An assessment of the relevance of environmental management accounting for sustainability in Zimbabwe’s extractive industries
| dc.contributor.advisor | Burger, A. P. Johan | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.author | Muza, Cuthbert | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.other | Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. School of Public Leadership. | en_ZA |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2018-01-29T11:03:05Z | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2018-04-09T06:51:56Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2018-01-29T11:03:05Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2018-04-09T06:51:56Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2018-03 | |
| dc.description | Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2018. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.abstract | ENGLISH SUMMARY : Environmental Management Accounting (EMA) has taken centre stage in companies with high environmental impacts, as literature reveals. The aim of this study was to assess current and potential relevance of Environmental Management Accounting in Zimbabwe’s mining sector and extractive industries. In assessing the relevance of EMA in the mining sector, the research was guided by research questions aimed at understanding whether EMA actually or potentially contributes to the sustainability of the mining sector and whether EMA systems contribute positively towards sustainability better than traditional accounting systems. The research premise was that, given the limited information about the implementation and relevance of EMA in Zimbabwe’s mining sector and extractive industries, EMA is an area of study which justifies in-depth research. It was further premised that implementation of EMA enhances sustainability in extractive industry and mining development. To achieve the aim of this study, a qualitative research design was adopted with an interpretivist paradigm. The researcher used multiple methods of data collection to source both primary and secondary data. These methods included open-ended questionnaires, interviews and document analysis. This helped to validate the results generated by triangulating them for purposes of consistency, confirmability and to reduce research bias. The researcher used the snowball sampling method to reach 34 companies out of a possible 89 companies. The study was a case study of the mining sector with the unit of analysis being the single companies in the sector. The multiple embedded cases of individual companies were analysed using ‘Atlas.ti’ qualitative data analysis software. The research findings indicate that EMA contributes positively in the mining sector, thereby promoting sustainability. However, the use of EMA is at entry level with random application. There are strong indicators of Environmental Management Accounting practices in the company’s traditional accounting systems. The different perspectives on EMA support the idea that the mining sector is complex; hence the implementation of EMA is difficult. The cost of implementing EMA does not outweigh the benefits thereof. The results also indicate that EMA improves the running of mining companies on a day-to-day basis. In spite of these encouraging findings, the benefits of EMA have not yet been fully realised in Zimbabwe because they can only be visible once EMA is being implemented more systemically. Notwithstanding, EMA has the potential to promote sustainability through the three pillars of sustainable development. The study revealed that, although the traditional accounting system addresses the three pillars of sustainability, it was not clear how the social pillar was being addressed. There are many benefits to be gained through EMA, with commensurate challenges of implementing it. Among the challenges is the need for stakeholders and management buy-ins in EMA applications. Research findings indicate that the paucity of EMA literature is limited to developing countries and emerging markets. While EMA is contributing positively in the Zimbabwean mining sector and extractive industries, companies are reluctant to implement it because of an envisaged capital intensive nature and lack of knowledge. The researcher recommends that companies be made aware of material flow cost accounting using physical environmental management accounting (PEMA) and monetary environmental management accounting (MEMA) systems. There is need to prioritise the development of sector-specific EMA standards. The accounting profession should also embrace developments in sustainability accounting and further develop their standards on guiding accounting professionals in how to implement a full-fledged EMA. The accounting profession should also work with other professionals to effectively implement EMA. The researcher recommends that further research be conducted to determine the role of legislation in Environmental Management Accounting. It will also be ideal to conduct research to check the impact of EMA on social issues. