Browsing by Author "Meyer, Camille"

Now showing 1 - 7 of 7
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Open Access
    Circular economy of fashion: benefits and challenges for French micro and small brands
    (2024) Dupont, Hadrien; Meyer, Camille
    The fashion industry is globally recognized as one of the major polluters, causing significant environmental and social concerns. Its complex value chain, from the intensive non-renewable resource use during raw material acquisition to human rights issues in manufacturing, and its unsustainable end-of-life solutions, underscores an industry struggling with profound challenges. In response to these challenges, the notion of a circular economy emerges as a transformative approach to reimagine and redesign production and consumption cycles, aiming to retain product value, reduce waste, and foster sustainability. The central research question of this study is the following: "What are the key challenges and opportunities for micro and small-sized fashion brands in adopting a successful circular business model?" Addressing this, the research provides a deep dive into the concept of circularity within the fashion sector, specifically focusing on French micro and small-sized brands. These brands, a blend of those organically born with sustainable principles and those that have adeptly transitioned towards sustainable practices, offer a diverse palette of innovative strategies. They encompass distinctive sustainable practices ranging from upcycling, promoting second-hand fashion, adhering to sustainable production methodologies, to the use of recycled fabrics. Utilizing qualitative methodologies, this research adopted a comparative approach, interviewing 12 such distinctive brands alongside a consultant specializing in second-hand fashion. This method depicted a rich, multifaceted perspective on the challenges intrinsic to circular business models in the fashion domain. From this exploration, the findings were clustered into three predominant categories: striking a balance between economic viability, ecological responsibility, and social equity; identifying and leveraging driving factors while recognizing potential opportunities; and understanding and navigating barriers that hinder circular adoption. This study stands as an important contribution to existing literature, providing a nuanced roadmap specifically tailored for French micro and small-sized brands. Its insights illuminate pathways, guiding these brands towards the successful adoption and nuanced implementation of circular business models among a challenging industry context.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Open Access
    From toots to returns: a thesis on financing climate adaptation via nature-based solutions in South Africa
    (2025) Davis, Grant; Meyer, Camille
    The profound repercussions of climate change manifest acutely within Africa. As the region grapples with the disruptive forces of erratic weather patterns which have resulted in widespread droughts and floods impacting the most vulnerable of its people. The exigency to adapt emerges as a pressing mandate, underscoring the critical imperative for timely and effective climate resilience strategies. Given the inadequate public and international financing for adaptation, there is therefore an urgent need to tap into alternative sources, particularly those from the private sector. Nature-based solutions (NbSs) encompass actions and strategies that rely on the use of natural processes to address environmental challenges and have been highlighted as a potentially cost effective and eco-system enhancing means of building climate resilience. This exploratory study investigated the financing landscape in South Africa to determine barriers and success factors that hinder or enable private sector investment in NbS for climate adaptation. This study was conducted using primary data in the form of 26 interviews with professionals from across the financing landscape. Through the application of grounded theory, this study considered how industry professionals understand NBS and their perceptions of the financing of adaptation. This study identified factors which hinder the effective participation of the private sector in investing in NBS for climate adaptation. These can be categorised as: market related, project level, policy and institutional, skills and capacity, and information or data gaps. Furthermore, the study found that, whilst Development Finance Institutions have made advances in supporting climate adaptation NBSs, there isstill insufficient progressin this area. It is also evident that leveraging private sector investment effectively will require an innovative approach that recognises the existing challenges associated with climate adaptation. Whilst many difficulties lie ahead, what is clear from the study is that the sector is working towards overcoming these challenges. This study provides a significant contribution towards understanding the South African context for all stakeholders operating in this space.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Open Access
    Harnessing impact investing: a transformative strategy for CSR in Namibia
    (2025) Kamenjono, Nguvitjita; Meyer, Camille; Muzata, Sombo
