Browsing by Subject "skills development"

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    Open Access
    Corporate sustainability and responsibility in the Cape Winelands
    (2019) Deffee, Abigail; Maree, Johannes
    Several studies have examined the business case of corporate sustainability and responsibility (CSR) but there is less evidence which demonstrates the lasting positive impact of CSR on society. This exploratory study examines the perceptions of business responsibility in the wine industry from the social perspective. Bound by the legacies of slavery, the Cape wine industry has been shaped by unequal social, racial and cultural dynamics of power since the 1600s. The qualitative research approach adopted was designed so as to draw out insights from key decision-makers via nine semi-structured interviews. Positioned within a holistic framework, and drawing upon systems thinking, this research produced a number of key findings. Firstly, there is some evidence of systemic CSR in the dataset; firms placed explicit emphasis on the training and upskilling of previously marginalised groups, and took collective responsibility for solving social problems. There were examples of business creativity in establishing share schemes, although the success of these in remedying deep structural inequalities remains unclear. Secondly, the findings provide evidence of paternalistic behaviours on wine estates operating within existing hegemonic power structures. The participants’ experiences of social initiatives largely equates to the empowerment of community groups via specific benevolent projects. The main conclusion drawn is that CSR in the Winelands commonly manifests as a mutation of entrenched paternalism, and thus is not a substitute for broader structural reform.
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    Experiences of post-matriculants regarding basic schooling and education in Cape Town – South Africa: qualitative study with post matriculants in Du Noon township
    (2025) Frydie, Asheeqah; Hoosain, Shanaaz
    This qualitative, explorative research study aimed to explore post-matriculant experiences about accessing jobs in South Africa. The study explored experiences about accessing jobs concerning the ease or difficulty of finding jobs for post-matriculants. In addition, the study explored those who found it easier to find such jobs based on what they went through. For those who found it hard to find jobs, the research explored reasons they found it challenging. Finally, factors attributed to finding it easier or difficult to access jobs and what can be done to make it easier for post-matriculants to find jobs were interrogated. This study used an exploratory and qualitative research design whereby 15 participants were recruited using purposive non-probability sampling. Face-to-face interviews were used in data collection. Significant findings of the research investigation concerned the post-matriculants having various experiences accessing jobs, as some found them more accessible. In contrast, others found it very difficult to access jobs. A few post-matriculants indicated they found it easier to access jobs because they had gone through tertiary education. At the same time, many of them stated that they faced challenges in accessing jobs as they had only matriculant certificates, societal pressure to succeed, mental and emotional health concerns, and a lack of necessary skills to enter the labour market. One significant implication of the research findings is that the curriculum was not properly equipping post-matriculants with the skills to successfully enter the labour market upon completion of their matriculation, hence the high unemployment rates. In conclusion, post-matriculants need various interventions after matriculation to access tertiary education and relevant vocational training and have a curriculum appropriately formulated to equip them with the skills to enter the labour market successfully. Since this research has shown that the more significant number of the people interviewed indicated that it was difficult to access jobs, it is recommended to conduct further research to make it easier for post-matriculants to find jobs. It is further recommended that policymakers be more mindful of post-matriculants' challenges and implement initiatives to ease their transition from school to the labour market.