School for Organisation and Resource Management

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Browsing School for Organisation and Resource Management by browse.metadata.advisor "Mkhize, Mbekezeli Comfort"

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    An analysis of the social-economic effects of a water crisis on households in the Western Cape: Evidence from Paarl
    (2022-12) Joseph, Darren Christopher; Mkhize, Mbekezeli Comfort; Madumi, Phathutshedzo; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Military Science. School for Defence Organisation and Resource Management.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Water crises affect human beings differently from one country to the next. Many studies have investigated the causes and consequences of water crises, yet the Western Cape’s water crisis remains a serious problem. This study aimed to analyse the socio-economic effects of the Western Cape’s water crisis on households in Paarl. Existing literature, including books, journal articles, conference papers, and Internet articles, was reviewed to gain insight into the phenomenon of water crises. In support of the existing literature, the study employed the qualitative research approach to collect empirical data. Qualitative data were collected through face-to-face interviews with 20 residents, five municipal officials, and five engineers. Each sample had its own interview guide to gather information from these participants. The study employed the Homer-Dixon environmental scarcity theory and the demand management theory to understand and explain the concept of water crises. The thematic analysis method was used to analyse the qualitative data. The key findings revealed that the water crisis affected all the participants; some had lost their jobs, while others were socially affected. Most respondents believed that the water crisis was caused by a combination of climate change and related and consequent low rainfall, overconsumption, human overpopulation, and water wastage factors. Furthermore, the participants pointed out measures that assisted with managing the water crisis, including water restrictions, increased water tariffs, and water meter monitoring. The respondents also suggested ways how water can be used more sparingly, such as using the same water for multiple purposes and using greywater for non-human consumption purposes, such as watering gardens and filling pools, to name a few. Many of these implemented measures and strategies were successful; however, some residents did not comply and were fined by their municipalities. Participants from across the three cohorts sampled agreed that drilling boreholes, recycling water, and building new dams and reservoirs will assist with the stable supply of water in the long term. Furthermore, the engineer participants indicated that the management and maintenance of dams and reservoirs are crucial for storing water. The relevant authorities should upgrade all existing early warning systems and install them in places that are not yet active. These systems should not only be used to indicate pending crises or disasters but should also be used when there is more than enough water to ensure that contingency measures can be taken. The national government should invest more funds in water desalination plants so that seawater can be made safe for human consumption. Local municipalities should constantly remind the public of water-saving methods to decrease domestic consumption. This should be communicated to all stakeholders to secure buy-in from all affected parties. Further investigation is needed on how regional or local water crises influence both national and local economies. The water crisis in the Western Cape has had a significant impact on the local agricultural sector, which, in turn, influenced the country’s economy. Mitigative measures and solutions require urgent investigation, such as finding a more affordable seawater desalination process.
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    Perceptions of corporate social responsibility and its influence on customer behaviour in White City, Saldanha
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2020-12) Nkwanyana, Nqobizizwe Agostina; Mkhize, Mbekezeli Comfort; Khoza, Lindiwe Mhaka; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Military Sciences. School for Defence Organisation and Resource Management.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Numerous studies have been conducted on corporate social responsibility (CSR) and customers’ responses to businesses’ CSR activities around the globe. Currently, such studies are increasingly being refined in order to identify customers’ perceptions of CSR activities, and how these perceptions can be influenced. Most of these studies have focused on high-income communities in Western countries. However, the ability to generalise the results and apply the recommendations to low- to medium-income communities within developing countries remains questionable. Theory and empirical research have shown that the most immediate predecessors of CSR engagement are positive media publicity, reputation, and tax savings from businesses’ perspective. Although the literature indicates that there are benefits of engaging in CSR activities, several challenges also exist, namely high costs demands, lack of broad support by society, and lack of social skills. Against this backdrop, this study aimed, as its primary objective, to examine the effects that CSR activities have on customers’ buying behaviour in White City, Saldanha. It is hypothesised in this study that there is a functional dependency between CSR and customer behaviour. To understand and explain the effects of CSR activities on customer behaviour, the study employed four theories, namely the stakeholder theory, legitimacy theory, contractarian theory, and agency theory. The study employed a quantitative research design as its research approach. The sample comprised 311 participants from White City recruited through random sampling. These participants were all employed, receiving income within low- to medium-income brackets, and were all residents of White City. The instrument that was used to collect data was a closed-ended questionnaire developed by the researcher. Reliability and dimensionality analysis were conducted by means of the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (version 25). The instrument was found to be reliable based on the acceptable Cronbach’s alpha percentages, as posited by Nunnally (1978) and Pallant (2011). Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted for both the independent variable (CSR activities) and the dependent variable (customer behaviour). The results of the study indicated that White City customers indeed consider a business’ CSR activities when making a buying decision and perceive CSR activities as good practices conducted by businesses. They were, however, neutral about their buying behaviour being dependent on CSR activities. The results of this study provide important insights for managers of businesses that operate in communities with low- to medium-income earners on how to embark on and benefit from CSR activities. The nine-phase CSR model was developed to enable CSR activities’ benefits for both businesses and customers in the future. The study recommends that businesses in low- to medium-income areas should engage in CSR for future sustainable growth and should also consider price fairness. Due to the fact that the study was conducted in a specific setting (White City, Saldanha), the results cannot be generalised to other areas. Future research could include other municipalities in the Western Cape province or other provinces in South Africa.