    Impact investing is a powerful tool for amplifying positive social and environmental impact that Namibian companies can use as a transformative avenue to fulfil their CSR commitments. This innovative strategy empowers companies to drive positive social impact, strengthen brand equity, and foster stakeholder engagement, all while addressing critical socio-economic challenges such as inequality, unemployment, and poverty. However, the intersection between CSR and impact investments in Namibia remains unexplored. This study utilised an inductive qualitative research approach to understand the existing CSR practice with a particular focus on entrepreneurship support in Namibia. Thereafter, understanding the extent to which the participants engage in impact investing strategies for CSR spending while examining the challenges and barriers to the adoption of these strategies. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 11 CSR managers or equivalents across 11 different organisations in Namibia, revealing several key findings. The findings revealed national priorities as a prime driving factor for entrepreneurship development and support in CSR practice, being the third most CSR-supported area. The findings also exposed a limited understanding of impact investing in corporate Namibia despite the keen interest strongly displayed by most research participants. Additionally, the most frequently cited barriers to engaging in an impact investing strategy included the lack of bona fide and proper entrepreneurs, collaboration, and appropriate expertise within the organisation. This study contributes to impact investing and CSR in practice and theory by providing a theoretical praxis model that envisages the relationship between these constructs in practice in a meaningful way. The attempt at a praxis model outlines practical steps to effectively mobilise CSR funds towards national priorities while bridging the funding gap in the impact investing market in Namibia.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Open Access
    How social ventures successfully mobilize resources
    (2025) Goetze, Lauren; Meyer, Camille; Zolfaghari, Badri
    Social ventures are a powerful force for socioeconomic development and self-determination around the world. However, resource scarcity places severe constraints on their impact. Existing literature has not yet adequately explored several key aspects of this phenomenon, leading to limited applicability and effectiveness of current theory. This research endeavors to answer the central question: How do social ventures leverage different resourcing strategies to overcome resource scarcity? Related lines of inquiry are included to answer the sub-questions: What are the implications of different resource mobilization strategies? What effect does context have on social ventures' resource mobilization strategies? By developing four organizational case studies across two countries that have successfully mobilized resources, this study builds understanding of what resource mobilization strategies are most effective. The analysis of the qualitative data followed the abductive approach and aligned with the constructivist paradigm. This method allowed for the centering of participants' perspectives, and exploration of the process of resource mobilization. The findings highlight social capital as the most impactful and widely applicable resource mobilization strategy. After applying the Social Cohesion Perspective to the data, it was evident that two divergent approaches to social capital are present among the cases, with one approach centering bonding and bridging social capital, and the other relying on linking social capital. While both approaches have distinct tradeoffs, linking social capital dependence is shown to fuel a chain reaction of mission drift and degradation of bonding and bridging social capital. Meanwhile, strong networks of bonding social capital, combined with bridging social capital, facilitate continued mission alignment and organizational adaptability. Additionally, this later strategy contributes to increased utilization of bricolage practices to mobilize resources. Finally, the complex effects context exerts on social capital are outlined, showing particularly strong impacts on bonding and linking social capital. This research contributes to theory by expanding the Social Cohesion Perspective, outlining key implications of different resource mobilization strategies which highlight the importance of diversified resource bases. The findings also show that dependence on linking social capital leads organizations towards a potentially hazardous sequence of events driven by mission drift. Further expansion on this theory includes the effects of context on various forms of social capital as well as the process of resource mobilization, and bricolage's ties to social capital.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Open Access
    The barriers and enablers to South African SMEs entering the circular economy
    (2025) Van Der Poel, Stefan; Meyer, Camille; Zolfaghari, Badri
