The influence of social responsibility on the transgenerational success of family businesses in South Africa
- Authors: Scheepers, Jessica
- Date: 2025-04
- Subjects: Social responsibilty of business -- South Africa , Family-owned business enterprises -- South Africa , Success in business
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/73662 , vital:79492
- Description: It is well documented that family businesses play a significant role in the global and South African economies. Despite the importance of these businesses, they are faced with high failure rates. One of the contributing factors to this high failure rate is their lack of social responsibility (SR) involvement. Several research studies show that SR is of utmost importance to any form of business, because when SR is implemented successfully into their business activities, these businesses tend to perform better than those who do not. Behaving in a socially responsible manner can increase a business’s competitive advantage (in strengthening their brand image, reputation and ongoing stakeholder involvement and commitment), ultimately leading to improved financial performance (by reducing costs and increasing revenue) and potential for transgenerational success. Therefore, this study investigates the family influence on the choice, implementation and outcomes of SR practices in successful transgenerational family businesses in South Africa. In this study, socioemotional wealth (SEW), the non-financial emotional remuneration earned when owning a family business, served as a proxy for family influence. The theory of SEW has been proven to be a reliable scientific lens to explain several family business phenomena (e.g. SR practices), due to its width and vigour. Furthermore, SEW was considered an appropriate theoretical perspective because as a theory it was developed from actual family business phenomena. The theory contends that the family’s efforts to make affective endowments (and increase their SEW) explain many of their strategic and operational business decisions. Therefore, it can be argued that, as with all decisions, family business decisions relating to why and how to engage in SR are greatly influenced by the extent to which the outcomes of those decisions contribute to increasing SEW. The research design and methodological framework commonly known as the “research onion” was used to describe the procedures followed and the choices made by the researcher when conducting the study. By positioning this research study in the interpretivism paradigm, it was possible to study a family in their own environment in order to gain a deeper understanding of the research topic at hand. In addition, an abductive approach to theory development was adopted in which a conceptual framework was developed from existing literature explaining the role of SEW (as a proxy for family influence) on the SR practices of family. A qualitative research method was chosen as it enabled the researcher to address the research objectives with strategies that provided a descriptive understanding of the phenomenon under investigation. As the aim of this study was to investigate SR in a natural setting, namely successful transgenerational South African family businesses and to investigate how the family influences the choice and execution of SR practices, a case study research strategy was adopted. By using a multi-case study strategy, data collected from eight family businesses and 25 key informants were thematically analysed. Based on the practices adopted by the participating families and their family businesses, this study provides a holistic framework outlining how the family, through striving to uphold their values, protect their reputation and build relationships with stakeholders, as well as the operational and social context in which their businesses operate, influences their SR practices. Family business owners are provided with a comprehensive guideline to understand how their SR decisions influence both their financial and non-financial (social) performance outcomes and ultimately their transgenerational potential and success. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, School of Management Sciences, 2025
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- Date Issued: 2025-04
Mental health practitioners’ perceptions of utilising animal-assisted interventions
- Authors: Scheepers, Jessica
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Animals -- Therapeutic use , Pets -- Therapeutic use Human-animal relationships Psychiatry -- Practice Mental health counseling
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/43512 , vital:36903
- Description: Clarity in recognising the individuals or circumstances where interaction with animals is possibly beneficial and suitable, is essential for both the individuals and the animals. The present research study attempted to document the intervention factors when local mental health practitioners utilise animal-assisted interventions (AAIs). This study was undertaken to explore and describe the factors mental health practitioners perceive as important when utilising AAIs for clients. In doing so the researcher was able to identify and describe the characteristics of clients considered by mental health practitioners for utilising AAIs, also the psychopathological conditions for which mental health practitioners utilise AAIs and the non-psychopathological applications. Additionally, the researcher identified and described the types and characteristics of the animals that are utilised in AAIs by mental health practitioners. The current study utilised a qualitative research approach employing non-probability purposive sampling. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six female mental health practitioners. All participants had implemented AAIs and were able to speak English fluently. Interviews were conducted in English and continued until data saturation was reached. Findings in the current study demonstrate that local mental health practitioners have numerous considerations that pertain to the client including the human attributes that influence the selection of AAI, an appropriate climate (weather during outdoor therapy), and the medical conditions that may influence the implementation of AAIs. The current research also found that there is a broad scope for psychopathological applications of AAIs. Finally, there are several considerations pertaining to the animal that is used for the AAI, including trustworthiness/predictability, relevant attributes, skills/training the animal requires, a suitable environment, and fatigue/therapy exhaustion that may occur during AAIs. Limitations to the current study were identified - including limitations to the methodology employed and only female participants - and recommendations were made for further research.
