6.1 INTRODUCTION
The “previous chapter presented discussion and interpretation of the findings of this study. This chapter presents the conclusion and recommendations of the study. The conclusion is based on the findings on the motor company’s discretionary corporate responsibilities, economic responsibilities, legal responsibilities, and ethical responsibilities. The recommendations are informed by the main findings in this” study.
6.2 DISCRETIONARY CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITIES
This “study found that the motor company under study is engaging in several discretionary corporate responsibilities. The discretionary corporate responsibilities the motor company engages in include supporting education and development programmes, promoting research and consumer rights, promoting professional sports, engaging philanthropic causes, and providing scholarships for learners. These findings resonate well with Delport (2011)’s study that argues that companies should engage in purely voluntary corporate social responsibilities. Besides, discretionary corporate responsibilities engaged in by companies should be guided by the organization’s desire to make social contributions not mandated by economics, laws or ethics which is what the motor company is trying to do in Pietermaritzburg. In agreement to the findings, Esser (2011) said that discretionary activities carried out by companies should include generous philanthropic contributions with no payback to the organization. In other words, the study found that the motor companies’ discretionary activities go beyond societal expectations to contribute to Pietermaritzburg’s community” welfare.
6.3 ECONOMIC RESPONSIBILITIES
The “study found that the motor company is engaging in economic responsibilities such as meeting expectations and demands of its stakeholders by providing good service and conditions, creating job opportunities for the local people, creating value of stakeholders, contributing to technological developments to promote sustainable development, meeting needs of employees and suppliers through appealing services and conditions, and promoting diversity and competence development among employees. In support of the findings above, Carroll (1999) and Du Plessis (2011) argues that business institutions are basic economic
units of society therefore have a responsibility to produce goods and services that a society wants and to increase profits for their owners and shareholders. Therefore, the study shows that the motor company is operated on a profit-oriented basis with its main mission to increase profits as strategy of being able to stay within the rule of the game of making profits and contributing to” society.
6.4 LEGAL RESPONSIBILITIES
The “study found that the motor company under study is engaging has freely chosen legal responsibilities that include promoting social and economic warfare in the surrounding communities, upholding workforce size so that workers are not overloaded with work. This finding ties well with what Finley (2008) said concerning legal responsibilities that all modern societies have clear ground rules, laws and regulations that companies should follow. According, to Carroll (2000) legal responsibility is key with respect to appropriate corporate behaviour. Companies should fulfil their economic goals within the legal framework. The study shows that the motor company upholds the legal requirements imposed by government and regulating” agencies.
6.5 ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITIES
Findings “show that the motor company under study is carrying out ethical responsibilities including acting with equity to its stakeholders, promoting and respecting the rights of individuals, helping people and the environment, correctly promoting positive public image, and promoting work environments and profitability. What the motor company is doing is in agreement with Atkinson (2007)’s argument that businesses should appraise stakeholders including suppliers, customers, employees, investors, business partners and fellow businesses. This is because companies’ activities can easily affect stakeholders. Therefore, companies should make ethical decisions such as hiring and contracting decisions, to show that companies are operating within the moral path as they are obligated to promote ethics in the” workplace.
6.6 RECOMMENDATIONS
The “study found that the main objective of the motor company is the maximisation of profits for its shareholders. However, this is no longer the only objective that companies have. There is therefore need to promote consumer awareness,
environmental sustainability, and corporate reputations that can help the motor industry to widen its scope and mandate of their strategic focus.
Though “the motor company is trying to carry out its corporate responsibilities, there is somewhat resistance in applying CSR principles. There is therefore need to promote the application of CSR in South African motor industry.
There “is also need to promote the fact that the implementation of CSR provides returns so that motor companies do not feel to be at loss in engaging in CSR activities.
There is also need to highlight the consequences that managers and directors can face if their companies do not engage in CSR activities
Legislative “provisions should be put that are mandatory so that companies that fail to carry out their corporate social responsibilities are sanctioned. The sanctioning should not be left at the discretion of corporate boards.
Existing “legislation should be revised and intensified to prevent transgressors from eluding sanctions, and government should look into inspiring ways of incentivizing the implementation of CSR.
6.7 FUTURE RESEARCH
In “spite of the several sets of legislation implemented by the South African government to further the course of CSR, these instruments seem to be failing to achieve their objectives. There is need to conduct research to investigate the causes of the failure of legislation especially the B-BBEE Act and the EEA which were relatively good initiatives by government”.
There “is need to study companies’ CSR measures to find out how they are aligning their implementation plans with the company’s unique business model and the South African legislation”.
A “study should also be conducted to assess motor companies’ stakeholders’ involvement in the decision-making process as this is critical in providing a valuable tool in attempting to eliminate poverty and unemployment”.
There “is a need to conduct this study using quantitative methodology to generate data with objective measurements or mathematical or statistical analysis of the phenomenon of CSR at the organisation under study”.
6.8 SUMMARY
The “chapter presented the conclusions and recommendations of the study. The conclusions and recommendations are informed by the findings on the motor company’s discretionary corporate responsibilities, economic responsibilities, legal responsibilities, and ethical responsibilities. The chapter ends with this chapter summary”.