Lessons Learnt from Corporate Social Investment at PetroSA

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Table of Contents

CHAPTER 04: DISCUSSION1

Discussion on Beneficiaries Responses1

Discussion on Residents Responses4

Discussion on CSI staff and Management Responses13

REFERENCES17

CHAPTER 04: DISCUSSION

This research aims to analyze why PetroSA seems not to satisfy the expectations of its community, although PetroSA has a systems in place for the execution of the CSI initiatives. By analyzing the qualitative data collected in the form of responses of beneficiaries, residents, CSI staff and Management, in this chapter of thesis, it is analyzed that, is the current PetroSA CSI framework system effective and are the projects being managed successfully. On the basis of responses of beneficiaries, residents, CSI staff and Management, in this chapter, we also try to identify barriers hindering the success of PetroSA in meeting its community expectations and thereby reaching its social responsibility objectives.

Discussion on Beneficiaries Responses

According to beneficiaries PetroSA seem not to satisfy the expectations of its community, when PetroSA came into existence they were promised opportunities to be funded on the community projects and they heard from other people that can potentially support the community projects. According to them, when Mr. Tshume the previous CEO was still in charge of PetroSA, there were regular meetings arranged by PetroSA to discuss community development. There were meetings with the schools where the needs of the schools were discussed. Computers were donated to the schools; sometimes money was given to pay for schools needs in around 7 to 8 months. According to one of them, he applied for funding for a creche. He was requested to provide the plans and the location where there land was. There was no development that took place and I had no feedback for a period of 2 to 3 years. There were no feasibilities done or any signs of arrangement for the site. Therefore it can be said that, the current PetroSA CSI framework system is not effective (Suzuki, 2007).

There are certain barriers, which are hindering the success of PetroSA in meeting its community expectations and thereby reaching its social responsibility objectives, because the process of CSI can be improved, because there is a problem with the lack of continuity from PetroSA personnel. There is a new person all the time. They make promises and fail to keep them. Their administration is a challenge; they do not keep their documentations. Sometimes they do not make prior arrangement for a meeting especially when they have visitors from outside, and this distracts my planning. According to beneficiaries, there is no support given to them. The computers which were donated were not maintained. Projects are not been monitored to assess their workability. Some of the computers at the schools have not been working for a while and there has not been anyone from PetroSA who came to monitor the situation. There is also not clarity on ownership of the projects as this is confusing beneficiaries on what right and limitation do they have. The partnership with PetroSA does not work and hindering the success of PetroSA in meeting ...