Doing Well By Doing Good In The Community: Evidence From Some South African Small Businesses

<p>Researchers and policy makers worldwide are convinced that only clear empirical evidence of the economic benefits of business social responsibility (BSR), rather than normative assertions, can motivate small businesses enough to accept and adopt it as an integral business practice. Unfortunately, empirical research so far has yielded mixed results, such that smaller businesses are right to be skeptical about adopting BSR. This paper reports the findings of empirical research on patterns of BSR engagement practices and growth in firms’ sales and gross profit among small and micro enterprises (SMMEs) in a South African setting. This is to determine how a small firm’s economic performance varies (if at all) with the degree of its BSR performance and the kind of BSR activity it engages in. The results suggest a high degree of BSR activity among firms with substantial portions of profit dedicated to BSR. However, contrary to expectations, very weak (minor) link was found between BSR performance and economic performance among the sample of small businesses on some but not all dimensions of BSR considered in the study. Nonetheless, it is recommended that managers and owners of small businesses be encouraged to adopt and practice BSR. Even if they do not do so for economic reasons, they would be right to do so to ‘atone’ for the widely acknowledged detrimental impacts of business on society. </p>

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Understanding the current discourse of rehabilitation: With reference to disability models and rehabilitation policies for evaluation research in the South African Setting

South African Journal of Physiotherapy ◽

10.4102/sajp.v69i2.22 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 69 (2) ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

G. Mji ◽

P. Chappell ◽

S. Statham ◽

N. Mlenzana ◽

C. Goliath ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

South Africa ◽

South African ◽

Empirical Research ◽

National Health ◽

Evaluation Research ◽

Narrative Review ◽

Rehabilitation Services ◽

Health Rehabilitation ◽

African Setting

Evaluation of rehabilitation programmes is essentialin order to monitor its effectiveness and relevance. There is howevera need to consider policies when conducting evaluation researchin rehabilitation. The aim of this paper is to present the theoreticaland legislative underpinnings of rehabilitation in South Africa.A narrative review of national and international disability legislationand empirical research in context of rehabilitation was conducted.The findings of this review reveals that as a fluid construct, thediscourse of rehabilitation has been underpinned by the changingtheoretical and socio-political understandings of disability. This inturn has influenced various international and national health anddisability policies and legislations that oversee the implementation ofrehabilitation practice. Despite this, there has been little evaluationof public health rehabilitation services in context of these policies and legislations in South Africa. The fluidity of rehabilitationneed to be considered when conducting evaluation research in rehabilitation.

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The owners of new passenger vehicles: Some empirical findings on post-purchase patronage regarding servicing and repairs

South African Journal of Business Management ◽

10.4102/sajbm.v20i3.952 ◽

1989 ◽

Vol 20 (3) ◽

pp. 129-133

Author(s):

C. Boshoff ◽

P. J. Du Plessis

Keyword(s):

South African ◽

Empirical Research ◽

Random Sample ◽

Motor Vehicle ◽

Passenger Vehicles ◽

Degree Of Satisfaction ◽

Major Shift ◽

High Degree ◽

Post Purchase ◽

The Relationship

Despite concern among motor vehicle manufacturers about the relationship between their franchised dealers and new vehicle owners regarding servicing/repairs, very little empirical research has been done to investigate the post-purchase perceptions of new vehicle owners. Research studies conducted in America found that the expiry of the warranty on a new motor vehicle resulted in a major shift away from franchised dealers for servicing/repairs once the warranty had expired and that the older the vehicle became, the higher the probability that it would not be serviced by a franchised dealer. Information gathered from a random sample of new vehicle owners suggests that these conclusions also hold true for the South African situation, despite a high degree of satisfaction expressed with under-warranty servicing.

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Syed Nawab Haider Naqvi, Mahmood Hasan Khan and M. Ghaffu Otaudhry (edt.). LaJld Reforms in Pakistan, A Historical Perspective. Islamabad: Pakistan Institute of Development Economics 1987. viii+216 pp.Price: Rs 220 (USS 35) for hardcover; Rs 140.00 (USS 20) for soft-cover.

