An exploration of corporate social responsibility (CSR): implementation in companies within the built environment in Polokwane.
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Date
2017
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Abstract
Companies have traditionally reported and focused on the profit as the bottom line of their
existence. Consideration of matters relating to the interests of other stakeholders of the
companies other than the shareholders or investors was not prioritised. However, Corporate
Social Responsibility management has emerged with the expectations for triple bottom line
reporting where over and above profit, the companies account for their corporate citizenship
initiatives towards the planet and its people. The application of Corporate Social Responsibility
(CSR) Management is explored in Polokwane among professional companies that operate
within the construction sector. The aim of the study was to understand the initiatives and
activities undertaken by the companies causing them to be regarded as corporate responsible
citizens in the construction sector. The study was conducted among twenty professional firms
that are operating from Polokwane, which were selected by purposive sampling. The core areas
that the study considered were the tools and activities that are regarded by the firms as their
CSR management efforts; the rationale on the importance of the selected tools and activities
and other initiatives that could be pursued, if resources permitted them; whether there are
themes that can be derived from the CSR initiatives; and, what effects or outcomes are brought
about by the CSR management. The study made use of qualitative exploratory research
methodology and therefore data was collected through conducting interviews. Using a semi structured questionnaire as a basis for the interviews, the participants were able to give their
account of experiences and views regarding CSR management. The data analysis was
deductive and the discussion was a narrative thematic process drawn from the data presentation
of the interviews. The results of the study showed that all the interviewed company
representatives understood the importance of CSR and were engaged in various forms of CSR
through activities and interventions in the communities. The firms all had a strong socio cultural intervention in their CSR approach followed by addressing planet and environmental
issues. Philanthropic and legislative or ethical concerns were also found which were largely
mandatory or coincidental. There seemed to be very little concern on the real value of CSR
management from a global or international perspective and another study is recommended that
would focus on the empirical and longitudinal studies comparing the built environment’s
performance to other sectors of the economy.
Description
Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.