Browsing by Subject "Business"

Now showing 1 - 20 of 33
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    Authenticity framing and market creation for meta organisations: The case of the Swartland Independent Producers in the South African wine field
    (2021) Steyn, Jonathan Daniel; Giamporcaro, Stephanie
    This PhD thesis studies the Swartland Independent Producers (SIP) meta-organisation, located in the Western Cape wine region of South Africa, and asks: how and why the collective rendering of authenticity creates markets? Seventy-one interviews were realised with producers making “authentic wine” and other market participants active in the South African wine industry between 2010 and 2016. How and why businesses create markets by rendering authenticity through collective action organised within meta-organisations has not been fully explored in the organisational authenticity literature. The framework developed through a qualitative analysis of the SIP case, contributes to filling this gap by showing that authenticity can be constructed, and new markets created for meta-organisations, via the interplay of two sets of intersecting meta-framings: authenticity work and authentication work, and hot and cool authenticity framing. This thesis demonstrates that authenticity work may comprise three meso-framings: claiming purity, performing charisma and meta-organisational tethering. Simultaneously, this study conceptualises how market participants purposively engage in authentication work through meso-framings of polarising evaluation, valorising status, and reframing meaning. The theoretical framework refines the current scholarly explanation of why rendered authenticity creates markets. By bridging the sociology and organisational literatures dedicated to authenticity, this PhD developed four novel authenticity meta-framing constructs: hot and cool authenticity work and hot and cool authentication work. Through further theorising their interactions, this study advances current academic knowledge on how and why rendering authenticity is a central concern for businesses intending to create markets through meta-organisational collective action.
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    Building a model to improve front end project conceptualisation: introducing the Project Conceptualisation Canvas
    (2020) Van Niekerk, Cordi; Sewchurran, Kosheek
    Project management has seen significant growth which has been beneficial to academics and practitioners in the field alike. However, the alarming trend of project underperformance continues. This points to an apparent relevance gap in Project Management. One of the areas that has been highlighted as an important area for further study to improve this situation is project front end management. Using Design Science as research methodology, the knowledge contribution of this research is an artefact called, the Project Conceptualisation Canvas. The Project Conceptualisation Canvas represents a process to be followed to ensure that the conceptualisation phases of potential projects are adequately performed. The Project Conceptualisation Canvas was developed using as input the results of the systematic review of literature on the typical challenges that occur during project conceptualisation. The Project Conceptualisation Canvas was evaluated through two sets of focus groups which confirmed that it contributes towards the improvement of project conceptualisation practice. The relevance of the contribution of the Project Conceptualisation Canvas is that it will improve decision making during the project conceptualisation and selection process which will ultimately result into improved project delivery and reduced opportunity cost that results from underperforming projects.
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    Developing an intersectionality framework for exploring gender dynamics at management level within a state-owned organization in South Africa
    (2024) Bowers, Tania; Shelley, Elanca
    Gender oppression and inequality has gained momentum among academics as an emerging feminist concern. However, there are not many literary works about black South African women who work for state-owned enterprises (SOE) and encounter bias. Black women still experience subtle racial and gender discrimination, even though women are susceptible to bias more frequently than men. These discriminatory actions give rise to the idea of intersectionality, which highlight social stratification along racial, gender, and ethnic lines. Therefore, this study investigates marginalisation of women and develops an intersectionality framework for exploring gender dynamics at management level within a state-owned organization in South Africa. Although all concepts of citizenship and employment are gendered, women cannot rely on liberal social policy and programs to reduce inequities (Coulter et al., 2014). Black women in South Africa were seen as "full citizens" when the country embraced democracy, but inequality persists since these women's lived experiences are only hazily acknowledged. Even though a workplace is merely a small part of a society within of a network of mutually reinforcing social and political interactions, the ongoing underrepresentation of black women in society is brought into question. To explore how political and organizational engagement interact, we draw on ideas of intersectionality, systems thinking, and leadership theory. While black women are credited with creating the concept of intersectionality is ascribed to African women, early writing on European, Asian, and American women focused on family-related issues and to a lesser extent on the effects of prejudice and pervasive socio-economic inequalities and their manifestation in the workplace. Studies on intersectionality are no longer exclusively coming from the United States, Europe, or Asia, but they still have a lot to do with South Africa. So, the study points to a contextual gap regarding the African perspective, particularly when considering the experiences of black women in management in post-apartheid South Africa. What are the mechanisms that obstruct the advancement of black women at a managerial level in Eskom? is a concern that must be acknowledged and handled in a setting with a complicated, compliance-focused legal framework. Constructivist grounded theory methods was used to research this subject. The study aim was to strengthen the validity of the study by utilizing the 20 black female employees who served as a representative sample of Eskom's business divisions and their subjective lived experiences. As a result, the study acknowledges the underrepresentation of black women in management positions, but it also conflates issues of threats to business sustainability and emphasizes the importance of leadership stature and protection against political influence as crucial to resolving the research problem. The study also emphasizes the necessity of understanding the systemic and reciprocal effects of human, organizational, and environmental concerns in order to overcome the research paradox (Miyen & April, 2022).
