Exploring the limiting issues inhibiting sustainability embeddedness in Denel

Abstract

South African State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) often face liquidity challenges, treasury bailouts, political cronyism, productivity inefficiencies, leadership deficiencies, and unsustainability. A review of recent literature revealed that there is a shortage of studies exploring the limiting issues inhibiting sustainability embeddedness within SOEs and the role of sustainable leadership in embedding sustainability in the South African context. Furthermore, sustainability embeddedness and its practical application have not been widely studied. This research explores the limiting issues inhibiting sustainability embeddedness within the defence industry, more specifically in the Denel group, by conducting 12 semi-structured qualitative interviews. A thematic analysis of the data revealed six inhibitors to sustainability embeddedness, namely: political meddling, working in silos, beggarly communication, an unconducive legal framework, corruption, and the decreasing budget of the Department of Defence; and six sustainable leadership roles, namely: educating stakeholders, adopting good organisational values, establishing inclusivity, practicing total quality management, clear communication and continuously improving organisational systems and resources investment. The study’s findings revealed that sustainable leadership roles assist in addressing the limiting issues inhibiting sustainability embeddedness. Furthermore, sustainable leadership plays a critical role in embedding sustainability within the organisation. The study’s findings are potentially transferable to other SOE’s which could benefit from a better understanding of the inhibitors to sustainability embeddedness and the role of sustainable leadership in embedding sustainability.

Amabhizinisi Kahulumeni eNingizimu Afrika (ama-SOE) avame ukubhekana nezinselelo zokungabi namali, ukutakulwa ngezezimali, ukwenzelelwa kwezepolitiki, ukungasebenzi kahle kwezokukhiqiza, ukuntuleka kwezobuholi, kanye nokungacaci kwezokusimama. Ukubuyekezwa ekubhaleni nasekufundeni izincwadi kamuva nje kuveze ukuthi kunokwentuleka ekucwaningeni izinkinga eziphazamisa ukusimama kahle ngaphakathi kuma-SOE ngokunjalo neqhaza lobuholi obusebenza kahle ekusimamiseni isimo eNingizimu Afrika. Ngaphezu kwalokho, akukaze kucwaningwe kabanzi mayelana nokusimama okuhle kanye nokusebenza kwakho ngokubonakalayo. Lolu cwaningo lubheka kabanzi izithiyo ezivimbela ukusimama okuhle emkhakheni wezokuvikela, ikakhulu kwa-Denel group, ngokwenza izinhlolovo eziyi-12 ezimayelana nokuhlola iqophelo. Ukuhlaziywa kwemininingwane kuveze izivimbeli eziyisithupha ezithikameza ukusimama okuhle, nokuyilezi: ukugxambukela kwezepolitiki, ukusebenza ngawedwana, ukungaxhumani kahle, uhlaka lwezomthetho olungeluhle, inkohlakalo, kanye nokwehla kwesabelomali soMnyango Wezokuvikela; ngokunjalo nezinhla eziyisithupha zobuholi obusimeme, nokuyilezi: ababambiqhaza kwezemfundo, ukwamukela izimiso ezinhle zesikhungo, ukusungula ukuzibandakanya, ukwengamela amaqophelo aphelele, ukuxhumana okucacile kanye nokuqhubekisa ukuphuculwa kwezinhlelo zesikhungo kanjalo nokutshalwa kwezinsiza. Imiphumela yocwaningo iveze ukuthi iqhaza lobuholi obusimeme kahle liyasiza ekuxazululeni izinkinga ezivimbela ukusimama okuhle. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ubuholi obusimeme kahle budlala indima ebalulekile ekusimamiseni okuhle esikhungweni. Imiphumela yalolu cwaningo kungenzeka idluliselwe kwamanye ama-SOE angase azuze ekuqondeni kangcono izivimbelo ezithikameza ukusimama okuhle kanye nendima yobuholi obusimeme kahle.