What leads firms in South Africa (SA) to prefer specific CSR initiatives over others? The researchers analyzed secondary data from publicly available information of 231 listed firms on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. To determine national/institutional level preferences, ten CSR activities were identified among all firms and ranked in terms of their mean score of whether each firm participated in an activity or not. To determine industry/stakeholder influence, CSR activities were regressed against the firms’ industry. The preference for two CSR activities, education and training and enterprise development, are common across industries. This demonstrates the institutional effect of SA’s national Black economic empowerment (BEE) policy, which promotes such activities. Charitable donations, infrastructure provision, employee voluntarism and efforts in arts, culture and sports prevail in certain industries. The preferences of firms in the mining and construction industries stand out relative to other industries. Managers have to carefully select CSR activities that respond to various societal pressures. We show an example of management responses to pressures arising from both the national and industry level context. The study is the first to rank CSR activities of South African firms. We also reveal the promise of institutional theory to examine the phenomenon of CSR in the South African context.

In urban South Africa, community-based social enterprises (CBSEs) face challenges at the intersection of financial and environmental sustainability and social purpose. These enterprises address social exclusion and community development within complex institutional environments. Despite increasing governmental support, CBSEs struggle with historical inequalities, resource limitations, high poverty levels, inadequate infrastructure, and complex social dynamics. These challenges contribute to a high failure rate among SMMEs, including CBSEs, which represent approximately 71% of community-level businesses. This study examines how complex system dynamics in marginalized South African suburbs impact the sustainable leadership and resilience of CBSEs. Utilizing a qualitative approach, the study conducted 15 in-depth semi-structured interviews with CBSE leaders. The findings revealed that effective leadership in CBSEs requires extraordinary abilities to traverse complexity, adapt to changes, and engage in dynamic organizational change. The key themes identified included adaptive and flexible leadership, interdependencies and network collaboration, community engagement and co-creation, continuous learning and feedback loops, policy influence and response, and resource utilization and constraints. By applying complex systems leadership theory (CSLT) and sustainable leadership principles, the research offers insights into the mechanisms enabling CBSEs to thrive in challenging environments. These findings contribute to Social Enterprise Management and Leadership Studies, providing practical implications for policymakers and practitioners to support CBSE development and sustainability in marginalized urban communities.

Background: Corporate social performance (CSP) has been widely researched in the past. However, few empirical studies, especially in the African context, have been conducted. In particular, a highly under-researched topic is the role that corporate social responsibility (CSR) plays in an individual’s actual purchasing behaviour. Objectives: This article examines whether the perception of CSR plays a role in purchasing decisions of South African university students. It adopts Carroll’s CSR definition that comprises economic, legal, ethical and philanthropic responsibilities. Methods: A mixed-method technique was used to analyse the data obtained from a sample survey (n = 145) and in-depth interviews (n = 30) of South African university students. An exploratory factor analysis was performed which revealed that legal, ethical and philanthropic factors influence individual purchasing behaviour. Results: The findings show that companies that fulfil consumer expectations of social responsibility tend to generate positive perceptions of CSP, which lead to actual purchases of goods and services from the company concerned. The findings also show that CSR plays a relatively minor role in individuals’ actual purchasing behaviour, and the other-than-CSP aspects influencing the outcome are explained. Conclusion: The study extends the theoretical understanding of CSR and its role in purchasing decisions of individuals in the African context.

In an era of compounding crises, skills training is increasingly critical for building resilience in social enterprises (SEs), particularly in marginalized contexts. This study investigates the role of skills training in fostering resilience among township-based social enterprises in Johannesburg, South Africa. Operating within a legacy of spatial apartheid, chronic unemployment, and systemic inequality, these SEs face multidimensional skills gaps that constrain their scalability and sustainability. Through a qualitative, interpretive research design involving 15 SEs in Soweto, this study explores the key skills gaps, the contributions of training to resilience, and the systemic barriers to effective skills development. The findings reveal that skills gaps span financial literacy, technical competencies, digital skills, leadership, and psychosocial preparedness. Skills training, delivered through formal programs, private incubators, and informal peer networks, contributes to resilience by enhancing financial legitimacy, ensuring operational continuity, building social capital, and fostering psychological empowerment. However, significant barriers, including cost, geographic inaccessibility, communication gaps, and cultural mistrust, limit the inclusivity and impact of training initiatives. The study concludes that for skills training to be truly transformative, it must be reconceptualized towards co-designed, context-sensitive, and holistic models that integrate technical, managerial, and psychosocial capabilities. The insights contribute to the discourse on sustainable development and inclusive entrepreneurship in the Global South, offering implications for policymakers, development agencies, and social entrepreneurs seeking to build resilient ecosystems