This qualitative study explored and described the role and contribution of training and skills development for sustainability in SMEs in the manufacturing sector in Durban and East London, South Africa. Individual face-to-face semi-structured interviews took place with 15 SME owners. Five themes and 11 sub-themes emerged in a content thematic analysis. The findings indicate that SMEs acknowledge that training and skills development positively influences their financial performance and sustainability. Whilst SMEs implement learning and skills development interventions, they lack suitably structured human resource development (HRD) policies and strategies; do not properly document training and skills development activities; and experience difficulty in evaluating learning. This study recommends that SMEs formulate and implement well-structured learning and development plans and schedules. It is also advised that SMEs liaise with academics and form Communities of Practice (CoPs), among other initiatives, to implement and monitor training and skills development for their sustainability. / Business Management / M. Com. (Business Management)

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirement for D Phil: Management Sciences (Marketing), Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2017. / There has been substantial research related to small and medium-sized Chinese enterprises in various countries. However, little research has been done on marketing by Chinese entrepreneurs in South Africa. Furthermore, no documented research has been conducted on the use of marketing intelligence by Chinese entrepreneurs in KwaZulu-Natal. For entrepreneurs, marketing intelligence plays an important role in the performance of their businesses. This study is aimed at assessing the application of marketing intelligence by Chinese entrepreneurs regarding their survival, growth and success in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. This study was conducted within the main industrial areas in KwaZulu-Natal, where Chinese entrepreneurs are based. The research was of a quantitative, descriptive and cross sectional nature, conducted among a sample of 120 business owners, managers, marketing executives and senior staff. The results revealed that the use of marketing intelligence in strategic decision-making by Chinese entrepreneurs in KwaZulu-Natal is very limited. The extent of awareness of marketing intelligence was fairly low. It also emerged that most of the respondents still acknowledged the importance of marketing intelligence and the role it could play in their businesses’ success. Pursuant to the general requirement for an original contribution in a doctoral thesis, the study provides a framework for current and potential Chinese entrepreneurs with regard to the application of marketing intelligence in their marketing planning. / D

Submitted in partial fulfilment of the academic requirement for the Masters in Technology: Entrepreneurship, Durban Insititute of Technology, 2003. / South Africa has been classified as an upper-middle mcome developing country with a growth rate of 2.6%. In order to improve the quality of lives of all its citizens that includes the lowering of the unemployment rate, South Africa needs to achieve a growth rate of not less than 7%. One of the pre-requisites for economic growth is entrepreneurship. The SMME sector has been universally accepted as having the potential for generating employment and contributing to economic growth. In South Africa the SMME sector is a major contributor to the economy. Research has revealed that SMMEs fail in the first five years of start up or. stagnate in terms of development because of lack of skills, management expertise, finance and lack of basic infrastructure (such as electricity, physical premises and telecommunication). South Africa's entry into the global economy makes it imperative for businesses to have access to Information Communication Technologies regardless of the size of the business. The de-regulation of the Telecommunication Act 106 of 1996 made provision for SMMEs to provide telecommunication access to under serviced areas. This is a double-edged opportunity for the Durban Institute of Technology (M L Sultan campus) in that, the Durban Institute of Technology (M L Sultan campus) could become a Service Provider for Telecommunications access and at the same time provide SMMEs within its vicinity with Information Communication Technology access. This research outlines the various elements that a Higher Education Institution such as the Durban Institute of Technology (M L Sultan campus) needs to take into consideration for developing a Business Model to provide Information Communication Technologies to SMMEs within the vicinity of the Durban Institute of Technology. A sample of the SMMEs around the Durban Institute of Technology (M L Sultan campus) was interviewed to determine their ICT needs and their understanding of the impact of access to ICT on their business. It was found, inter-alia, that many SMMEs had no access what so ever and that there was a lack of understanding of the potential impact of ICT on their enterprise. / M

M.Comm. / There has been renewed focus recently on the small business sector, particularly from the South African government. However, there are many and serious questions in the media with regard to the effectiveness of efforts made to stimulate this sector, especially from governement. This study attempts to determine effective and efficient ways of stimulating small business in South Africa and recommend changes in current strategies.