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.abstract | AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING : Soos in die literatuur aangedui, het omgewingsbestuursrekeningkunde het die belangrikste posisie in maatskappye met hoë omgewingsimpakte ingeneem. Die doel van hierdie studie was om die huidige en potensiële toepaslikheid van omgewingsbestuursrekeningkunde in Zimbabwe se mynbou- en ontginningsbedrywe te evalueer. By die beoordeling van die toepaslikheid van omgewings-bestuursrekeningkunde in die mynbousektor, is die navorsing gelei deur navorsingsvrae wat daarop gemik was om te verstaan of omgewingsbestuursrekeningkunde werklik of potensieel tot die volhoubaarheid van die mynbousektor bydra en of omgewingsbestuursrekeningkunde-stelsels beter as tradisionele rekeningkundige stelsels positief tot volhoubaarheid bydra. Gegewe die beperkte inligting oor die implementering en toepaslikheid van omgewingsbestuursrekeningkunde in Zimbabwe se mynbou- en ontginningsbedrywe, was die navorsingsveronderstelling dat omgewingsbestuursrekeningkunde 'n studiegebied is wat deeglike navorsing regverdig. Verder is veronderstel dat die implementering van omgewingsbestuursrekeningkunde volhoubaarheid in die ontginningsbedryf en mynbou-ontwikkeling verbeter. 'n Kwalitatiewe navorsingsontwerp met 'n interpretivistiese paradigma is gebruik om die doel van hierdie studie te bereik. Verskeie metodes is vir data-insameling gebruik om primêre sowel as sekondêre data te verkry. Hierdie metodes het oop vraelyste, onderhoude en dokument-analise ingesluit. Dit het bygedra om die resultate wat gegenereer is deur triangulering vir konsekwentheid en bevestigbaarheid te bevestig, en navorsingsvooroordeel te verminder. Die navorser het die sneeubalmetode vir die steekproef gebruik om 34 uit 'n moontlike 89 maatskappye te betrek. Die studie het 'n gevallestudie van die mynbousektor behels, met die enkele maatskappye in die sektor as ontledingseenheid. Die meervoudige ingebedde gevalle van individuele maatskappye is met behulp van 'Atlas.ti' kwalitatiewe data-analisesagteware ontleed. Die navorsingsbevindings dui daarop dat omgewingsbestuursrekeningkunde 'n positiewe bydrae in die mynbousektor lewer en volhoubaarheid daardeur bevorder. Die gebruik van omgewings-bestuursrekeningkunde vind egter op toetreevlak met ewekansige toepassing plaas. Die maatskappy se tradisionele rekeningkundige stelsels toon sterk aanwysers van omgewingsbestuurs-rekeningkundige praktyke. Die verskillende perspektiewe op omgewingsbestuursrekeningkunde ondersteun die idee dat die mynbousektor kompleks is; die implementering daarvan is dus moeilik, maar koste verbonde aan die implementering van omgewingsbestuursrekeningkunde oortref nie die voordele daarvan nie. Die resultate dui ook daarop dat omgewingsbestuursrekeningkunde die bedryf van mynmaatskappye op 'n daaglikse basis verbeter. Ten spyte van hierdie bemoedigende bevindinge, word die voordele van omgewingsbestuursrekeningkunde nog nie ten volle in Zimbabwe gerealiseer nie, omdat dit eers sigbaar word wanneer omgewingsbestuursrekeningkunde meer stelselmatig geïmplementeer word. Omgewingsbestuursrekeningkunde het nieteenstaande die potensiaal om volhoubaarheid deur die drie pilare van volhoubare ontwikkeling te bevorder. Hoewel die tradisionele rekeningkundige stelsel die drie pilare van volhoubaarheid aanspreek, het die studie egter getoon dat hóé die maatskaplike pilaar aangespreek word, nie duidelik is nie. Baie voordele kan deur omgewingsbestuursrekeningkunde verkry word, met ooreenstemmende uitdagings om dit te implementeer. Onder die uitdagings is die behoefte aan belanghebbendes en bestuursinkope in die aanwending van omgewingsbestuursrekeningkunde. Die navorsingsbevindings toon die gebrek aan literatuur oor omgewingsbestuursrekeningkunde as beperk tot ontwikkelende lande en ontluikende markte. Terwyl omgewingsbestuursrekeningkunde positief tot die Zimbabwiese mynbou- en ontginningsbedrywe bydra, is maatskappye huiwerig om dit vanweë die veronderstelde kapitaalintensiewe aard daarvan en gebrek aan kennis te implementeer. Die navorser beveel aan dat maatskappye met gebruik van fisiese omgewingsbestuurs-rekeningkunde en monetêre omgewingsbestuursrekeningkundestelsels van wesenlike vloeikosterekeningkunde bewus gemaak word. Dit is nodig om prioriteit aan die ontwikkeling van sektorspesifieke omgewingsbestuursrekeningkundestandaarde toe te ken. Die rekeningkundige professie moet ook ontwikkelings in volhoubaarheidsrekeningkunde aanvaar en hul standaarde t.o.v. leiding aan professionele rekenkundiges oor hoe om volwaardige omgewings-bestuursrekeningkunde te implementeer, verder ontwikkel. Dit sal ook ideaal wees om navorsing oor volhoubaarheidsrekeningkunde se impak op sosiale kwessies te onderneem. | af_ZA |
| dc.format.extent | xviii, 281 pages ; illustrations, includes annexures | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/103290 | |
| dc.language.iso | en_ZA | en_ZA |
| dc.publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University | |
| dc.rights.holder | Stellenbosch University | |
| dc.subject | Environmental management accounting -- Zimbabwe | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Environmental management -- Accounting -- Zimbabwe | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Mineral industries -- Zimbabwe | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | UCTD | |
| dc.title | An assessment of the relevance of environmental management accounting for sustainability in Zimbabwe’s extractive industries | en_ZA |
| dc.type | Thesis | en_ZA |