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A deconstruction of the term "revolution"
Get PDFThe precise meaning of the concept of (political) revolution remains semantically contested.
According to Arslanian (2013:127) this concept “is often used liberally, applied to everything from
the ‘Social Media Revolution’ to the ‘Sexual Revolution’”. Brinton (1965:1-4) agrees, referring
to revolution as a concept that “troubles the semanticist not only because of its wide range in
popular usage, but also because it is one of those words charged with emotional content”.
In some instances revolution even becomes a “holy word” with an a priori moral force which
sets preconditions for moral righteousness. It seems that “the revolution” can become just as
important as a religion would be. This same revolution/religion also provides the opportunity to
gain material and immaterial goods for human-kind (Marcuse, 2001:123). Koselleck (as quoted by
Marinelli; 2014:8) argues that the semantics of the concept revolution is by no means unequivocal.
The goal of this article therefore is to address the semantic vagueness of the political concept
of revolution through a literature analysis, subsequently listing observable characteristics of the
phenomenon. As such, this article is a theoretical effort contributing to what Babbie and Mouton
(2008:113) call the hermeneutic cycle of ever-deepening understanding in which the different
observables of revolution will be arrived at via the deconstruction of various definitions from
wide-ranging schools of thought and ideas of revolution
South Africa's Economic Transformation since 1994: What Influence has the National Democratic Revolution (NDR) Had?
No full text When the African National Congress (ANC) became the democratic government of South Africa in 1994, it faced the challenge of transforming the economy. How this was to be done, however, revolved around two divergent views of the National Democratic Revolution (NDR) which forms the underlying ideology or glue that binds together the Tripartite Alliance comprising the ANC, the South African Communist Party (SACP) and the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), the largest workers’ union in the country. Transformation could be achieved either radically through measures such as nationalisation where political control would be transposed into economic power, or via a more liberal route involving the promotion of macro-economic development and the growth of company earnings. This article investigates how the ANC government has sought to bring about the much-needed transformation by providing summary analyses of the following macro-economic policies: the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP), the Growth, Employment and Redistribution (GEAR) strategy, the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative - South Africa (ASGISA), the New Growth Path (NGP) and the National Development Plan (NDP). Evidence suggests that while the NDR promised radical results, the economic transformation that has been taking place in South Africa since 1994 has been driven largely by neo-liberal principles. This is in contrast to what the ANC claims in various policy documents and what various scholars, such as Jeffery (2010:5) and Venter (2012), have also claimed. As South Africa's economic fortunes have declined in recent years in the face of mounting external pressures and internal policy uncertainty, this deviation from the original ideology and plan is causing significant discord in the country. </jats:p
Investigating selection criteria and methods used by companies in deciding on the beneficiaries of their corporate social responsibility programmes
Get PDFMaster of Development and Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2016Corporate social responsibility (CSR) intervention will not solve all South Africa’s socio-economic problems, nor eradicate the intensifying levels or poverty. It will also not eradicate the expanding levels of inequality. Nonetheless, the means by which the CSR intervention has displayed itself over the years towards society has and will continue to improve the lives of countless individuals and has further brought hope into the lives of those who were without and whose future was in a state of gloom. The affirmative contribution made by companies practising CSR to humanity is considerable. The contents of this research study enclosed in this document, investigated how companies practising CSR roll out their CSR programmes from the respective decision-making perspectives to the implementation phase. It investigated the strategies that companies employ in selecting their lists of beneficiaries and the decision-making models companies employ in choosing who should be on their list of beneficiaries. The practice of CSR has for a notable amount of time been linked with the sustainable development phenomenon. The sustainable development phenomenon was crafted as a reaction and panacea to initiatives set by companies that are set to benefit business without considering the future generations. This research study further explored whether companies practising CSR consider sustainable development in their CSR initiatives. The empirical evidence of this research has revealed that companies spend millions of Rands towards CSR programmes. These investments, however, generally do not consider sustainability where the current and future generations are both set to benefit. The general findings of this research indicate a need for companies to be innovative and to have long-term thinking in the implementation of their CSR programmes.Master
Investigating the impact of responsible leadership on corporate social responsibility within a South African company : the case of Keypak
Get PDFM (Development and Management), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2016Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a strategic concern that requires companies to accept their responsibility towards society. Within South Africa, the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) Codes of Good Practice provide a framework for the application of CSR, through the implementation of socio-economic development (SED) projects. The effective implementation of CSR is, however, influenced by the leaders within a company and responsible leadership (RL) has been identified as a new leadership orientation that could promote CSR through a stakeholder perspective.
