Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10321/4261
Title: The role of corporate social responsibility in promoting growth in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the hospitality sector in Pietermaritzburg
Authors: Ngubane, Nompumelelo 
Keywords: Corporate Social Responsibility;Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
Issue Date: Oct-2021
Abstract: 
There is a consensus about SMEs being key to the growth of most economies in
Africa and the world in general. SMEs have been branded as fecund drivers of
economic growth and sustainable development in South Africa and the world at
large. The existence of SMEs in any economy is of paramount importance despite
them bullied by large corporations. There is growing recognition of the important role
SMEs play in economic development. SMEs often described as efficient and prolific
job creators, the seeds of big businesses and the fuel of national economic engines
with much hype on their ability to create employment. Research on Corporate Social
Responsibility in SMEs is limited, especially in developing countries. Considering
Hospitality sector in Pietermaritzburg Municipal region, corporate social responsibility
has been growing greater importance in the minds of businesses. Given the enormity
of the South African economy, social responsibility for business took centre stage
during the socio-economic turbulence experienced in the country.
While playing such a significant role in the economy, to address this, the study will
investigate perceived effectiveness of Corporate Social Responsibility as a stimulant
of growth for SMEs in the service sector in Pietermaritzburg municipal area. The
research shall consider the convenience and purposive sampling as sampling
strategies. It will employ a sampling design where participants are conveniently but
purposively selected on a volunteering basis. The quantitative approach will be used
where a questionnaire is going to be used to obtain and analyse primary data. The
study will make use of numeric data making use of descriptive research design to
drive results and conclusions.
This shall be done by assessing the attitude levels of Hospitality SMEs towards
corporate social responsibility; the practice of corporate social responsibility by
hospitality SMEs; exploring barriers undermining the practice of corporate social
responsibility by hospitality SMEs; and exploring SME owner-managers‘ values key
to the sustainable growth of the business. This study aspired to expand and
contribute significantly to the body of knowledge regarding CSR by examining CSR
on sustainable growth of hospitality SMEs in Pietermaritzburg Municipal region. As
new knowledge, the study proposed a model based on the Stakeholder Theory
which is meant to assist Hospitality SMEs in Pietermaritzburg Municipal region to
apply positive attitude towards embracing CSR in their businesses. However, the
study recommends that local authorities and chambers of commerce must play a leading role in awareness and support mobilisation to try and motivate hospitality
SMEs to practise CSR. In addition, it is recommended that the phrase ‗Corporate
Social Responsibility‘ should be re-phrased as ‗Small Business Responsibility‘ or
generally ‗Business Responsibility‘ as a way of contextualising the whole responsible
business idea, promote and refer to the social responsibility of SMEs. The phrase
simply drives SMEs to think that they are excluded from the practice because of their
size. The concept Corporate Social Responsibility imposes a challenging journey on
SMEs it is psychologically intimidating to SMEs, hence resistance to the practise of
CSR.
Description: 
Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Management Sciences
in Business Administration, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2021.
URI: https://hdl.handle.net/10321/4261
DOI: https://doi.org/10.51415/10321/4261
Appears in Collections:Theses and dissertations (Management Sciences)

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