Business roles

Social responsibility

Social responsibility Individuals have a duty to act in the best

interests of their environment and society
as a whole

Corporate Social Responsibility A company’s commitment to manage the

social, environmental and economic effects
of its operations responsibly and in line
with public expectations

Definition of social responsibility

 Being socially responsible means that individuals take responsibility for the effects of
their behaviour and lifestyle on the environment and on others
 Each person has a duty to act in the best interests of their environment and society
as a whole

Most common examples of social responsibility include:

 Reducing our carbon footprints:

o A carbon footprint refers to how much carbon dioxide the activities of a person
or company emits

 Donations to charity
o When you help others, it will empower you
 o You will also feel happier and more fulfilled

 Volunteering in the community

o This is a way in which a person or group of people in a community take part in
voluntary social, charitable and environmental activities towards the betterment of a
society

Corporate Social Responsibility

 Businesses taking responsibility for their impact on society and the environment
 Its also a way in which business conducts its operations ethically and morally – that
is, how they use human, physical and financial resources

Poverty and inequality

 Businesses can support poverty alleviation programmes that are offered by the
government
 They can also donate things such as money or food parcels to local NGOs
 In this way, they can stimulate growth in the economy

Extent to which poverty and inequality has been addressed

 Income inequality and poverty in South Africa has deepened
 The remaining 90% of South African earners get only 35% of total income (2019)

Inclusivity
 Businesses should educate managers and employees on the benefits of diversity in
the workplace
 They should create new policies or amending current ones – from recruitment to
performance evaluations and promotions
 Businesses can also create mentorship programmes to ensure that every employee
has the opportunity to advance
Extent to which inclusivity has been addressed
 Progress remains inadequate
 Many businesses continue struggling to diversify their workforces

HIV/AIDS
 Businesses should conduct regular workshops and information sessions on the
effects of HIV/AIDS on the employees and their peers
 They should initiate and develop counselling programmes for infected/affected
persons/employees

Extent to which HIV/AIDS have been addressed

 In 2019, 38 million people globally were living with HIV
 As of the end of June 2020, 26 million people were accessing ART.

Gambling
 Businesses could conduct awareness programmes on dangers of gambling to their
employees
 They could offer financial literacy education to them

Extent to which gambling has been addressed

 The number of people who never gambled was 25.6% and in 2020 it was 20.1%

Counterfeiting
 Businesses must raise awareness of piracy
 Software product keys decrease end-user piracy
Extent to which counterfeiting has been addressed
 The global scale for counterfeit goods is large, and it has grown since previous
estimates. This growth is expected to continue

Strikes and Political disturbance

 Businesses must raise awareness of counterfeiting
 They should secure a patent, trademark or copyright, and register these in other
countries where counterfeit products may originate

Extent in which strikes and political disturbances has been addressed

 The number riots and protests between 2018 and 2020 was high and businesses
suffer significant losses
 Civil unrest continues to soar, as it is driven by protests on issues ranging from
economic hardship to police brutality, which has been affected citizens and
businesses

Violence
 Businesses should offer their employees an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
that will enable them to seek help if they are experiencing personal problems
 Businesses could also provide counselling facilities or refer employees to private
counsellors

Extent to which violence has been addressed

 Five main categories of violence are prevalent in South Africa. These are:
 The number of violent crimes
 The number of violent protests

Crime
 Businesses should encourage their employees to participate in community policing
forums
 They should also become involved in sustainable projects within the local community
Extent to which crime has been addressed
 During the 2019/2020 period, overall crime levels were down when compared to the
prior year

Creative thinking and problem solving

Meaning of creative thinking

 It is the ability to see something in a new way.
 It is an inventive, lateral thought process resulting in a problem being viewed from a
new perspective (out of the box thinking).

Benefits of creative thinking in the workplace

 Creative thinking will give a business a competitive advantage if unique ideas,
solutions or strategies are applied.
 Creative thinking brings about new inventions which could improve the general
standard of well-being of power.
 Creative thinking results in more positive attitudes, as managers and employees feel
part of the problem-solving process.

How businesses can use creative thinking to generate entrepreneurial

opportunities
 Design environments that stimulate creative thinking.
 Encourage alternative ways of doing things.
 Encourage staff to come up with new ideas and solutions.
 Respond enthusiastically to all ideas and never let anyone feel less important.
The meaning of problem solving
 Problem solving is a process to analyse a problem, identifying solutions, and the
appropriate implementation of the selected solution.
 It is the process that requires creative thinking.
 Alternative solutions are identified and critically evaluated.
 Effective problem-solving results in good decision-making.