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    Enhancing resilience in South African small and medium enterprises: a dynamic capabilities perspective
    (2024) Matikiti, Edmore; Luiz, John; Parker Hamieda
    The resilience of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in emerging markets, where they confront persistent institutional challenges, is crucial for their ability to survive and thrive in such complex environments. South Africa contends with many challenges, including institutional voids that manifest in various ways, such as electricity blackouts and systemic corruption. These challenges compound the existing difficulties SMEs face, which are already constrained by limited resources. The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, as an exogenous shock, exacerbated the challenges small enterprises face. It further heightened transaction costs, introduced additional operational constraints, and underscored the urgency of examining their resilience. The aim of the study is to understand how market dynamism in the form of institutional voids and exogenous shocks influences SME resilience in emerging markets. Additionally, the study investigates the role of the dynamic capabilities framework to deepen comprehension of organizational resilience within these markets. Targeting South African SMEs across diverse sectors with fewer than 250 employees and annual revenue below R220 million, the research employed a mixed methods approach combining case studies and a survey to gather data. The study confirms significant relationships between institutional voids, exogenous shocks, dynamic capabilities, and SME resilience using qualitative and quantitative analysis methods, including regression analysis and structural equation modelling. To survive and thrive, South African SMEs must develop and deploy context-specific and distinctive resilience capabilities to navigate these disruptions and challenges proficiently. Specifically, the study's findings highlight that tacit and explicit knowledge and improvisation capability positively impact SME resilience, enabling these enterprises to mitigate risks and identify opportunities, thereby fortifying their resilience during crises. This thesis contributes to existing theory by introducing a Resilience Framework, depicting essential categories and specific qualities crucial for managing disruptions and enhancing SME resilience within emerging markets. Furthermore, the study offers theoretical advancements in dynamic capabilities and resilience and furnishes practical strategies for SME managers and policymakers. This approach serves as guidance for current decision-making and lays the groundwork for future research endeavors in these domains.
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    Entrepreneurship, institutions and economic development : a configurational approach.
    (2012) Reddy, Colin David; Hamann, Ralph; Urban, Boris
    This thesis responds to calls for more advanced portrayals of institutional effects on cross-country opportunity entrepreneurial activity (EA). In particular, it examines the effect of formal institutional development on EA depending on differences in informal constraints and economic development (ED). Though acknowledged in part within extant theory, little empirical research has documented the simultaneous interaction of all of the three variables in formal and informal institutions and ED. This research offers one perspective on the interdependencies and directionality between these variables. I suggest that a country's entrepreneurs respond differently to formal institutional incentives depending on societal culture and the nature of opportunities that arise from the predominant economic structure whether agriculturally, manufacturing or services based. I also develop an operational framework to translate institutions to conditions for EA. This framework suggests that formal institutions are associated with entrepreneurial opportunities and incentives, financial capital and an explicit form of human capital such as formal education. In addition, informal institutions are associated with social capital and a tacit form of human capital such as practical experience.
