From a broad overview of business management literature, the proposition emerged that strategic conditions within an organisation can translate into sustainable business development outcomes. However, in the rapidly evolving business environment, the quest to grow or sustain competitive advantage demands that business practices become more proactive, creative and innovative. Globalisation and technological advances drive the need for innovation within a business context and the resultant rapid pace of change demands that businesses adopt a customer-focused entrepreneurial orientation to accommodate this need for innovation. This study investigated whether the principles of marketing, business management tools and management of the customer-base could be incorporated as key drivers to develop innovative and creative tactics that could serve as viable solutions to sustain business development strategies of automotive refinish paint distributors. An initial step in this research comprised a theoretical overview of the internal business environment as a system of the enterprise that aims to provide an in-depth understanding of the organisation, which could be applied to support strategic business goals and objectives. The literature review further entailed an investigation and explorations regarding best practices that automotive refinish paint distributors could follow in order to identify, focus on and develop their source of competitive advantage, sustainability and profitability. From the literature review, a methodological framework was developed that could be applied to specific success indicators, moulded to produce distinctive competencies in the automotive refinish paint industry; defining a significant foundation from which the objectives of this study could be researched. The study adopted the qualitative research approach and focused on a single case of a refinish paint distributor. The reason for selecting the case study method is that an entire organisation could be investigated in depth with particular attention to detail. A detailed questionnaire was drawn up in order to conduct face-to-face interviews with selected respondents, based on the profound expertise of the selected personnel. This was done to enable the researcher to assess the prevalent elements of business sustainability applied by the automotive refinish distributor to enhance their competitive advantage. The design of the empirical element of this study, aimed at providing a blueprint that would enable the researcher to structure the research problem in such a way that the outcome of the study would be valid, objective and reliable. Due to the qualitative nature of this study, the results are interpreted through inductive reasoning, observations, projective and participatory approaches all of which are integrated into a comprehensive model indicating key drivers to promote, improve and facilitate the business sustainability of the automotive refinish paint distributor. A range of recommendations and managerial implications extracted from the results of the empirical study are presented in the final chapter.

M.Com. (Business Management) / The crisis that business face regarding the constant change in the environment will not go away. Therefor business will have to go on with transformation to help the business adept to the changing environment. Business in the United States of America has develop a business transformation model to guide business during the process of transformation. In South Africa we face the same circumstances but with a few differences. We arc: nota developed country and the economic objectives of the new South Africa do not allow business to use the same business transformation model. Research in the risk management department in Spoornet during a transformation process has shown the following differences to transformation in America and Europe: • South African companies need to take the economic objectives of the new South Africa into account when transforming the business and it's processes. • Need to include an employment control and management function into the transformation model. '111e research has also found that business. management and employee's are not prepared for the transformation process as their fellow businesses in America and in Europe. Business docs not understand the value and importance of transforming the business. Most managers and employee's think it's a process to automate business and a quick fix process to help the business tobecome more productive and effective. Companies in South Africa do not have the choice between transformation or not. If they want to adapt to the changing environment in South Africa and the rest of the world, they need to transform the business. To survive the severe competition of other companies in South Africa and the rest of the world transformation is not a question to consider.

