Dennis Yao Dzansi

Addressing and measuring small business social responsibility in the African context : a stakeholder framework

Purpose - The aim of this paper is to provide a systematic and sound framework for addressing and measuring business social responsibility (BSR) in small and micro enterprises with specific focus on the African context. Design/methodology/approach - The paper is theoretical but has practical applications. The approach was to use principles of BSR from the literature to create a framework for addressing BSR issues in smaller ventures that operate in the African environment. Developing the framework involved operationalizing the linguistic meaning of BSR into observable indicators for it to be measurable. This involved the breaking down of the concept of BSR into dimensions and eventually into measurable elements. Findings - The framework identifies customer-, employee-, and community-related issues as the key BSR activities of African small businesses. Environmentalism is not a major concern for most of these businesses because they are mostly retail and services in nature; hence their impact on the environment will be so low that they need not concern themselves with environmental issues. Research limitations/implications - Critics will point out the absence of environmental issues as a major limitation. However, the authors believe that such activities are typically associated with large industrial ventures. Thus, given their nature, it is unlikely small businesses will concern themselves with such activities. Originality/value - There is a need for a framework that captures the African context. This paper fulfils that need by proposing a framework for micro and small ventures with possible inclusion of medium enterprises based on the stakeholder theory. Academics will find it useful in their research efforts. Fund managers will also find it useful as a tool for evaluating small business BSR performance. Small business owners will have a benchmark in performing their social obligations. Finally, consumers, businesses, citizens, NGOs and society at large can use it in distinguishing credible and effective socially responsible SMMEs from those that are not.

The development and structural confirmation of an instrument for measuring the social responsibility of small and micro business in the African context

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to propose an instrument, the Small Enterprise Social Responsibility Inventory (SESRI) for measuring business social responsibility (BSR) in the African venture setting. Design/methodology/approach - The approach was to use the components of Dzansis framework to create an instrument for measuring BSR activities of small ventures that operate in rural Africa. The instrument was tested in a rural community in South Africa for validity, reliability, structure, and its ability to predict firm performance given performance of certain BSR activities. Findings - Through factor analysis of data obtained from 314 small businesses in a rural South African setting, the instrument was found to be valid for measuring small business BSR and identified five factors: expected benefits; community or customer practices; realised or actual benefits; awareness or attitude and performance; and employee practices. Through discriminant analysis, employee practice was found useful for classifying ventures as high or low sales and profit performers, suggesting that information on a firms BSR related employee practices may be useful predictors of sales and profit. Research limitations/implications - Firstly, the methodology requires self-evaluation by the respondents. However, those respondents who reported low levels of BSR activities (and negative growth in sales and performance) also reflected on their own “performance” and recorded it as low signifying some level of realistic reporting. Secondly, there is absence of question items about environmental issues. Thirdly, the sample was taken in a small rural setting, which requires caution when generalising from the results. Originality/value - This study provides an African context specific measurement instrument for addressing small business BSR. Academics will find it useful in their research efforts. Fund managers will also find it useful for evaluating small business BSR performance. Owners/managers will have a benchmark in performing their social obligations.

Integrating ICT into Rural South African Schools: Possible Solutions for Challenges

Abstract The influence of ICT in schools cannot be overemphasized as its utility is changing the way students learn, teachers teach, and support staff work. ICT adoption in South African schools has therefore gained momentum. Whilst ICT is fully integrated into many if not all schools in urban areas in South Africa, regrettably the same cannot be said about rural schools. This has created a ‘digital divide’ between rural and urban schools. Theoretically, this paper is informed by social justice theory. Methodologically, the extant literature relied upon to make the case for ICT in South Africa’s rural schools. The same approach is used to identify key challenges militating against smooth introduction of ICT into South African schools. Thereafter, suggestions for overcoming identified challenges are provided. The aim is to help bridge the apparent digital divide between rural and urban schools in South Africa.

Informal distributed leadership in technology adoption

This study investigated the role of informal distributed leadership in dealing with the complexities of adopting technology innovation in Higher Education contexts. In the study, in-depth semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions were held with a group of informal leaders in a South African university. The findings suggest that informal distributed leadership works best in promoting technology adoption when there is a clear understanding of: (1) the locus of control of technology adopters; (2) power contestations between academics and students; (3) alignment of technology with pedagogical goals; and (4) shared intentionality between the core group of informal leaders. In practical terms, the study offers a middle-of-the-road approach to diffusion of technology innovation as an alternative to the ineffective top-down and individual innovative leader (bottom-up) approaches. For originality/novelty, the study introduces the distributed leadership theory into the technology adoption discourse.

Understanding entrepreneurship in the South African context : insights from entrepreneurial risk attitudes of four major ethnic groups

Researchers have been asking why some ethnic groups are more entrepreneurial than others. This question persists in South Africa where there are differing entrepreneurial outcomes based on ethnicity. In this study, we examine why some ethnic groups in South Africa seem more entrepreneurial than others. The paper draws attention to the possible role of attitude towards entrepreneurial risk as an explanatory factor for three reasons: (1) risk taking is regarded as an entrepreneurial behaviour; (2) risk taking has been found to differ due to demographic factors including ethnicity; (3) risk tolerance is associated with successful entrepreneurship. Understanding entrepreneurship across the different ethnic groups of South Africa therefore partially rests on understanding the risk-taking behaviours of the different ethnic groups. Unfortunately, the dearth of empirical research makes it difficult to know for sure how the various ethnic groups in South Africa respond to entrepreneurial risk. This leaves a void that this research attempts to fill. In this study, survey research data were collected from a sample of 400 entrepreneurs from the four main ethnic groups in a South African municipality. Results indicate significant differences among the four ethnic groups. This and other findings are presented and discussed accompanied by recommendations.

Cable Theft and Vandalism by Employees of South Africa's Electricity Utility Companies: A Theoretical Explanation and Research Agenda

Abstract In this paper, the researchers argue that unravelling perceptions and attitudes of relevant employees towards theft and vandalism is critical to stemming electric cable theft. The researchers draw on the Reasoned Action Theory (TRA) and the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) to explain the involvement of electricity utility companies’ own employees in vandalism and theft of electricity copper cables. Drawing on a theoretical research approach involving the examination of mainstream literature, the paper explores the reasons for employees’ engagement in actions that contradict company policy, namely stealing from the employer or vandalizing organisational property. The findings suggests that personal traits (employee perceptions and attitudes), organizational factors (such as organizational climate) constitute presage factors that trigger psychological dispositions to rob the company of its material assets (copper cables) in general and ultimately steal and vandalise copper cables in particular.

An Economic Perspective on Small Business Social Responsibility

Abstract An economic perspective on small business social responsibility applies economic theory to the analysis of the role of business in society. The objective is to carve a place for the concept business social responsibility - BSR in economics given that some economists have opposed it. In this article the researchers delve into economic theory to explain the workings of the market forces to determine the extent to which the so called invisible hand helps society solve its economic problem and when it fails to do so. A detailed literature review was conducted. Based on the insights gained from the literature analysis, they conclude that the concept of BSR arises out of the failure of the invisible hand to entirely solve society’s economic problem of scarcity through efficient production and distribution. Thus, BSR has a firm place in normative economics.