The problem investigated was whether a selected company, Keypak, applies a stakeholder’s perspective of RL in its implementation of CSR through SED-projects, with reference to Keypak itself and a specific community project they are involved in at the Getrudde Shoppe Early Childhood Development Centre (GSECDC) in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality (NMBMM). The concepts CSR, B-BBEE, SED and RL were firstly explored theoretically after which they were tested empirically within Keypak through the use of a mixed-method research design. A quantitative four-point Likert-scale was administered to a deliberate sample of twelve Keypak employees and eleven of them were interviewed through the use of a qualitative semi-structured interview guide. A qualitative semi-structured interview was also conducted with the Principal of the GSECDC.
The results of the empirical investigation firstly show that a stakeholder perspective of RL has been adopted by the Keypak leaders in their implementation of SED-projects as an application of effective CSR. They portray a positive attitude towards B-BBEE in having aligned their CSR activities with the Codes of Good Practice, to bring about maximum impact through this framework. Their commitment towards CSR is also seen specifically in the consistent support that they provide to numerous community projects, in particular the GSECDC.
The results further indicated that Keypak’s leaders do display the five characteristics of RL and the four ways to implement a stakeholder perspective of RL identified by Waldman and Galvin (2008:330, 335). The leaders are said to have strong values and lead-by-example as they focus on the needs of others (internal and external stakeholders) with the intent of getting involved in meeting those needs to improve society. Only a fairly small number of employees, however, are afforded an opportunity to participate in CSR activities and more could be done to empower and enable employees to be a part of Keypak’s positive impact on the lives of people.
It is mostly believed that Keypak’s commitment to and implementation of CSR is influenced by its RL. In particular there is a strong sense that the Keypak leaders consider the needs of stakeholders in the implementation of their SED-projects. This stakeholder’s perspective of RL is believed to lead to the successful implementation of the SED-project at GSECDC and a positive impact on the Grade R learners and their parents.
Some recommendations have been made at the end of the study on how the Keypak leaders could continue to pursue such a leadership approach in their implementation of CSR.Master
Developing a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) framework for the diamond mining industry in Zimbabwe : the case of Mbada Diamonds Company
No full textPhD (Development and Management), North-West University, Potchefstroom CampusCorporate social responsibility (CSR) is a growing concept in Africa and in Zimbabwe in particular. The CSR concept is also disputed and varying in execution and attainment of outcomes in relation to contexts and within different sectors of the economy. As such, in the mining sector of Zimbabwe, the researcher undertook to investigate what the experiences were of the communities adjacent to Mbada Diamonds, a diamond mining company, in rural Marange in the province of Manicaland, Zimbabwe. The research also focused on the perspectives on Mbada Diamonds by the representatives of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), officials of local government, the Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation and the management of Mbada Diamonds. The mining sector in Zimbabwe is presented as having high socio-economic and environmental impacts. As such, mining corporates are expected to carry out CSR activities in order to mitigate risks such as displacements and resettlements as well as poverty. It is submitted that carrying out such activities reduces risks of conflict with local stakeholders and improves income for the company as well as the ability to provide sustainable development through the improvement of community infrastructure. Mbada Diamonds at Marange has been in the limelight for its lack of proper implementation of CSR, which in many ways ignored both the international, regional, and local policy regulatory frameworks of CSR. The study found that Mbada Diamonds did not engage meaningfully with the mine-impacted communities in order to carry out CSR projects in terms of stakeholder engagement principles. The study concluded that Mbada Diamonds did not include in their corporate governance at Marange meaningful human rights practices, CSR vision and mission, CSR management practices, environmental management practices, or the adoption of CSR policies for the benefit of all stakeholders. A conceptual framework was developed from the literature and the empiric evidence which outlined the gaps found in both the literature and empiric evidence in terms of CSR benefits, CSR environment, CSR management, CSR policy, and CSR vision and mission. A schematic presentation depicting the development of the conceptual framework was presented.Doctora
Social responsibility and the United Nations: an exploration of the role of the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS)
