Bibliography: p. 285-297. / The following study places the minority-owned business in perspective and seeks to justify the need for a categorical policy for development aimed at correcting the low participation of minorities in general, and Coloured persons in particular, in the business sector.

Bibliography: pages 145-152. / This thesis examines manufacturing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from the Western Cape, drawn from three leading industries in the manufacturing sector: clothing, furniture, and panel beating and metal works. The aim of the study is to analyze factors that contribute to the success of black manufacturing enterprises. To this end, the study isolated a group of black SMEs regarded as successful in terms of comparative studies in other countries. A sample of 20 SMEs was selected and detailed interviews formed the basis of the analysis. The information gathered during this process was analysed using Porter's model of competitiveness. A central finding of the survey is that the profile of a successful enterprise would include an entrepreneur with post-school training, a motivation for independence and enhancement of self-esteem, a participative relationship between workers and management, and a good relationship with customers. Most of these entrepreneurs attained competitiveness independent of support institutions (private or public). Entrepreneurs interviewed mentioned that their performance could be enhanced by effective support in marketing and exporting, finance, training, information and, technology, and subcontracting. The conclusion is therefore that the support envisaged in terms of the national strategy for SMEs' advancement, would assist the individual enterprise's quest for competitiveness.

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Management in Business and Executive Coaching, Johannesburg 2018 / Client readiness was identified as a variable influencing and impacting the effectiveness of coaching interventions. An understanding of different variables influencing the coaching process was highlighted as significant in the advancement of knowledge in the coaching industry. The current study was to explore factors influencing clients’ readiness for executive coaching in South Africa. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with Executives and Senior Managers from corporate organisations. A narrative, qualitative analysis was used to gain meaning and understanding on the content of the data collected. Through the analysis, clients’ level of readiness as well as elements contributing to readiness were determined. According to findings of the study, readiness is defined as willingness from clients to want to make things better. This readiness is influenced by commitment, motivation to learn and change their behaviour as well as self-awareness. If a client is not willing or prepared, it was said that this influenced their eagerness and involvement towards a coaching intervention. The study further highlighted how clients are treated, acknowledged and appreciated as key components contributing towards their level of readiness. The coach, finding purpose in life as well as challenges they face as individuals were reported as additional elements of significance impacting readiness levels of clients. It can be concluded that measuring clients level of readiness together with factors contributing to this readiness is important for coaching interventions as well the development of clients. / XL2019

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Management in Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation Wits Business School Johannesburg, 2018 / Developing SMMEs has become a growing phenomenon within emerging economies. This is because enterprise development is designed to achieve a positive socioeconomic impact by encouraging and investing in entrepreneurship (Peters et al., 2004). Therefore, understanding the performance of business incubators, and how they enable SMMEs to contribute to economic development, is critical for policy makers who have an urgent mandate of growing the South African economy (AlMubaraki & Busler, 2011). This study argues that business development strategies that adopt a blanket approach towards supporting SMMEs operating in different sectors and levels may not be appropriate, given the dynamics of different ventures. This study investigates and compares the effect of sector specific business incubators versus mixed sector business incubators in improving SMME performance to inform policy makers about the state of entrepreneurship of enterprises that engage with incubating organisations. The methodology used in this study was quantitative and cross sectional in nature. One hundred and five responses were received from SMMEs that graduated from a business incubator to assess how their performance has improved over time. The findings revealed that relationships do exist between sector specific business incubators and job creation as well as turnover, but this relationship is not significant. The findings also suggest that there was no significant statistical difference when comparing sector specific to mixed sector business incubators in job creation and turnover. Business incubators should have specific touch points and interventions targeted at different levels of the entrepreneurial process, thus, working towards addressing the diverse needs and challenges pertinent to emerging businesses operating in different industries. The findings which emerged from this study provide a decent base to further explore how sector specific and mixed sector business incubators improve SMME performance / MT 2019