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    Evaluating the cost-effectiveness of ecosystem-based adaptation: Kamiesberg wetlands case study
    (2016) Black, David; Turpie, Jane K; Rao, Nalini
    Ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) is increasingly being promoted as a cost-effective means of adaptation to climate change. However, in spite of considerable international press, there is still little evidence to substantiate this claim. This study proposes a method through which the cost-effectiveness of EbA strategies can be evaluated against alternative adaptation options, and contributes to South African literature on the subject. The potential cost-effectiveness of wetland restoration is assessed as a means of securing the carrying capacity of land for pastoralist communities of the Kamiesberg communal area in South Africa under projected future climate conditions. The conventional alternatives would be to respond to increasingly dry conditions by drilling boreholes and using supplemental feed for livestock. It was assumed that the EbA interventions would occur upfront, whereas the alternatives are more likely to be implemented in reaction to droughts over a longer time period. The study found the implementation of conventional alternatives to be more cost-effective than EbA as a means to sustaining livestock stocking rates, with EbA being twice as costly. However, this is framed from the perspective of those directly affected (the landowners), and does not include the benefits to broader society.
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    Executive wisdom: a study of phronesis in modern management practice
    (2019) Steyn, Francois; Sewchurran, Kosheek
    The prominence of executive management failures brings to the fore concerns with a perceived lack of management scholarship impact. Executive managers should be better prepared for a complex world of work and there is a growing scholarly awareness that this requires more focus on practical knowledge (developed though phronesis), which has largely been ignored in favour of theoretical knowledge (developed through episteme) and specialist craft skills (developed through technê). This thesis contributes to the discourse by analysing phronesis, as the virtue underpinning practical knowledge within the managerial scholarship domain. The thesis highlights the fact that, despite its utility, phronesis is generally absent from management scholarship, from professional development and from executive management practice. A phronesis-infused, practice-focused pedagogy is required. However, given the abstruseness of phronesis as a concept in the executive management context, what should a phronesis-pedagogy entail? How can the progress of executive managers in developing their phronesis be gauged? In seeking answers to these questions, this study crystallises a definition and conceptual typology of managerial phronesis through an inductive Gioia Grounded Theory analysis of relevant literature published over the past decade. Managerial phronesis is defined as a morally-imbued capacity for sense-making and managerial action aimed at virtuous outcomes. It is characterised as a situationally embedded developmental and practical skill characterised by interrelated Modes of Engaging, Knowing and Thinking, Being, and Acting. However, understanding phronesis in the applied executive management context demands that the theory be extended to practice. The theory was therefore tested through a two-phased Qualitative Content Analysis. The first analysis of transcripts of interviews with practicing phronetic social scientists was followed by an analysis of minor dissertations submitted by Executive MBA students from the University of Cape Town’s Graduate School of Business. In this context, Phronetic Social Science embodies phronesis-in-action and the Executive MBA represents a phronetic executive management practice programme. The analysis validated the Grounded Theory typology and extended it by highlighting the existence of “embraces paradox” as a further characteristic of a phronetic Mode of Knowing and Thinking. A credible typology of managerial phronesis emerges from the research. This thesis therefore contributes to the discourse on the training of executive managers. It clarifies how phronesis as a vital managerial competence manifests in practice. In so doing, this research offers the management scholarship discipline a framework for developing good executive managers.
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    The experiences of people with disabilities during their integration and retention into employment in South Africa
    (2013) McKinney, Emma Louise; Amosun, Seyi L; Ronnie, Linda
    The aim of this thesis is to identify the employment integration and retention experiences of people with disabilities in South Africa. The objectives of the study are to examine factors that influence these experiences. These factors include the time of onset of a person’s disability, the education the person received, the integration and retention phases of employment and attitudes towards disability in the workplace.
