy; and risks of supporting disparate advocacy efforts. The study recognises the existence of inherent tensions between business, and social justice and equality principles. These relate to how business views its role in society, the responsible use of corporate power within the public sphere, and corporate accountability and accessibility. While the conclusion is that companies should engage in social justice advocacy, they must do so responsibly within the context of meaningful and robust stakeholder discourse, including dialogue with civil society and other societal actors. Recommendations are put forward to further the CSR-social justice discourse through various platforms. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie is gemik op ’n ondersoek na die faktore wat korporatiewe betrokkenheid by maatskaplikegeregtigheid-voorspraak beïnvloed. Die posisie wat beredeneer word, is dat korporasies maatskaplikegeregtigheid-voorspraak by hul groter strategieë vir korporatiewe maatskaplike verantwoordelikheid (KMV) moet insluit. Die studie gebruik kwalitatiewe navorsing aan die hand van semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude oor drie gedefinieerde teikengroepe heen: korporasies wat nie by voorspraak betrokke is nie; korporasies (ingesluit korporasie-gevestigde trusts) wat voorspraak befonds; en organisasies vir maatskaplike geregtigheid. Die navorsingsbevindinge vir die eerste doelstelling identifiseer ses onderling verwante data-temas wat gesamentlik korporatiewe betrokkenheid by maatskaplikegeregtigheid-voorspraak belemmer. Die faktore dui op ’n fundamentele gebrek aan begrip vir die maatskaplikegeregtigheid-terrein; vrees vir reputasie-risiko; ’n strewe na korttermynwins eerder as volhoubare wins; ’n nakomingsbenadering tot regulatoriese en beheer-en-bestuursvereistes; ’n verwyderdheid van hul bedryfsomgewing; en erkenning dat sakedoelwitte maatskaplike betrokkenheid bepaal. ’n Tweede doelwit ondersoek gebiede vir oorweging of omsigtigheid wat met korporatiewe betrokkenheid by maatskaplikegeregtigheid-voorspraak verband hou. Hierdie bevindinge is versigtig vir ’n “besigheid-soos-gewoonlik”-benadering; die invloed van mag binne vennootskappe; kwessies betreffende aanspreeklikheid en beheer-en-bestuur; voorwaardelikheid van befondsing en die botsing van belange; die integrasie van voorspraak op verskillende vlakke van die sakestrategie; en die risiko verbonde daaraan om uiteenlopende voorspraakpogings te ondersteun. Die studie erken dat daar inherente spanning tussen sakebeginsels aan die een kant, en maatskaplikegeregtigheid- en gelykheidsbeginsels aan die ander kant bestaan. Hierdie beginsels hou verband met hoe die sakesektor sy rol in die samelewing sien; die verantwoordelike gebruik van korporatiewe mag binne die openbare sfeer; en korporatiewe aanspreeklikheid en toeganklikheid. Alhoewel die gevolgtrekking is dat maatskappye by maatskaplikegeregtigheid-voorspraak betrokke moet wees, moet dit op ’n verantwoordelike wyse binne die konteks van ’n betekenisvolle en robuuste belanghebbersgesprek plaasvind, onder meer deur dialoog met die burgerlike samelewing, asook ander rolspelers in die samelewing. Aanbevelings word gemaak ter bevordering van die KMV-maatskaplikegeregtigheid-diskoers via verskeie platforms. Masters 2020-02-26T09:13:02Z 2020-04-28T15:14:16Z 2020-02-26T09:13:02Z 2020-04-28T15:14:16Z 2020-03 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/108446 en_ZA Stellenbosch University x, 118 pages : illustrations, includes annexures application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Social responsibility of business -- South Africa Responsibility -- Social aspects -- South Africa Corporate governance -- South Africa Social advocacy -- South Africa Social justice -- South Africa UCTD Jones, Louise Corporate social responsibility and social justice advocacy : an exploration of factors which impact on corporate South Africa’s engagement |
| title | Corporate social responsibility and social justice advocacy : an exploration of factors which impact on corporate South Africa’s engagement |
| title_full | Corporate social responsibility and social justice advocacy : an exploration of factors which impact on corporate South Africa’s engagement |
| title_fullStr | Corporate social responsibility and social justice advocacy : an exploration of factors which impact on corporate South Africa’s engagement |
| title_full_unstemmed | Corporate social responsibility and social justice advocacy : an exploration of factors which impact on corporate South Africa’s engagement |
| title_short | Corporate social responsibility and social justice advocacy : an exploration of factors which impact on corporate South Africa’s engagement |
| title_sort | corporate social responsibility and social justice advocacy an exploration of factors which impact on corporate south africa s engagement |
| topic | Social responsibility of business -- South Africa Responsibility -- Social aspects -- South Africa Corporate governance -- South Africa Social advocacy -- South Africa Social justice -- South Africa UCTD |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/108446 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT joneslouise corporatesocialresponsibilityandsocialjusticeadvocacyanexplorationoffactorswhichimpactoncorporatesouthafricasengagement |