A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Arts, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Arts / In this thesis I argue that with the move to postfordism and the adoption of postfordist production techniques, small businesses have become important components in an economy. I look specifically at Japan and the Third Italy where the small business sector has thrived in order to provide a comparative framework for the South Africa case study. The fieldwork component of the research looks into a specific subsector in the South African economy - that of the electronics industry, with a specific locus on the manufacture of security equipment. This subsector was evaluated in terms of how it relates to the ideal types of Japan and Italy, and whether postfordism is in any way present in this industry. The findings have been mixed. The subsector under consideration is dynamic and is moving into international markets where it is able to compete successfully. There are, however, several aspects that are lacking; most notable is the lack of coherent networks and industrial districts. Institutions that could play a role in assisting firms and facilitating the growth of networks are either still being set up, unable to assist the sector because of lack of knowledge or are focused on larger corporations. However, the growth of small businesses in the electronics industry, particularly the security equipment manufacturing, with very little support indicates that there are tremendous opportunities for this sector in the future. / Andrew Chakane 2020

A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Management in the field of Public Policy, Johannesburg, 2017. / The role of SMMEs in job creation in developed countries has been studied extensively. These studies do not include micro firms in their research. There is a scarcity of literature when it comes to the role SMMEs play in job creation in developing countries. This study adds to the literature gap by incorporating micro firms in its research. The study explored the ability of SMMEs in addressing unemployment in South Africa by looking at their ability to create jobs. The study is a qualitative analysis of existing literature combined with interviews of 16 SMME owners. The role SMMEs play in job creation is not only measured by the number of people employed (labour intensiveness) but also by the potential of SMMEs to grow and thus create jobs in the future. The interview respondents were largely comprised of microenterprises. The paper also found business owners to have low and negative sentiments towards the government. Cash flow and funding remained the major challenges facing the sector in 2016/17. The findings from the interviews are aligned with the empirical findings of the study. / XL2019

A research article submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of Witwatersrand, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Business Administration Johannesburg, 2018 / MT 2019

A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy in the School of Economic and Business Sciences,University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg / Although some previous research has focused on consumer behaviour with respect to corporate social performance (CSP), few empirical studies have been done, especially in the African context. In particular, a highly under-researched topic is the role that corporate social performance (CSP) plays in South Africa. Due to the increasing public awareness of CSR globally, individuals in South Africa are becoming more aware of the need for companies to engage in corporate social responsibility (CSR) and companies have realised that fulfilling social responsibilities has a positive impact on their overall performance and sustainability. In this regard, the current study examines the effects of perceptions of CSP in South Africa. Particularly, it investigates whether the perception of CSP plays a role on individual’s purchasing decisions, in enhancing reputation of a company, and the role that a company’s reputation for social responsibility plays during a corporate crisis.The study uses the exploratory model of surplus, break-even and deficit developed by Coldwell and Joosub (2014) and a modified version of Carroll and Buchholtz’s (2000) model to measure the perceived actual CSP of companies in comparison to what individuals expect a company’s CSP to be. To measure the effects of perception of CSP in relation to actual purchasing behaviour, Carroll’s CSR framework (1991), which takes economic, legal, ethical and philanthropic responsibilities into account, was adopted. To explore whether CSP influences the reputation of a company, Fombrun's, Gardberg, & Sever (2000, p. 253) 20-items RQ grouped into six pillars “(emotional appeal, products & services, financial performance, vision & leadership, workplace environment, and social responsibility)” was used. Finally, to investigate whether CSR-derived reputational capital plays a role in sustaining a company during a crisis, crisis scenarios from Dean (2004) were adopted and modified to suit the study. A qualitative follow-up study, through face-to-face interviews, was carried out to clarify the quantitative findings. A mixed methods technique that combines questionnaires, interviews and content analysis was used to explore the effects of perceptions of CSP on individual purchasing behaviour, reputation capital and crisis management. A sample of 145 students at the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa was used for a quantitative study, and a sample of 30 for a qualitative study. The findings show that a company that fulfils consumer expectations of social performance generates positive perceptions of CSP that not only lead to actual purchases of goods and services but also generate desirable returns through enhanced reputational capital that is seen to sustain a company during a crisis situation. Aspects other than CSP that also influence an individual's actual purchasing behaviour at grass roots level are also described in the study. The study extended the theoretical understanding of CSR by interrogating Carroll’s CSR framework (1991) for empirical analysis and its applicability in an African context. The findings show that CSP plays a positive though relatively minor role in individuals’ actual purchasing behaviour. This study also enhances the theoretical knowledge of individual expectations of CSP and actual CSP of companies in South Africa. Our study validates Coldwell & Joosub’s (2014) exploratory model of surplus, break-even and deficit in the relationship between actual and expected CSP. Also, the study has managerial implications in that those companies that engage in CSR are perceived favourably than those that do not hence enhancing their reputational capital; and that prior CSP reputational capital played a significant role in a crisis situation. Future research could investigate aspects like culture, political settings and the economic foundations of different African countries to confirm the findings of this study. / NG (2020)

A dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirement for the Degree of Master of Technology: Business Administration, Durban University of Technology, 2013. / Poverty reduction and employment creation are some of the top United Nations Millennium Development goals as per the UN Summit of 2000. In both the developed and developing world this can best be achieved through an increase in employers. In the developing world, especially in Africa, small, medium and micro enterprises have been found to be the engine driving employment creation, economic development and poverty reduction. Having mentioned the crucial role, small and micro enterprises play in the economy and wellbeing of the people, their sustenance, success and continuity are of vital importance. Many small and micro businesses are started every year but most of them fail in their infancy due to a number of problems they face, especially lack of financial planning knowledge which is the main reason for embarking on this study. The main purpose of this study is to investigate the reality of financial planning knowledge among small and micro enterprises, especially from the perspective of owner-managers. An exploration is undertaken to see and understand their perception and attitude towards financial planning processes. The study proposes to find out what financial planning knowledge the owner-manager has tools they are currently employing in their businesses and whether or not, and to what extent do, they implement the advice from financial experts. The research wants to further explore what financial information is collected, recorded, how it is used (or not) to make business decisions and evaluate the enterprise’s success or failure in relation to what they know, use and implement as far as financial planning is concerned. The study used a quantitative technique to collect data and a questionnaire was personally administered to 100 respondents in the Durban CBD including Warwick Triangle and the response rate was 100%. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data. The overall findings of the study were that most of the small and micro enterprises do not understand what financial planning is or what is involved in financial planning hence their inability to properly plan their finances and manage their businesses accordingly. Some of them were found to be able to calculate a mark-up on their selling price but no records were kept. For those who have a chance to get some advice from a financial expert, do implement the advice given, but in their own way they see suitable for their particular businesses. However, they do not implement the exact advice as given only in the form they see fit for their enterprises.

South Africa has one of the highest unemployment rates in the world, currently 23.90%. One way for the government and policy-makers of South Africa to address this dire statistic is through the fostering and promotion of entrepreneurship and small business creation. The benefits of entrepreneurship are numerous and can include: increasing a country’s productivity, enhancing the welfare and well-being of its citizens, reducing emigration rates, improving economic development and perhaps, most importantly, increasing employment rates. Worldwide, small businesses within the private sector have become indispensable to sustainable job creation and therefore it is of the utmost importance that small businesses in any economy develop, grow and succeed. Despite the fact that research pertaining to small businesses has increased over the years, little empirical evidence has been established. In particular, research into what makes small businesses successful has been limited. Entrepreneurial activity in South Africa remains less than ideal and therefore it is appropriate that research into the success factors of small businesses in South Africa be investigated. Furthermore, the survival of South African small businesses beyond four to five years of being in operation is estimated at only 20.00%. It is evident that a lack of knowledge exists and with respect to this research the factors found to be the most common determinants of success for small businesses in Port Elizabeth were determined and investigated. Convenience- and snowball sampling techniques were used to identify potential participants. In total 43 usable questionnaires were returned. Methodological triangulation was used to analyse the data, according to descriptive- and inferential statistics, as well as content analysis. This being so, the research was conducted within two paradigms, primarily, the positivist research paradigm and also the phenomenological research paradigm. The key findings of this study indicate personal factors to be the most important success factor group, while the environmental success factor group is considered the least important. The most important factors attributable to the success of participants’ small businesses include: maintaining good customer services skills and relationships; having a strong commitment to product/service quality; and having honest employees with sound professional ii knowledge and a positive morale. The least important success factors include: trade exhibitions and business fairs; small business legislation; and industry structure and competition. Finally, the hypothesis tests indicate that significant differences only exist between: the relationship statuses and business factors and the business sectors and environmental factors. The results of this research have significant practical implications for the various stakeholders of entrepreneurship. It is hoped that the results will add to the existing body of knowledge and in turn aid South Africa in becoming aware of the factors essential for small business success. In doing so, South Africa at large will be able to take full advantage of entrepreneurship and small business creation, which continue to remain well within its reach