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- Date Issued: 2019
The meaning of success : perspectives of family business owners using word associations
- Authors: Scheepers, Jessica
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Family-owned business enterprises , Success , Association tests , Content analysis (Communication)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: vital:9308 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1018512
- Description: Despite family business researchers having worked towards an understanding of how family businesses obtain success or achieve satisfaction, much confusion and debate on how to define success still exist in the field. It is suggested that defining success in terms of a family business is problematic because even family members themselves have varying perceptions of success. This confusion and debate has in recent years led to an increase in research concerning the meaning of success in the context of family businesses. Defining success is necessary, because if family businesses do not know what success means and what they are working towards, they will not know what decisions to make in order to be successful. Against this background, the primary objective of this study was to establish the perceptions of the concept of success among family business owners. For the purpose of this study, a mixed methodology was adopted because the data was collected using a qualitative method but analysed using a quantitative method. This study used a free word association test – which is a qualitative projective technique – to collect the data, which was then analysed by means of summative manifest content analysis which is a quantitative research method. Convenience sampling was used to identify small business owners to undergo the word association tests. By means of these tests, 811 words/phrases were generated by the 50 small non-family and 51 small family business owners who participated in the study. Theoretical, data, investigator and methodological triangulation was used to ensure the validity of the study whereas credibility, transferability, dependability, confirmability and authenticity were applied to ensure its reliability. A coding framework was developed and several analyses were undertaken to summarise the data. The nature and position of the words/phrases recalled as well as the most frequently occurring words/phrases recalled were reported on. To determine whether significant differences exist between the different sample groups, Chi-square statistics were calculated to ascertain statistical significance and Craemer’s V statistics to establish practical significance. The findings of this study show that small non-family business owners mostly associate business success with non-financial indicators. These non-family business owners perceive a successful small business as one that is customer-focused, provides quality service and is characterised by discipline, drive and determination. Similarly, the findings show that the small family business owners participating in this study mostly associate family business success with words/phrases of a non-financial nature. The family business owners perceived a successful family business as one where, in addition to financial returns, discipline, drive and determination, as well as trust, honesty and hard work prevail. Even though both non-family and family business owner participants mostly recalled words/phrases of a non-financial nature, non-family business owners were mainly concerned with being customer-focused and proving quality, whereas family business owners focused more on values such as discipline, drive and determination as well as trust and honesty. Based on the perceptions of success among family business owners, a workable definition of “family business success” was formulated. Family business owners mainly perceive a successful family business as one where, in addition to financial returns, values such as discipline, drive and determination as well as trust, honesty and hard work prevail in the organisational culture of their businesses. Investigating the meaning of success in the field of family business has become a topic of growing interest. This study is one of the first in South Africa to adopt a qualitative dominant approach in attempting to overcome the lack of consensus, as well as to gain greater clarity regarding the way in which success is defined by family businesses. It is hoped that the results of this study will provide family business owners as well as practitioners and researchers in the field with a better understanding of what family business success entails. This understanding offers the potential to guide and improve goal-setting and strategic processes by family businesses, resulting in fewer family business failures and ultimately improving the South African economy.
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- Date Issued: 2015