The South African government has attempted to find a balance of interests between the employer and the employee by the introduction of the Labour Relations Act in 1995 and the Basic Conditions of Employment Act in 1997. It is critical to the health of the South African economy that these labour laws do not impact small businesses to the extent that the Gross Domestic Product of the country is negatively affected. There are conflicting reports as to how these labour laws affect small businesses. It is therefore important for government to be able to understand, define and measure the impact of its labour laws on small businesses, in order for it to strategise corrective measures, which may include reconsidering the application of the legislative directive, regulated flexibility, if required. The study was limited in the sense that it was solely based on evidence collected from employers. An interpretivist approach was applied as a research methodology to data collected through in-depth interviews. The main findings of the empirical analysis demonstrate that labour legislation does not heavily impact small firms. It was thus determined that extensive measures were not needed with regard to correcting the framework of regulated flexibility.

The aim of the study is to determine the extent of Total Quality Management training by the government business support institutions in the enterprise development of Small Medium Micro Enterprises in Buffalo City Metro area. The study reflects on the Total Quality Management elements and enterprise development activities by the government institutions located in the Buffalo City Metro area. The researcher conducted literature review to ascertain what does Total Quality Management training entails. The study discussed the enterprise development services offered by the Government business support agencies in Buffalo City Metro. The empirical study conducted determined the views of Small Medium Micro Enterprises assisted by government business support service towards Total Quality Management. The researcher collected quantitative data from the judgemental sample using five point linkert scale questionnaire. The study achieved the response rate of 52.5 percent. Descriptive statistics of the data was analysed using MS Excel, and the internal consistency or reliability was determined using SPSS software. The data achieved the Chronbach’s Alpha co-efficient of 0.879. The research finding has certain limitations, and these limitations provide opportunities for further research studies. The limitation of this study was the fact that the sample was judgemental. It is possible that if another sampling method is used, it could arrive at a different conclusion. The results from the study indicate that the government business support institutions in Buffalo City area do not provide total quality management training. Although it was not a focus of the research, the study found that the three government institutions also located in Buffalo City Metro area are not used by the Small Medium Micro Enterprises. Government business support institutions need to offer total quality management training as part of enterprise development.

Crime in South Africa is one of the serious challenges facing post- apartheid democracy. As a result, many people find themselves jailed for different crimes which impact their ability to obtain formal employment upon release from jail. Therefore, employment is considered to be a significant contributor to an ex-offender not returning to offending behaviour. It is thus proposed that society has an essential and active role to play in attempts to lower recidivism rates. The hypothesis of this research was that lack of job opportunities for ex-offenders contributes to them breaking parole conditions. Also, communities where ex-offenders come from are not well prepared to welcome them back as transformed people. This treatment of ex-offenders contributes to them reoffending. Furthermore, the brick making industry plays a crucial role in the lives of ex-offenders by giving them an opportunity to be employed after serving their sentences. Finally, employment in the brick making business brings dignity back to the lives of ex-offenders. This study used qualitative research methods to address the research questions and gather relevant data. The use of a qualitative approach was adopted as it allows a deeper exploration of the different research objectives and questions of the study. Thematic content analysis was used to analyse the data. The findings of this study have revealed that the brick making business in the Mthatha region, in the Eastern Cape region of South Africa, is making a big difference in the lives of ex-offenders by offering them the opportunity to gain paid employment, thus contributing to their proper reintegration in their communities.

MSCAGR (Agricultural Economics) / Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness / See the attached abstract below

No abstract available / Business Management and Entr / M. Tech. (Business Administration)

This thesis describes the Community Investment Programme (CIP) and investigates its practicability in three pilot projects in South Africa where it was implemented. CIP is a community development programme that was conceptualised by Dr Norman Reynolds, a development economist. From 1994 onwards, he became disillusioned with the fact that the new democratic government did not address the structural problems in the South African economy, which left the majority of the poor trapped in the so-called second economy of South Africa. He conceptualised a programme, CIP, which aims to develop this second economy so as to ensure that all South Africans may participate meaningfully in the economy. CIP is advocating a people-centred development approach, where communities themselves take the lead in their development. Communities make their own decisions and decide how to use community development budgets, called ‘rights programmes’ in CIP, which are spent to stimulate the emergence of working local economies. The implementation of CIP should be a learning process, where the community gets the space to learn, make mistakes and rectify them. In addition, CIP aims to address all aspects of human development, not only economic development. Hence, if CIP is implemented by communities, it will contribute to the self-esteem and dignity of individuals and communities. The three pilot projects encountered a number of issues in the implementation of CIP, as described in theory by Reynolds. After analysing those, this research reaches a number of conclusions that should be taken into account when implementing CIP in a community. CIP is seriously needed in South Africa and if the recommendations of this research are taken into account, it could be very powerful in addressing the underdevelopment characterising so many areas in South Africa. / Development Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Development Studies)