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    Exploring the role of DFI s in developing township economies
    (2024) Molahloe, Matau; Alhassan, Abdul Latif
    Townships are hubs of entrepreneurship with many micro and small businesses which provide opportunities for employment and poverty alleviation. The township economy, by virtue of our past, is often overlooked and underserved regarding economic development. The government has over the past few decades introduced initiatives to promote SMME development, particularly for township enterprises. Development Finance Institutions (“DFIs”) have emerged as significant facilitators in utilising their resources and financial know-how for direct investment into the township economy. DFIs have emerged as valuable institutions in supporting the township economy, bridging the gap between financial exclusion, and needed economic development. The research explores the role and effectiveness of DFIs in supporting the township economy. The study employed a qualitative research approach covering a sample of 3 representatives of the DFIs and 10 township entrepreneurs operating in Gauteng province from four townships of Tembisa, Soweto, Katlehong and Mamelodi using a semi-structured questionnaire for in-depth interviews. The study found that DFIs have a mandate to promote economic growth by providing financial and non-financial support where the market has failed to invest adequately. DFIs face a challenge as business support depends on the strict bankability factors resulting in a high failure rate for township businesses. In the absence of grants their performance is limited by their limited capacity and available capital. These factors limit penetration thus affecting the ability to materially transform the township economy. While there is evidence of considerable investments, job creation and value add administered into the townships because of DFI participation. SMMEs experience challenges in working with the DFIs which poses a risk to their overall effectiveness. SMMEs want to be part of the solutions and not to have the solutions presented to them. Based on the findings, it is recommended that to unlock the full potential of DFIs, they must adopt an integrated and inclusive approach, which focuses on the needs of the SMMEs being served. Policy reforms, legislation, and programs to create a favourable environment for local township SMMEs must be designed with their full participation. The government needs to invest in more innovative ways to improve bankability for the township entrepreneur. Given the low penetration rate, the focus should rather be on bankability incorporating special programs to incubate businesses. The government should make an allocation in its budget for grants towards DFIs as this will enable these institutions to make more advances at risk-free rates to boost economic growth.
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    How intermediaries build social capital for transformative social innovation
    (2023) Fyvie, Christine; Hamann, Ralph
    Researchers have called for innovation policy that focuses on addressing social needs. This involves an inclusive and experimental process where solutions to complex problems need to be developed “on the ground” with local stakeholders. There is an urgent need for such transformative innovative change that can alleviate some of the suffering in South African base-of-the-pyramid (BoP) communities, yet the inclusive, collaborative efforts that support transformative innovation are very challenging in these contexts. Scholars have emphasised the role of intermediary organisations in supporting transformative innovation processes but there is little research on how these intermediaries achieve stakeholder involvement in BoP contexts. I hence studied NGOs that address social problems in BoP settings and play an intermediary role by bringing different actors together. Using a multiple case study approach, including an autoethnographic case study, I develop a model that describes the process through which intermediary change agents establish social capital with local stakeholders. This process involves going through three phases that yield different types of trust, and each type of trust offers the change agent different affordances. In the first phase, the agent builds local knowledge and gains access to an initial group of community stakeholders. In the second phase, the change agent builds transactional trust, motivating local stakeholders to participate in their initiatives. In the final phase, the agent builds collaborative trust that motivates the stakeholders not only to participate for their own benefit but to collaborate towards a shared vision for transformation in their community. The findings highlight how the success of local development initiatives in BoP contexts hinge on the change agent's ability to build trusting personal relationships and how this process takes significant time and energy. My research also has practical implications for both transformative innovation policy makers and practitioners working in these contexts. Keywords: Transformative innovation, Intermediary organisations, Social capital, Collaboration, BoP contexts
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    How is work-integrated learning adapting to the future of work and employability? A phenomenograhic study of graduate mathematicians internship experiences across selected African countries
    (2024) Heerden, Mark; Hall, Martin
    The future of work and employability is evolving at an accelerating pace, impacted by the changes brought about by the fourth industrial revolution and the increasingly digital economy. This research study explored work-integrated learning through a sample of African graduate mathematicians' collective internship experiences. The research methodology was based in phenomenography, which seeks to understand the collective outcomes experienced by the participants from their workspace internships. Twenty participants were purposively selected to give a broad range of experiences and maximise the likelihood of variation. All were mathematics graduates or postgraduates who sought employment in industry. They represented eight African countries, and 55% were female. Although almost all responded that their internships were positive work-integrated learning experiences, they also highlighted their challenges in meeting the demands of the workspace internships. Six further distinct collective outcomes, or conceptions, were experienced centered around managing their expectations, company readiness, structured supervision, workplace training, team inclusion and independent working. The study also found that the learning experiences in the African workplace were largely comparable with those experienced