Get PDFPhD (Development and Management), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2019The implementation of social responsibility (SR) principles in corporations has given rise to considerable interest and developed into the field commonly known as corporate social responsibility (CSR). However, the application of these principles to not-for-profit international organisations has not been given much attention. This study explores SR in the United Nations (UN) system by using the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) as a case study. Hence, it applies SR to a not-for-profit (NPO) international development organisation. The study uses the social contract theory (SCT) to show that organisations receive benefits under the social contract and have an obligation to reciprocate by acting in society' interest through socially responsible behaviour. By applying the SCT, the study also shows that the UN has the role of creating/promulgating laws or stipulating requirements for society because it is the leader of the 'global society' of nations. Hence, the UN has established various instruments relating to the practice of SR. The study also argues that the concept of the social licence to operate (SLO) is aligned to the application of social responsibility obligations derived from the SCT. Hence, the SLO concept should have wider application to different types of organisations, including NPO international organisations such as the UN. The UN fulfilled its role of establishing SR instruments by putting robust and wide-ranging international laws and agreements in place that influence social well-being. Similarly, SR-related organisational policies in the UNOPS were found to be solid and the organisational mission was found to be grounded in social good. Based on the SR instruments established by the UN, and the related organisational instruments instituted by UNOPS, it is argued that SR addresses four categories, namely i) peace, security and rule of law, ii) human rights and labour rights, iii) governance and ethics, and iv) sustainable development. The study also offers a definition of SR that takes these categories into account in addition to the justification of SR that is derived from the social contract. In addition to a literature review, an empirical study was carried out using in-depth interviews, observations and a review of UNOPS reports. The interviews were based on a semi-structured interview questionnaire. The results from the empirical data showed that the implementation of SR in the day-to-day operations of UNOPS was good in areas such as contributing to peace and security, exerting positive political influence, upholding human rights, implementing good governance, practising transparency, fighting corruption, developing local capacity and contributing to sustainable development. It was also observed that operating in a 'business-like' manner with aggressive financial targets had led to higher productivity and growth but there was a need to balance the drive for financial results with the need to fulfil SR obligations. There was, however, a need to improve the following: labour practices related to the 'equal pay for equal work' principle; better gender and diversity at middle to senior management levels; and ethical considerations in relation to keeping excessive amounts of money above the expected reserves. There was also a need to improve consistency in SR performance based on a more systematic approach rather than relying on the exceptional performance from a few individuals. The lack of consistency showed that there were weaknesses in transforming SR policies into day-to-day practices. Being more systematic and consistent is more likely if improved SR leadership exists in the line management structures. This study also notes that if UNOPS became involved in projects much earlier, it would be better able to exert more SR influence on project funders. The study introduces the idea of development-oriented social responsibility (DSR) and uses empirical evidence from UNOPS to show how an organisation may use SR to contribute to local and international development in line with the UN' international development framework, namely the 2030 Agenda. Using the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and targets under the 2030 Agenda, organisations may choose to undertake projects that contribute to selected development outcomes or may add sustainable development components to existing projects. The study also makes some recommendations for the practice of SR and for topics for future research.Doctora
Assessing the impact of indigenous knowledge systems on sustainable agriculture: a focus on sustainable agriculture in selected communities of the City of Tshwane Municipality
Get PDFMEd (Development and Management ), North-West University, Potchefstroom CampusIndigenous Knowledge system (IKS) also referred to as traditional knowledge has been part of communities for a long period. This knowledge system ensures that the traditional methods of completing tasks and activities continue to be part of the communities. The IKS is mainly tacit, unique and it is drawn from practical experiences and also lessons learned. The IKS is a type of system that is entrenched in the culture of the community and it is geographically aligned. The usage of the IKS is seen in various fields like medicine, agriculture, linguistics, ecology, psychology, climate, and craft. It is also linked and related to survival and subsistence, and visible in the decision-making process in the field of food security. The problem that was investigated was focused on establishing the impact of the IKS on sustainable development with a focus on sustainable agriculture and how this also affects food security in communities of the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality (COT). The contextualisation of the IKS was established by consultation of related theories. The theoretical exploration was aimed at establishing an understanding of the concepts in the study and set out the focus on the research design and process. A mixed-methods research approach was used to further investigate the impact of the IKS on