    Purpose - In the linear economy (LE) natural resources are extracted, used to make products and services and are then discarded. This model has two key limitations: firstly, the LE relies on natural resources, which are finite, and the LE generates a significant amount of waste. The proposed solution is switching from a LE to a circular economy (CE), where energy and materials are used repeatedly. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are significant contributors to the global economy and are faced with unique challenges. Understanding what factors are most influential in determining the successful transition of South African SMEs from the LE to the CE was the primary objective of the present study. Methodology - The study adopted a quantitative research approach. Through the deployment an online survey, a questionnaire comprised of a series of 5-point Likert scale questions was completed by 62 respondents. The collected data was analysed using descriptive statistics and correlation analysis. Findings - Insufficient government support & funding and a lack of regulatory incentives for CE adoption to be the two most significant barriers facing South African SMEs transition to the circular economy. Conclusion - Until CE business models are viable enough for South African SMEs to transition from the LE to the CE without a reduction in their profitability levels, regulatory incentives will have to be provided by the South African government to make the transition financially viable.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Open Access
    The Impact of the Gig Economy on the Well-being of Independent Contractors. A Case Study of Uber, Bolt and Gokada
    (2022) Egesi, Tochukwu; Meyer, Camille
    The gig economy is a rising global phenomenon in which gig workers provide “alternative work arrangements” for short-term contracts; also known as gigs, primarily agreed upon via digital platforms for various services such as food delivery or transportation. Work in the gig economy is typically on-demand, procured through an online platform, and delivered (and paid for) on a task-by-task basis. It is irregular, uncertain, unpredictable, contingent (i.e.feasible but not guaranteed), and impermanent. Independent contractors, freelancers, and self-employed are the most common terms used by platforms to describe gig economy workers. Consequently, it is vastly different from the traditional economy's demand-oriented, long-termed, and formal structure. Gig workers have access to relatively flexible, potentially self-sufficient labour. Still, they also face issues due to the nature of the work, its precariousness, and their interactions with platform businesses. The influence of the gig economy has primarily been studied using objective indicators such as micro-entrepreneurship, work-life balance, and autonomy. However, little research has been done on the gig economy's impact on workers' well-being in third-world countries such as Nigeria. This research will examine financial, mental, and physical elements of gig workers' well-being. The study aims to better understand the relationship between worker participation in the gig economy and their overall well-being and provide insight into workers' well-being within the Nigerian gig economy.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Open Access
    The role of founder identity in the evaluation of entrepreneurial opportunities
    Madjdi, Farsan; Zolfaghari, Badri; Meyer, Camille
    Entrepreneurship is a fundamental part of the economic development and value creation of societies. Value can be defined in different ways, but at its core it is the production of new goods and services. How these outcomes are produced, how they are shared and distributed across the economy and what is done with the earnings that are created from their production (reinvestment) are key questions in defining economic value. Ventures that are created by founders driven by economic self-interest, community development or to societal advancement bear importance in this relation. This study explored the role of founder identity in the evaluation of entrepreneurial opportunities. It was argued that a social identity lens can be central in improving our understanding of founders' heterogeneous behaviours and actions in new firm creation and development. Using the lens of identity and social identity theory as mentioned above can help gaining new important insights for a better understanding of how founders behave and act in new firm creation which influences how new ventures emerge and develop. In doing so, special attention is given to the way in which the level of inclusiveness, as part of their self-concept as founders', influences their forming of first-person opportunity beliefs to guide opportunity selection and the type of venture they intend to form. An explanatory sequential mixed methods design was used to answer the research question of how founder identity influences the evaluation of entrepreneurial opportunities. An online survey using an empirically validated 15-item scale conducted with first-time founders and students generated 173 responses. This was followed by a qualitative phase, conducted with a subset of the survey respondents, comprising 34 face-to-face interviews using verbal protocols. The findings of this study revealed that differences in the structure of founder's identities drive variations in how they evaluate entrepreneurial opportunities and form first-person opportunity beliefs. The study showed that the ‘individuation' of the opportunity evaluation process varies between distinct founder identity types and offers novel insights into the forming of first-person opportunity beliefs derived from the use of individual-level cognitive resources during opportunity evaluation. It provides evidence that social identities of founders relate to distinct entrepreneurial behaviours and actions during the entrepreneurial process, and in specific, to distinct behaviours and actions during opportunity evaluation as part of the entrepreneurial process.