in more industrialised countries, as reflected in the literature. However, a key recommendation arising from this study is the need for greater structure in the African internships, termed ‘structured hospitable learning spaces', better connecting the learning environment for interns and employers. The participants collectively believed this greater structure was necessary to improve their internship experiences, both aimed at themselves in that they should have better prepared before their internships, and then at the internship companies, where there should have been more planning for their arrivals. This study concludes by asserting the growing importance of work-integrated learning in the future of work and, in particular, data analytical roles in the accelerating digital economies of African countries. It also recognises the impact that generative artificial intelligence solutions will have on learning in the decades to come. Keywords: work-integrated learning, experientiall learning, African internships, future work, phenomenography, digital economies, workspaces
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    The impact of action strategies on entrepreneurial success of emerging
    (2011) Basardien, Fawzy; Parker, Hamieda
    Research in the field of financial management of start-up SMEs in South Africa has suggested that many of these businesses could benefit from the implementation of rudimentary financial management practices such as improved access to finance and greater cash flow stability (GEM, 2003). Studies have indicated that high performing entrepreneurs have benefited from Complete Planning and Critical Point Planning Strategies as well as higher levels of Entrepreneurial Orientation (Krausse, 2005). Studies pertaining to the latter have focused on understanding or forecasting the entrepreneurial act in relation to success or failure and have been able to define more accurately, multiple dimensions of strategy. The purpose of this study was to examine the use of psychological factors such as strategy process characteristics and entrepreneurial orientation in explaining success in entrepreneurship research in a cross-sectional sample of 192 entrepreneurs in the Western Cape. This study examines mediating and moderating effects of entrepreneurial actions and strategies such as complete planning, critical point planning, reactive, and opportunistic strategies, as well as entrepreneurial orientation on the financial management practices-entrepreneurial success relationship. This study demonstrates the importance of the aforementioned personal strategies and how they could impact on the overall strategy-success relationships of start-up entrepreneurs.
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    Impact of Trade Liberalisation on Economic Growth: South Africa's automotive perspective
    (2024) Libazi, Nomfundo; Kabinga, Mundia
    This study examines the impact of trade liberalisation policies on the economic growth of South Africa's automotive industry within the context of international trade. The study aims to investigate the effects of trade openness policy on the automotive industry's development and economic growth. The study uses the Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) to examine the relationship between trade liberalisation and economic growth. Time series data from Q1 1992 to Q4 2021 is used for the study to reshape conventional theories and inspire further research. The findings reveal a negative correlation between trade openness and economic growth in the long-run despite increased exports due to liberalisation policies. Even when the study adjusts the lagged results from 6 to 2, the impact is the same. This correlation is attributed to workforce limitations and an underdeveloped local supplier base. Results are validated through diagnostic tests, displaying significant and robust evidence. Given the divergence in the findings, further research is needed to better understand the results. Policymakers should concentrate on skills and human capital development to improve the technical and absorption capability of the local market. Skills and human capital development ensure that industry benefits from technological diffusions flowing from international trade. Supportive industrial policies aligned with long-term liberalisation strategies can upgrade and capture a greater value-added share within value chains.
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    Insurers could help address climate risks
    (Nature Publishing Group, 2011) Nel, Deon; Shearing, Clifford; Reyers, Belinda
    Working with South Africa's largest short-term insurer, Santam, we investigated how communities should manage the increased risks associated with climate change. The global insurance industry has focused on refining the quantification, differentiation and pricing of the risk exposure of insured assets. Our findings call into question a sole reliance on this strategy (J. Nel et al. CSIR/NRE/ECOS/2011/0063/B; CSIR, 2011).
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    Integrating social and environmental sustainability into the operations of a multinational gold mining company: A case study of AngloGold Ashanti
    (2012) Hollesen, Paul Michael; Ryan, Tom
    Integrating social and environmental sustainability into the operations of a multinational mining company is increasingly important to its long term viability. Yet, the boundaries of what constitutes responsible social and environmental sustainability practices are contested with stakeholder governance expectations continuing to evolve, grow, and at times conflict. AngloGold Ashanti needs to navigate the complex terrain between its commitment to maximise returns delivered to shareholders, juxtaposed with those of respecting the environment, and communities being better off for the company having been there. The dissertation includes a meta-synthesis of primary research undertaken over some five years and examines AngloGold Ashanti's social and environmental sustainability integration efforts from the perspective of a head office role, a critical realist ontology and grounded theory epistemology. A mid-range grounded theory and CIMO design proposition argue for interventions that trigger mechanisms fostering mutual meaning between stakeholders regarding social and environmental sustainability and its integration, through a process of continual improvement, into company strategy, management structures (incorporating role clarity and functional capability), systems and processes. Out of which come locally rooted, internationally defensible operational practices with the intended outcomes of internalising costs and externalising benefits arising from exploration and mining, therein seeking to meet stakeholder governance expectations.