The Pakistan Development Review ◽

10.30541/v27i2pp.217-218 ◽

1988 ◽

Vol 27 (2) ◽

pp. 217-218

Author(s):

Luther Tweeten

Keyword(s):

Land Tenure ◽

Land Reform ◽

State Ownership ◽

Land Reforms ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Rural Pakistan ◽

The Status ◽

Land Tenure System ◽

Ownership Of Land ◽

High Degree

The authors describe how Pakistan has grappled with land reform, surely one of the most intractable and divisive issues facing agriculture anywhere. The land-tenure system at independence in 1947 included a high degree of land ownership concentration, absentee landlordism, insecurity of tenant tenure, and excessive rent. Land reform since 1947 focused on imposition of ceilings on landholding, distribution of land to landless tenants and small owners, and readjustments of contracts to improve the position of the tenant. These reformist measures have removed some but by no means all of the undesirable characteristics of the system. The authors list as well as present a critique of the reports of five official committees and commissions on land reform. The reports highlight the conflicts and ideologies of the reformers. The predominant ideal of the land reformers is a system of peasant proprietorship although some reformers favoured other systems such as communal farming and state ownership of land, and still others favoured cash rents over share rents. More pragmatic reformers recognized that tenancy is likely to be with Pakistan for the foreseeable future and that the batai (sharecropping) arrangement is the most workable system. According to the editors, the batai system can work to the advantage of landlord and tenant if the ceilings on landholding can be sufficiently lowered (and enforced), the security of the tenant is ensured, and the tenant has recourse to the courts for adjudication of disputes with landlords. Many policy-makers in Pakistan have come to accept that position but intervention by the State to realize the ideal has been slow. The editors conclude that" ... the end result of these land reforms is that they have not succeeded in significantly changing the status quo in rural Pakistan" (p. 29).

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Some Simple Thoughts on Model Building for Developing Countries

The Pakistan Development Review ◽

10.30541/v22i2pp.63-71 ◽

1983 ◽

Vol 22 (2) ◽

pp. 63-71 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Henk C. Bos

Keyword(s):

Developing Countries ◽

Empirical Research ◽

Model Building ◽

Past Experience ◽

Policy Advice ◽

Production Functions ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Statistical Criteria ◽

Simple Models

The revival of interest in using models for developing countries for planning and policy advice makes it desirable to draw lessons from past experience. Simple models, focussed on specific issues, are to be preferred to large and comprehensive models. More empirical research is needed on supply and production functions for developing countries. Not statistical criteria but developmental considerations must determine the conclusions to be drawn from models. More explicit explanations of assumptions and modesty in presenting results of modelling work to policy makers are desirable.

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An Investigation of the Socio-Economic Benefits of Small-Scale Gold Mining in Malawi

Mining ◽

10.3390/mining1010003 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

pp. 19-34

Author(s):

Tiyamike Haundi ◽

Gift Tsokonombwe ◽

Steven Ghambi ◽

Theresa Mkandawire ◽

Ansley Kasambara

Keyword(s):

Gold Mining ◽

Indigenous Communities ◽

Economic Benefits ◽

Gold Rush ◽

Basic Knowledge ◽

Small Scale ◽

Low Literacy ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Key Stakeholders ◽

The Government

In the recent years, there has been a surge in artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) in various districts of Malawi. Reports of a gold rush have emerged in various districts, including Mangochi, Lilongwe, Balaka, and lately in Kasungu. There has been persistence by many indigenous communities participating in ASGM activities, yet little is being done by the government to formalize and support the sub-sector. The purpose of this study was to investigate the benefits of artisanal small-scale gold mining in Malawi and expose the shortfalls so that key stakeholders and policy makers are well informed. A quantitative approach which used semi-structured questionnaires was used and the data was analyzed using Microsoft excel and Statistical Packages for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The study shows that ASGM is characterized by people with low literacy levels, who use traditional tools (low-tech) and use methods fueled by lack of capital, and deficiency of basic knowledge of mining and geology. The study found that the government could achieve substantial socio-economic development from the sector by: (1) revising the current artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) legislation so that it embraces the customary practices whilst safeguarding the environment and improving the tax collection base; (2) providing support in form of mining related training and education to these communities; (3) leading in transfer of modern technologies for improved extraction; (4) supporting ASM cooperatives in securing credit facilities from financial institutions; and (5) closing the existing knowledge gap for ASM related issues through introduction of mining desk officers in district councils.

