| Summary: | Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. === ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The world has seen a wave of globalization since the demise of communism in East
Europe in the late 19805, unimaginable a generation ago. A new world order has
emerged, driven by a renewed trust in the free market ideology, and largely shaped
by global corporations and international trade. Moreover, new technologies and
instant communication have the potential to redefine peoples' life, at work and at
home. Modern business has experienced dramatic and often turbulent changes in
the global arena too, presenting ongoing challenges to managers as well as the
ability to think and act globally. Although some companies and nations may have
benefited from this scenario, other sections of the global community did not. In a
world where starvation and poverty are part of the daily existence of millions of
people across the globe, there is a growing concern about the direction of
globalization. Over the past few years, meetings of leaders from industrialized
nations and international governmental organizations have often been marked by
protest actions against the growing socio-economic disparity between developed and
developing nations. While world leaders across the spectrum continue their efforts to
find solutions for unstable financial systems and an unequal global trade regime that
generates intense political tensions, global corporations often find themselves at the
centre of these debates. But there is a growing acceptance among the business
community that they too have to find solutions for socia-economic and other ethical
issues. Not surprisingly, though, since the business implications of these issues are
best understood by business leaders. For some time now, academics and corporate
managers have studied the changing role of business in society, accepting the
notion that modem business does not operate in isolation. Although corporations are
still allowed to generate a return on investment, more and more emphasis is now
being placed on their responsibilities with regard to society and the environment in
which they operate. There is also a growing acceptance that global corporations
cannot continue to benefit from open global trade without acknowledging - and
responding to - their social responsibilities. It comes as no surprise then to note that
the Utriple bottom line ~ concept receives increased attention in company reports
across the globe. Some multinational companies go even fu rther by publishing
sustainable development reports, which publicly disclose their performances with
regard to issues which are of concern to society and the environment. By doing so,
those businesses admit that they are in fact global corporate citizens, with an
unconditional commitment to behave like any other responsible citizen. Although
good governance, business ethics, corporate social responsibility and sustainable
development are all important for responsible corporate citizenship, managers need
to value the strategic benefits of corporate citizenship. A strategic approach to
corporate citizenship also suggests a need for a corporate citizenship model. The
challenge for corporate managers, though, is to ensure that their corporate
citizenship models are strategically aligned with their business models. A proper fit
between these two models could then serve as an important building block with
regard to the development of corporate strategies. === AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Sedert die verval van kommunisme in Oos-Europa in die laat 1980s, het die wereld
'n golf van globalisering ervaar wat 'n generasie gelede ondenkbaar was. 'n Nuwe
wereldorde het verskyn, gedryf deur 'n hernude vertroue in die vrye mark ideologie,
en grootliks gevorm deur globale ondernemings en internasionale handel. Voorts het
nuwe tegnologiee en intydse kommunikasie die potensiaal om mense se lewens by
die werk en tuis te verander. Moderne besigheid het ook 'n dramatiese en soms
turbulente verandering in die globale arena ondervind, wat deurlopende uitdagings
aan bestuurders stel sowel as die vermoë om globaal te dink en op te tree. Alhoewel
sommige maatskappye en nasies wel voordeel kon verkry met hierdie scenario, het
ander gedeeltes van die globale gemeenskap nie. In 'n wereld waar hongersnood en
armoede deel is van die daaglikse bestaan van miljoene mense oor die aarde, is
daar groeiende kommer oor die rigting waarin globalisering beweeg. Vergaderings
van leiers van nywerheidslande en internasionale owerheidsinstellings is die
afgelope aantal jare telkens gekenmerk deur protesaksies teen die groeiende sosioekonomiese
gaping tussen ontwikkelde en ontwikkelende nasies. Terwyl
wereldleiers oor die die hele spektrum voortgaan met hul pogings om oplossings te
vind vir onstabiele finansiele stelsels en 'n ongelyke globale handelsbewind wat
intense politieke spanninge skep, bevind globale ondernemings hulself dikwels
sentraal in hierdie debatte. Daar is egter 'n groeiende aanvaarding onder die
sakegemeenskap dat ook hulle oplossings behoort te vind vir sosio-ekonomiese en
ander etiese sake. Dit is egter nie verrassend nie, aangesien sakeleiers die
besigheidsimplikasies van hierdie sake die beste begryp. Reeds vir 'n geruime tyd
word die veranderende rol van besigheid in die gemeenskap deur akademici en
korporatiewe bestuurders bestudeer, met aanvaarding van die siening dat moderne
sake nie in isolasie funksioneer nie. Ofskoon ondernemings steeds toegelaat word
om 'n opbrengs op belegging te genereer, word meer en meer klem geplaas op hul
verantwoordelikhede ten opsigte van die gemeenskap en die omgewing waarbinne
hulle funksioneer. Daar is ook 'n groeiende aanvaarding dat globale ondernemings
nie kan aanhou om voordeel te verkry uit internasional handel sonder erkenning van
- en reaksie op - hul sosiale verantwoordelikhede nie. Dit kon dus as geen
verrassing nie om kennis te neem dat die "drieledige basislyn" konsep toenemend
aandag geniet in maatskappyverslae dwarsoor die wereld. Sommige multinasionale
maatskappye gaan selfs verder deur die publisering van volhoubare
ontwikkelingsverslae wat hul vertoning openbaar ten opsigte van sake wat van
belang is vir die gemeenskap. Daardeur erken daardie besighede dat hulle in
werklikheid globale korporatiewe burgers is, met die onvoorwaardelike onderneming
om soos enige ander verantwoordelike burger op te tree. Alhoewel goeie regering,
besigheidsetiek, korporatiewe sosiale verantwoordelikheid en volhoubare
ontwikkeling almal belangrik is vir verantwoordelike korporatiewe burgerskap,
behoort bestuurders die strategiese voordele van korporatiewe burgerskap te
waardeer. 'n Strategiese benadering tot korporatiewe burgerskap impliseer ook 'n
behoefte vir 'n korporatiewe burgerskapmodel. Die uitdaging vir korporatiewe
bestuurders is egter om te verseker dat hul korporatiewe burgerskapmodelle
strategies in Iyn is met hul sakemodelle. 'n Behoorlike passing van hierdie twee
modelle kan dan dien as 'n belangrike bousteen met betrekking tot die ontwikkeling
van korporatiewe strategie. === cmc2013
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