sustainable development, sustainable agriculture and food security. A qualitative semi-structured questionnaire was utilised as a part of the observation and interview process. The research was conducted in different communities within the COT municipality. In the study, the participants illustrated an understanding of the various knowledge systems and different agricultural practices available. The analysis of the IKS concept and related concepts (sustainable agriculture and food security) indicated that the combination of both the IKS agricultural methods and modern technology affords the agricultural practitioners the opportunity to enhance the yield of the crop and increase in production which enables the practitioners to meet the current food demand and ensure food security while using sustainable methods. Sharing the IKS and incorporating it with technology and modern agriculture can create a new dynamic, agricultural practice that will benefit both commercial farmers, community or primary farmers, and households with functional gardens. The results of the study further indicated the usage of indigenous farming methods and knowledge to be more prevalent in community-based farming rather than with commercial farmers who uses the practice minimally or combined with modern farming methods. The usage of the IKS requires more time and patience which for commercial farmers do not make business sense as they need to promote their crops and engage in agricultural marketing fast and effectively. Recommendations have been made at the end of the study which include an in-depth study on how to utilise the positive and functional attributes of the IKS into modern farming and commercial agricultural practices. The IKS should be shared with both individuals and the community at large to ensure successful and sustainable results.Master
Public health policy in a time of change and disaster in South Africa: 1910–1920
Get PDFWith the establishment of the Union of South Africa in 1910, the central focus of the newly appointed government was to alter and consolidate the policies of the pre-Union colonies that differed materially in many respects and to substitute them with uniform policies that had to be implemented as a consolidated whole for the Union. This central focus was applied to a number of policies, notably those for the black people, immigration, education, labour, national defence and the development and implementation of railway, mining and agricultural policies. However, an omission occurred with regard to the consideration of a comprehensive public health policy by the political parties and the Union Parliament, consisting of white people only. This article examines this omission during the first 10 years of the Union of South Africa (1910–1920), during the three 5-yearly general elections (on 15 September 1910, 20 October 1915 and 10 March 1920), and argues that this lack of consideration of a comprehensive public health policy can be found in the theory of party political responsible government during unification, which was further developed by Kavanagh, that party political manifestos act as the guiding force behind the policy matters that are discussed and decided upon in Parliament. The article confirms that the reason for not establishing a comprehensive public health policy prior to the outbreak of the influenza epidemic in 1918 was the incidental and piecemeal fashion in which expressions on public health appeared in the published party political manifestos, which in turn influenced the proceedings of Parliament. This political negligence was, however, quickly overturned by Parliament immediately after the epidemic, showing the influence of this demographic disaster on political thinking and action.https://doi.org/10.4102/jamba.v8i1.21
Public health policy in a time of change and disaster in South Africa: 1910–1920
Get PDFWith the establishment of the Union of South Africa in 1910, the central focus of the newly appointed government was to alter and consolidate the policies of the pre-Union colonies that differed materially in many respects and to substitute them with uniform policies that had to be implemented as a consolidated whole for the Union. This central focus was applied to a number of policies, notably those for the black people, immigration, education, labour, national defence and the development and implementation of railway, mining and agricultural policies. However, an omission occurred with regard to the consideration of a comprehensive public health policy by the political parties and the Union Parliament, consisting of white people only. This article examines this omission during the first 10 years of the Union of South Africa (1910–1920), during the three 5-yearly general elections (on 15 September 1910, 20 October 1915 and 10 March 1920), and argues that this lack of consideration of a comprehensive public health policy can be found in the theory of party political responsible government during unification, which was further developed by Kavanagh, that party political manifestos act as the guiding force behind the policy matters that are discussed and decided upon in Parliament. The article confirms that the reason for not establishing a comprehensive public health policy prior to the outbreak of the influenza epidemic in 1918 was the incidental and piecemeal fashion in which expressions on public health appeared in the published party political manifestos, which in turn influenced the proceedings of Parliament. This political negligence was, however, quickly overturned by Parliament immediately after the epidemic, showing the influence of this demographic disaster on political thinking and action
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