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SARS-CoV-2 pandemic-induced PPE and single-use plastic waste generation scenario

Waste Management & Research ◽

10.1177/0734242x20980828 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 0734242X2098082

Author(s):

Md. Sazzadul Haque ◽

Shafkat Sharif ◽

Aseer Masnoon ◽

Ebne Rashid

Keyword(s):

Plastic Waste ◽

Personal Hygiene ◽

Negative Effects ◽

Effective Response ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Single Use ◽

Polyethylene Bags ◽

Policy Measures ◽

Disposable Plastic ◽

Do So

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has demonstrated both positive and negative effects on the environment. Major concerns over personal hygiene, mandated and ease in lockdown actions and slackening of some policy measures have led to a massive surge in the use of disposable personal protective equipment (PPE) and other single-use plastic items. This generated an enormous amount of plastic waste from both healthcare and household units, and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Apart from the healthcare workers, the general public have become accustomed to using PPE. These habits are threatening the land and marine environment with immense loads of plastic waste, due to improper disposal practices across the world, especially in developing nations. Contaminated PPE has already made its way to the oceans which will inevitably produce plastic particles alongside other pathogen-driven diseases. This study provided an estimation-based approach in quantifying the amount of contaminated plastic waste that can be expected daily from the massive usage of PPE (e.g. facemasks) because of the countrywide mandated regulations on PPE usage. The situation of Bangladesh has been analysed and projections revealed that a total of 3.4 billion pieces of single-use facemask, hand sanitizer bottles, hand gloves and disposable polyethylene bags will be produced monthly, which will give rise to 472.30 t of disposable plastic waste per day. The equations provided for the quantification of waste from used single-use plastic and PPE can be used for other countries for rough estimations. Then, the discussed recommendations will help concerned authorities and policy makers to design effective response plans. Sustainable plastic waste management for the current and post-pandemic period can be imagined and acted upon.

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Towards an AIDS-free generation by 2030: how are South African children, adolescents, caregivers and health care workers coping with HIV?

South African Journal of Psychology ◽

10.1177/0081246321992175 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 008124632199217

Author(s):

Yogan Pillay

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Children And Adolescents ◽

South African ◽

Health Care Workers ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Number Of Children ◽

Key Stakeholders ◽

Care Workers ◽

Free Generation ◽

Living With Hiv

We are committed to an AIDS free generation by 2030 – nine short years away. This article reflects on the global and South African data on new infections, total number of children and adolescents living with HIV as well as data on vertical transmission. The article includes the voices of key stakeholders in the quest to end HIV in children so that lessons from their experiences can be used by policy makers in strengthening services.

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How party platforms on immigration become policy

Journal of Public Policy ◽

10.1017/s0143814x20000331 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-19

Author(s):

Tobias Böhmelt ◽

Lawrence Ezrow

Keyword(s):

Immigration Policy ◽

Economic Performance ◽

Policy Making ◽

Democratic Representation ◽

Policy Issues ◽

Party Platforms ◽

Legislative Activity ◽

Do So

Abstract We focus on one of the most salient policy issues of our time, immigration, and evaluate whether the salience of immigration in governing parties’ manifestos translates into actual legislative activity on immigration. We contend that democratic policymakers have genuine incentives to do so. Furthermore, we argue that the country context matters for pledge fulfillment, and we find that the migration salience of governing parties’ manifestos more strongly translates into policy activity when the level of immigration restrictions is higher and when countries’ economies perform well. This research has important implications for our understanding of the relationships between economic performance, democratic representation and immigration policy making.

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