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    Investment professionals' readiness for effective impact evaluation using sustainable innovation: A case study of a large South African asset manager
    (2024) Makhabane, Teboho; Giamporcaro, Stephanie
    In this essay, I examine the readiness of investment professionals at a leading South African asset manager, to employ effective impact evaluation methods, with a focus on the integration of blockchain technology. In it, I delve into the current state of impact investing in South Africa, highlighting the challenges and opportunities encountered by fund managers in evaluating the social and environmental impacts of their investments. Through qualitative research, including interviews with investment professionals, the study explores the use of the theory of change (TOC) and blockchain technology as tools to enhance impact evaluation practices. The findings reveal a nuanced understanding of impact evaluation among investment professionals and assess their openness to adopting blockchain for accurate and efficient impact evaluation. My results contribute to the discourse on impact investing by providing insights into the practical applications of blockchain in impact evaluation and suggesting pathways for the evolution of impact assessment methodologies in emerging market.
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    King Code's CSI Compliance and ESG Performance: Evidence from the JSE in South Africa
    (2024) Sosola, Amanda; Alhassan, Abdul Latif
    This research investigates the relationship between corporate social investment (CSI) compliance under the King Code IV and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) performance among companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) in South Africa. As an emerging economy with a history of socio-economic disparities, South Africa's business landscape has been transformed through governance codes such as the King Code. This study employs a comprehensive data set comprising CSI values and ESG performance scores to analyse the extent to which companies aligning with King Code guidelines demonstrate enhanced ESG outcomes. The MSCI ESG Leaders Index South Africa constituents between 2016 and 2021 are used for this analysis. The descriptive statistics highlight substantial differences between financial and non-financial companies in terms of their ESG score (ESGSCORE), average corporate Social Investment (CSI), return on assets (ROA), and firm size (FSIZE). Financial firms exhibit lower ESGSCORE variability, higher average CSI and ROA, and slightly lower FSIZE variability, indicating potential variations in ESG performance, corporate sustainability practices, and financial performance. Correlation analysis shows connections between ESGSCORE and CSI, ROA, and FSIZE. The regression findings show an inverse relationship between ESG and CSI and a negative and significant impact of profitability on ESG performance among non-financial firms, with no significant effect observed for financial firms. Additionally, FSIZE has a positive and statistically significant impact on ESGSCORE for financial and non-financial firms. This study's findings hold implications for corporate governance and sustainability practices in South Africa, shedding light on the effectiveness of the King Code IV in fostering socially responsible business behaviour. By examining the correlation between CSI compliance and ESG performance, the research contributes valuable insights to stakeholders, policymakers, and investors who seek to understand the interplay between governance frameworks and sustainable business practices in the South African context. Thus, this research aims to inform discussions on the role of regulatory frameworks in promoting corporate responsibility and driving positive environmental, social, and governance outcomes in emerging market economies like South Africa.
