Support provided by corporate social responsibility programmes for the creation of universal access to ICT : a content analysis of corporate websites

Abstract

This study analyses messages within corporate web pages as physical indicators of the following: the extent to which sampled companies provide information communication technology (ICT) to the South African society in terms of geographical spread; the types of ICTs they provide; the nature of their support; and the members of society targeted. Through latent coding, it seeks to deduce whether the companies realise their role in social development by focusing their corporate social responsibility programmes on societal needs and to establish whether their support is broadly aligned with government priorities. Although the study is exploratory in nature, it reveals the following noteworthy issues: The geographical spread indicates that seven of the 11 companies analysed focus their support for ICT on the country as a whole; most companies tend to provide a whole range of technological equipment rather than one type; the provision of equipment is coupled with training; and the support for ICT is largely aimed at schools. It is inferred that the companies realise their societal obligations; support government priorities; and are committed to social development by creating appropriate mechanisms for access to ICT. AFRIKAANS: Hierdie studie analiseer boodskappe op korporatiewe webblaaie, as fisiese indikators van die volgende: die mate waartoe maatskappye in die steekproef inligtings- en kommunikasietegnologie aan die Suid-Afrikaanse gemeenskap voorsien in terme van geografiese verspreiding; die tipes inligtings- en kommunikasietegnologie wat hulle voorsien; die aard van hul ondersteuning; en die lede van die gemeenskap wat hulle teiken. Deur middel van latente kodering word gepoog om afleidings te maak of die maatskappye hul rol in sosiale ontwikkeling besef deur hul korporatiewe sosiale verantwoordelikheidsprogramme op gemeenskapsbehoeftes te fokus en om te bepaal of hul ondersteuning breedweg in lyn met regeringsprioriteite is. Alhoewel die studie verkennend van aard is, bring dit die volgende noemenswaardige kwessies aan die lig: Die geografiese verspreiding dui daarop dat sewe van die 11 maatskappye wat geanaliseer is, hul ondersteuning van inligtings- en kommunikasietegnologie op die land as geheel fokus; meeste maatskappy neig om 'n hele reeks tegnologiese toerusting eerder as een tipe te voorsien; die voorsiening van toerusting met opleiding gepaard gaan; en die ondersteuning hoofsaaklik op skole gemik is. Daar word afgelei dat maatskappye hul verantwoordelikhede teenoor die gemeenskap besef; regeringsprioriteite ondersteun; en verbind is tot sosiale ontwikkeling deur die skepping van gepaste meganismes vir toegang tot inligtings- en kommunikasietegnologie.