The Centre for Social Sciences Research (CSSR) and the  Institute for Democracy, Citizenship and Public Policy in Africa  (IDCPPA) at the University of Cape Town invite you to join us for a lunchtime seminar on 10 April 2024 at 10:00am. The seminar will be presented by Dr. Serita Sehgal.

About the Seminar:

Stepping in, aside or away? A micro-level study of commitment in cross sector partnerships.

Cross sector partnerships (CSPs) are considered essential for addressing grand challenges, yet the actual partnering process often leads to friction, uneven results and disappointment for those involved. Scholars have identified that individuals play a critical role in the success of cross sector collaboration and that partnership loyalty and commitment facilitate CSP functioning. However, the micro-level aspects of commitment within CSPs have yet to be sufficiently examined. This interpretive, micro-level study responds to these parallel and synergistic needs for additional research by exploring what shapes individuals' commitment to CSPs.

A constructivist grounded theory approach is used to conduct a longitudinal, comparative case study of 23 health partnership practitioners in South Africa. The findings are consolidated in an empirically developed model that describes how the nature of individuals' CSP commitment differs depending on which of three key commitment targets (organization, career, or social goal) they prioritize in the context of the partnership. In distinguishing between those who are instrumentally vs altruistically committed to the CSP, the model outlines two pathways through adversity which result in four different behavioural outcomes of exiting, stepping aside, stepping away or stepping in. Critically, the model illustrates what enables certain partnership practitioners to sustain their commitment and depicts how eudaimonic well-being is generated through this process.

Speakers

Sarita Sehgal is a partnering and development professional with over 20 years of UN, NGO and private sector experience in Europe and Africa. She has extensive experience in HIV and public health and now works across academia and practice to enhance partnering strategy and competence at individual, organizational and partnership level. She is affiliated with The Partnering Initiative, Reos Partners, The Sustainability Institute and the UCT Graduate School of Business where she completed her PhD.

 10 April 2024
 09:00 - 10:00 SAST
  CSSR Seminar Room, 4.29 Robert Leslie Social Science Building, UCT

Hosted by the Centre for Social Science Research and the Institute for Democracy, Citizenship and Public Policy in Africa