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    Leading without greed: A Vedantic lens on wholeness toward cultivating spiritual intelligence in leadership
    (2023) Maharaj, Nerisha; Peter, Camaren
    As the current civilisation grapples with existential grand challenges, it is suggested that old leadership paradigms furthering social injustice and environmental crises through greed, be examined. Greed was theorised in the literature as arising from a material ‘incomplete self' predicament of constant want. Vedānta posits such never-ending desiring to be consequential of a lack of spiritual intelligence. Systematic reviews into workplace spirituality studies identified a need for qualitative leadership research, specifically recommending Eastern spiritual lenses, due to rising interest. Wholeness is central to spirituality, considered fundamental to human flourishing, yet remains nascent. This study explored whether wholeness, as conceptualised from a Vedāntic lens, could be meaningful for cultivating spiritual intelligence in leadership outside a Vedāntic context. Applying a Vedāntic lens, three essential constructs of wholeness were identified, namely, Being, consciousness, and joy. Hermeneutical phenomenology was applied through semi-structured interviews with twentyfive purposively sampled leaders across diverse sectors and spiritual orientations. The findings were triangulated across two different focus groups comprising fifteen participants, thus totalling forty study participants. Data analysis was conducted through transcript coding and thematic categorisation. Wholeness, as conceptualised, was found both meaningful and relatable outside a Vedāntic context by both spiritually active and not so spiritually active leaders, who expressed cognitive and emotional resonance with the constructs in relation to wholeness. Moreover, the findings showed such wholeness to be holistically meaningful for spiritual intelligence in leadership, encompassing leadership of both self and others, with positive organisational and social macro-implications. Leaders felt that wholeness through Being, consciousness, and joyful contentment would evoke less greed in leadership, greater virtues-orientation, holistic consciousness in decision-making, and a more human-centric approach to leadership, since a sense of inner completeness evokes fewer desires and greater contentment. Potential societal and organisational macro-implications included holistic business models and kinder, equitable societies. The findings offered a practical way to cultivate spiritual intelligence toward addressing greed and the incomplete self, contributing toward the nascent concept of wholeness whilst encouraging the inclusion of multi-cultural perspectives. The study contributed three novel, meaningful wholeness constructs with phenomenological insights on leadership import, a Vedāntic Leadership Model of Wholeness incorporating a Whole Self theory, and epistemological findings on the processual interplay between the Whole Self and incomplete self.
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    Making a grand challenge: the social-symbolic work of conserving nature
    (2021) Botha, Lindie; Hamann, Ralph
    Problems like social inequality and shrinking biodiversity seem ever more unwieldy. Scholars are called upon to study how grand challenges like these develop and how organisations respond to them. Scholars and practitioners alike tend to focus on the received and ostensibly objective facts of these challenges, obfuscating the role actors play in socially constructing the very problems they purport to solve. Inspired by calls to better understand the nature of grand challenges and a growing body of research on how actors employ social-symbolic work (SSW) to shape the meaning of complex, contestable phenomena, I ask, how do actors engage in SSW as they grapple with grand challenges, and in doing so, how does SSW shape the tractability of these challenges? I conducted an in-depth, longitudinal ethnographic study of SSW in a state-run conservation agency as actors responded to two interlinked but separate challenges: an acute biodiversity crisis (rhino poaching) in its iconic Kruger National Park, and the slow-burning inequality problem affecting three million people near the park's boundary. Unlike existing studies of SSW that commonly focus on one form of work targeting one social-symbolic object, I find that bundles of SSW targeting imbricated social-symbolic objects - place, identity and temporality - gave challenges meaning. SSW also developed and maintained two distinct ontologies of nature that were compatible with problem framings and solutions, lending legitimacy to actors' novel practices. SSW had a strategic, deliberate outcome, rendering grand challenges into actionable objects accompanied by prescribed sets of solutions that were soon taken for granted. SSW also had an unintended outcome. It reduced grand challenges' tractability. As SSW shaped ontological assumptions and affective repertoires, and suppressed the detection of paradox, actors were dissuaded from finding novel solutions to grand challenges, a critical feature of successful efforts to make them tractable. I contribute to the grand challenges literature by explicating the role of SSW in the construction of not just the challenge itself, but also its tractability. I contribute to the SSW literature by providing an empirical case of actors aligning parallel bundles of work in a single organisation, and I show how this alignment undermines strategic coherence. Finally, whereas much extant work on SSW assumes its explicit, conscious, and purposive character, I point to the subtle, subliminal ways in which work shapes, and is shaped by, actors' moral and emotional dispositions.
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    Panda Flooring (Large Class Teaching Project)
    (2014-10-31) Davidson, Dhanyal; Herbert, Shelly
    This is a video demonstrating the manufacture and distribution of bamboo flooring, including the internal controls necessary in the business. All documents are also included, such as the customer invoice and delivery note. This video is based on a fictitious business.