Saa Airways Case Study

MANAGEMENT PROBLEM AND CONTEXT
The proposed study aims to look at one of the segments of corporate social responsibility, which is the corporate social investment pillar. CSI is but one of the various pillars of Corporate Social Responsibility and is an outward looking pillar of the CSR portfolio and therefore in the case of the airline under scrutiny its an important and influential platform that can be used by a company to address the requirements of its shareholder’s compact and overall reputation in the industry. In this case the SAA airline Group is the subject of focus.

South African Airways does not have a clearly defined Corporate Social investment strategy, as a result it has over the years not been focused but reactive and company

environment. The nature of this study is not to debate whether the airline is a socially responsible one, but rather to look at what it concerns itself with in terms of its social investment programmes.
Most importantly the study will look at how CSI can be used beyond goodwill and turned into a strategic business tool that not only fits into the overall business plan of the company but also is a value creator. “ When Corporations support the right causes in the right ways – when they get the “where” and “how” right- they set in motion a virtuous cycle. If systematically pursued, in a way that maximises the value created, context –focused philanthropy can offer companies a new set of competitive tools that justifies the investment of resources. At the same time it can unlock a vastly more powerful way to make the world a better place”
HARVARD REVIEW DECEMBER 2002 by MICHAEL PORTER AND MARK KRAMER
This loaded quote by Michael Porter and Mark Kramer, which was in the Harvard Business Review in December 2002, sums up the focus of this proposed study which is a quest to find the best strategic tactic for CSI from which the airline South African Airways can derive maximum

While South Africa is making strides in repairing the damage caused by the apartheid system, the country still falls short of international standards when it comes to MST teaching and learning.
The annual Grade 12 final national exams are further evidence of this, whereby fewer exam candidates conclude successfully their twelve years of primary and high school education with a combination of math and science pass. As a result there is a smaller pool of candidates to draw from for companies such as SAA that require such candidates for scarce skills technical specialist areas. So as to have a larger pool to draw from in the future, the airline needs to find creative ways to encourage and develop interest in MST amongst