The difference between decision making and problem solving.

Problem solving Decision making

Generate and critically evaluate alternative Consider all alternative solutions before
solutions to the problem. deciding on the best one.

Problem-solving is the process of finding a Decision-making is the process of choosing

solution to a problem. from several alternatives.

Describe the problem-solving cycle

 Identify the problem: Identify the exact problem being implemented.
 Define the problem: Define the actual causes and reasons for the problem.
 Identify alternative solutions to a problem: Generate a range of possible solutions to
the problem.
 Evaluate the alternative solutions: Use analytical skills to critically evaluate
alternative solutions.
 Choose the best solution: Identify which solution will be best against set criteria such
as time, cost and risk involved.
 Develop an action plan: Make arrangements such as for resource allocation, task
delegation and setting of deadlines and timelines.
 Implement the action plan: Carry out the developed action plan or the devised
strategy for the problem.
 Evaluate the implanted action plan: The business must assess the action plan
continuously to determine whether the problem has been solved.

Problem solving techniques

Force field analysis This technique is used to make a choice about whether to
 implement a change, by weighing the forces or factors for
and against this change.

Delphi technique This technique is used when the business obtains unbiased
inputs from a panel of experts to solve complex problems
with the aid of questionnaires.

Nominal Group Technique This a technique that uses groups that ensure that each
member participates by suggesting his/her own ideas and
solutions.

Brainstorming This idea encourages idea generation through critical

discussion by team members as they can inspire each other
to contribute and build on these ideas.

How businesses can apply the problem-solving techniques to solve business

problems

Force field
 Describe the current situation/problem and the desired situation.
 Identify priorities and develop an action plan.
 List all the driving and restraining forces that will support and resist change.

Delphi technique
 Businesses must invite a panel of experts to solve a complex problem.
 Experts do not have to be in one place and will be contacted individually.
 Design a questionnaire consisting of questions on how to solve the problem and
distribute it to the panel of experts.
 Summarise the responses from the experts in a feedback report.

Nominal Group technique

  The team is divided into smaller groups seated around a table.
 Problem(s) should clearly be defined to the groups.
 Someone writes down these ideas on a big sheet of paper.
 Duplicated ideas are then eliminated.

Brainstorming
 The problem must be defined clearly.
 People in the group suggest ideas and solutions at random.
 All ideas must be written on a flipchart.
 A plan of action is discussed to put the best idea into practice.

How businesses can use mind mapping and brainstorming to identify

innovative and entrepreneurial business opportunities.

Application of mind mapping

 Create a central idea or theme.
 Images may also be included.
 Add branches to the mind map linking key concepts to the main theme.

Application of brainstorming
 The problem must be clearly defined.
 People in the group suggest ideas and solutions at random.
 All ideas must be written on a flipchart.
 Similar ideas are grouped together using coloured pens.

Ways in which creative business opportunities can realistically be implanted

  There must be a demand for the product/service.
 The entrepreneur must first identify a business opportunity to implement.
 Develop a realistic plan.
 The entrepreneur must motivate the workers to implement the plan.

Relationship and team performance

Key concepts
Team Made up of two or more individuals who combine their efforts
and skills to achieve a common goal.

Relationship Connection between two parties

Prejudice A preconceived opinion of something or someone. Prejudice

can lead to discrimination.

Beliefs A feeling of being sure that a person or thing exists.

Values The beliefs, philosophies and principles that drive a business.

Diversity What makes people unique and includes different cultures,

backgrounds, beliefs, gender, language and life experiences.

Productivity A way to measure efficiency.

Service An activity that is delivered by the business to another party.

Interpersonal The relationship between two employees working at the same

relationships place.

Discrimination When someone is treated unfairly because of race, gender,

sexuality, religion or disability.

Equity The practice of being fair or impartial.

Profit The financial advantage or benefit.

Management levels Refers to a line of demarcation between various managerial

positions in an organisation.

Collaboration The action of working with someone.

Openness The quality of being relatively free from obstruction or

relatively unoccupied.
Mutual respect To have respect for a person.

Mutual trust When employees enjoy a culture of honesty, and

psychological safety.

Grievance Formal complaint which is lodged with management by an

employee who is unhappy in the workplace.