Family businesses are major contributors to the economies of most countries and are known to be one of the best performing, most prevalent and resilient forms of business throughout the world. Despite their importance and based on the vast amount of research done in the field of family businesses, this form of business appears to be laden with challenges and is short-lived. Amongst others, one of the most fundamental challenges and contributors to the short-lived nature, and thus high failure rate of family businesses is poor succession planning. In order to address this challenge, the Successful Transgenerational Entrepreneurship Practices (STEP) research framework was developed to ascertain the factors that contribute to entrepreneurial performance and the effective transgenerational potential and success of family businesses globally. Transgenerational potential, entrepreneurial performance, the external mediating factors influencing family businesses, Entrepreneurial Orientation (EO) and the Resource Based View (RBV) of familiness resource pools are the components that make up the STEP research framework. By adopting the STEP research framework, the primary objective of this study is to establish how a transgenerational family business creates new economic activity over time by using and transferring familiness resource pools from one generation to the next. Due to the primary focus of the study being to research familiness resource pools and how they generate transgenerational potential for family businesses, this component of the STEP research framework is investigated in detail. The literature review therefore highlights the eight dimensions of familiness resource pools, namely: leadership, networks, capital, decision-making, culture, relationships, governance and knowledge, and are the main focus of this study. An interpretivism research paradigm is selected for this study. Interpretivism paradigms are associated with qualitative research methodologies. Owing to the fact that much still remains to be discovered in terms of familiness and familiness resource pools, a descriptive, single-case study is the type of research method undertaken. The sample is identified based on non-probability purposive sampling as per the strict guidelines of the STEP project. The sample size in this study consisted of one family business operating in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. The STEP interview schedule, which consists of semi-structured questions, is the research instrument used to collect the necessary data from five participants involved in the family business (a prominent motorcar dealership). Once all the data is collected, a combination of directed content analysis and explanation building are used to analyse the data. The findings of the study reveal that the leadership values present in the family business stem from that of the founder. Contrary to the current CEO’s beliefs that the family business investigated operates primarily under his participative leadership style, the interviews reveal that while the CEO does demonstrate participative leadership, his leadership style is somewhat autocratic in nature. This autocratic leadership style has caused the employees and the business as a whole, to become too reliant on the CEO, especially in terms of strategic decision-making, which may be a threat to the future succession of the business. The CEO’s expert leadership however, ensures that the business adheres to strict guidelines in terms of employing the best person for the job, regardless of whether the candidates are family members or not. As such, the prominent motorcar dealership is marketed as a family business and together under the family leadership, has helped attract customers and well qualified non-family employees to the business. While there is ample leadership available within the business, the lack of succession planning is reiterated to be a major threat facing the future of the business. Almost all of the original networks established by the founder in the prominent motorcar dealership studied still exist in the business in 2014. It is established that employees, especially those in the third generation, are encouraged to build their own networks within their relevant spheres of responsibility. Moreover, the business family’s history, reputation and goodwill have helped create and establish networks for the family business, especially within the Eastern Cape. These networks have helped the business drive sales and have contributed to the success of the business.

M.Com. (Business Management) / Statistics have shown that 227 companies and close corporations were liquidated during 1993. In addition 386 private persons, sole proprietors and partnerships were adjudged insolvent. These liquidations and insolvencies came about in all industries. By making use of ratio analysis, management can identify early danger signs and determine the presence of weaknesses in their business. There are some other critical factors and aspects that become evident from everyday trading activities that also point to danger signs. Management should be mindful and become aware of the danger signs at an early stage so that corrective action may be taken during a recessionary period. Numerous management aids in the field of financial discipline are at the disposal of management when applying corrective action. The core principles of effective asset management covering cash flow management, credit control, stock control and asset control should be employed to ensure survival during difficult times. Furthermore it is of critical importance that management makes use of the correct sources of financing and knows where to obtain it. It is also important that management addresses the other functional disciplines within the business. Management should continue the function of marketing and selling its products. Checklists containing useful questions should be applied to generate maximum sales. Production and sales should, however, be synchronised. Effective production management aids should be applied to create this harmony. It is also necessary that products be continually developed and that research into new areas be conducted. Management should handle labour relations and political and legal aspects with great sensitivity during recessionary periods. All employees deserve fair treatment and should be respected for their convictions. Appropriate general management principles should be applied at all times including effective leadership, motivation, communication and company philosophy. By making use of the proposed management aids, management can considerably improve the chances of the undertaking to survive a recession.

published_or_final_version / Business Administration / Master / Master of Business Administration

published_or_final_version / Business Administration / Master / Master of Business Administration

published_or_final_version / Chinese Historical Studies / Master / Master of Arts

published_or_final_version / abstract / Business / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

This report analyzes Small and Medium Enterprises and their use as a development tool. There is evidence to suggest that Small and Medium Enterprises can create jobs and offer wage premiums to employees. Because of these development benefits, in the last ten years, there has been a substantial industry built around supporting Small and Medium Enterprises in developing countries. The report examines the theory of change surrounding Small and Medium Enterprises and then explores the three main challenges that affect their growth and success: financing, human capital, and the enabling environment. For each challenge, the report examines how it affects Small and Medium Enterprises, solutions to the challenges, and the solutions' level of impact. Ultimately, the report offers a research agenda as well as policy recommendations for Small and Medium Enterprises in international development. / text

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