Conflict Refers to a clash/disagreement between individuals arising

from a difference in ideas, attitudes, opinions, perceptions,
etc.

The meaning of business objectives

 It explains in detail the steps they plan to take in order to achieve a specific goal.
 A good business objective focuses on profit, productivity and service.

The benefits of teamwork

 The members of the team learn from each other and learn.
 The team achieve more than the individual.
 Good teamwork helps business to achieve its objectives.
 Gives employees more control over their jobs.
 Team improves effective communication.

Ways in which businesses can create an environment that enables teams to

work effectively
 Set ground rules for the team.
 Establish team and values and goals.
 Consider each employee’s ideas as valuable.
 Encourage listening and brainstorming.
 Ensure the team clearly understands the business objectives.

The meaning of interpersonal relationship in the workplace with specific

reference to different hierarchies/management levels/the importance of
everyone achieving business objectives.
Different hierarchies and management levels
 The levels in business hierarchy refer to the levels of chain of command and the
employee designations.
 The business hierarchy usually narrows from bottom to top.

The importance of each individual in achieving business objectives

 The quality of interpersonal relationships impacts on the productivity of teams.
 If employees are skilled and knowledgeable, teams will be strong and efficient.
 Great results can be achieved through teamwork, so it is important that a business
creates an environment that enables teams to work effectively.

Factors that can influence team relationships

Relationships:

Prejudice Prejudice is a negative attitude towards an individual. This attitude is usually based
on the differences between individuals who may belong to a particular social
group.

Discrimination Discrimination is a negative action toward an individual because of their belonging

to a certain gender, race, religion, or sexual orientation.

Equity Respectful and dignified treatment of every person in the business.

Equity encourages diversity in decision making and employee engagement.

Diversity Diversity is the practice of including or involving people from a range of different
social and ethnic backgrounds, and of different genders and sexual orientations

Ways in which businesses can address factors that influence team relationships
 The business can make sure that employees understand and believe in business
objectives.
 The business should listen to employees when they share ideas.
 Being clear and specific when communicating to prevent confusion.
  Encouraging trust, respect, and cooperation among members of the team.

The criteria for successful team performance.

Clear objectives and agreed goals

 Team members must agree on goals and set clear objective.
 Teams need to focus on the agreed goals for essential success.
 Team members should know what they want to achieve.
 Clear goals for direction

Interpersonal attitudes and behaviour

 Team members have a positive attitude of support and motivation towards each
other.
 Team leaders give credit to members for positive contributions.

Interpersonal attitudes and behaviour

 Shows respect for the knowledge or skills of other members.
 Shows loyalty, respect and trust towards team members despite differences.
 Shows respect for the knowledge/skills of other members

Communication
 Quality feedback from team members will improve the morals of the team.
 Efficient communication between team members may result in quick decisions.
 Open discussions between team members will lead to effective problem solving.

Co-operation/Collaboration
 Clearly defined and realistic goals will ensure all team members know exactly what is
expected of them.
 All team members should actively participate in the decision-making process.
  Show a willingness to cooperate as a unit to achieve team objectives.
 Co-operate with management to achieve team/business objectives.

Mutual respect, support, and respect

 This will encourage participation.
 Team members should consult with all group members.
 Team members should learn from one another.
 Team members must support and trust one another to be an effective team.

Stages of team development

Forming
 The focus is on team organisation and the routines involved.
 At this stage, team members are at ease and polite to one another.

Storming
 At this stage, the team goes through some uneasiness or conflict after information.
 There may be power struggles for the position of the team leader.
 Some team members tolerate others, in order to survive this stage.
 At this stage some members may resign the team.

Norming
 On this stage, team members reach consensus and agree on a common plan for the
team.
 Team roles and responsibilities are clearly outlined and accepted.

Performing
  All members are fully aware of the aims and the strategies of the team.
 All members have direction, without the leader’s interference.
 All process and structures in place.
 At this stage all members are working together towards their goal.

Adjourning/Mourning
 It is characterised by completing the project or task before the team finally dissolves.
 Members assesses what they have achieved.

Difference between conflict and grievances

Conflict Grievance

Occurs when people have opposing Occurs when an employee or group is

opinions or ideas or viewpoints in the unhappy or has a problem or complaint in
workplace. the workplace.

Just a disagreement between two or more Implies that a conflict has been reported
parties in the workplace. and is thus more formal.