M. Tech. Business Information Systems / In the last decade, Small Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs), and Women-owned SMMEs in particular, have significantly increased in many parts of the world. The growing contribution of SMMEs towards the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), job creation, poverty reduction, social and economic development, can no longer be ignored. In recognition of the significance of SMMEs, many countries in the world have created special mechanisms to enhance and facilitate the creation and growth of SMMEs. Lately, the main support services offered to small enterprises include both business development services and financial services by using the cutting edge of Information Communication Technologies (ICT). However, a review of various writings has revealed that despite efforts by numerous governments to establish a support structure for SMMEs, their efforts have not been very rewarding. SMMEs still complain about the lack of access to government support and services. Issues of accessibility were worsened as female business owners face different challenges than their male counterparts. A review of those challenges was conducted in the context of Rwanda. By using a multiple case study design and an interview method for the collection of data, the study identified the support and services provided by the government and the challenges that women-owned SMMEs encountered in their attempts to access them.

published_or_final_version / Public Administration / Master / Master of Social Sciences

M.Phil. / Against the background of the global interest in offering quality physical education and sport at school level, this study aims to determine how sport and physical activities are delivered in Swaziland schools with an applied focus on total and effective practices. The study highlights the importance of sport in human development and how it can contribute to an enabling school environment. It also outlines the roles played by various stakeholders in Swaziland school sport. The study reviewed the important areas of school sport management and delivery of organised physical activity at schools, while identifying good practice and highlighting challenges. For this descriptive survey, a stratified random sampling procedure was employed. Data were collected and triangulated using a mixed-method approach. A total of 68 head teachers, 66 sports teachers and 405 learners completed questionnaires, and two presidents and three secretaries of sports associations were interviewed. There were 80 participating schools, which is 10 per cent of the total schools in Swaziland. Participating schools were evenly distributed throughout the country as they were randomly stratified according to regions, location and school level. Results indicated that all tiers of research participants (head teachers, sports teachers, and learners) are positive about an active lifestyle and are of the opinion that sport holds special value for learners. Fifty-nine per cent of the participating schools are affiliated to the Swaziland School Sports Association and participate in their activities, while only 21% of learners participate in organised sport activities at their respective schools. From the population of learners, only 23% of boys and 19% of girls participate in school sport, due to various limiting factors such as lack of facilities and relatively poor governance of school sport by the Swaziland School Sports Association, as evidenced in the absence of adequate leadership and strategic documentation on how to achieve envisaged targets. Strategic leadership and active engagement in school sport are also absent from the Ministry of Education and Training, while different international stakeholders such as the Australian Sports Commission and UNICEF offer sport for development programmes without a clear synergy between all the existing structures. Recommendations are made regarding the need for an active policy implementation and national leadership that should strive towards a professional adherence to a philosophy of a holistic development of the Swaziland youth. Key words: School sport, governance, sports teacher, physical education, Swaziland.

The purpose of this study was to determine the local economic impact of alternative state budget reductions for Texas community colleges by investigating the income losses to the Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) if state appropriations were reduced by 10, 15, and 20 percent. The objective of this study was achieved through an economic analysis of the local economy of selected MSAs and by computing the income size which was generated by selected colleges. Eight community colleges located in eight MSAs participated by answering mailed questionnaires. The model of Direct Economic Impact was applied to describe the colleges' economic impact. The model was composed of college expenditures, employee expenditures, student expenditures, and the economic multiplier. The study revealed that the selected community colleges were responsible for creating new jobs and increasing the income of the local economies. These eight colleges were responsible for increasing the income of the local economies by $294,945,560 and for creating 5,129 jobs. Reduction in state appropriations to the selected community colleges will reduce the income they produce. A state appropriation cut of 10 percent will result in a loss to the local economy of $6,153,951. A 15 percent reduction in state appropriations will cause the local economy to lose $9,230,943. A 20 percent reduction in state appropriations will reduce the local economic income by $12,307,920.

Within the past decade the emphasis in school finance research has been toward formulating financing models to solve the inequities in educational opportunity. School finance research has concentrated, generally, on structuring school finance alternatives based on school district fiscal behavior. However, these studies did not analyze in detail the school finance alternatives' impacts on the individual taxpayers. The problem remains that, while various school finance alternatives may attain equal educational opportunity by equalizing the level of expenditures among school districts, they could expand the tax burden distribution inequities. Policy analysis allows one to develop a rational policy procedure on empirical evaluation of policy alternatives designed to achieve a set of objectives. The analytical methods employed by policy analysis procedures are the foundation of this research's conceptual framework. This research is oriented toward decision-making and intends to be a guide to policy action. Policy suggestions for reform concentrate on three crucial areas: (1) to change the content and the elements of the equalization formulas; (2) to increase the level of state support; (3) to adopt a full state assumption of public education finance. These policy suggestions focus on the revenue formation and revenue distribution functions. This dissertation analyzes the operating school finance system from a school district fiscal profile perspective. It also constructs an analytical model and tests the school finance alternatives' impacts on the individual taxpayer-voter from a tax burden redistribution perspective. The fifteen unified school districts in the Portland metropolitan area of Oregon were chosen as the test ground for this research. The procedures for this policy research study are as follows: (1) the social objectives, equal opportunity and equity in tax burden distribution are defined as the basis by which the school finance policy alternatives are analyzed; (2) alternative school finance policies are identified and selected according to a criterion of political feasibility; (3) the necessary data is collected and simulated according to the specifications of the policy alternatives; (4) the resultant tax burden redistribution of policy alternatives are identified; (5) results are analyzed to determine the comparative advantages of alternative school finance policies. Analysis of the school district fiscal profiles under the 1975-1976 school finance system indicates considerable differences in school district fiscal capacities. Moreover, state aid distribution based on the property wealth of school districts is not sufficient to equalize these differences. It is evident that the state of Oregon's share in financing public schools is insufficient to override the horizontal and vertical burden distribution inequities. This research indicates that, changing the state aid distribution formulas without increasing the level of state support, may reduce disparities in fiscal capacities among school districts. However, it is evident that such reform alternatives are not effective measures to reduce the existing tax burden distribution inequities among individual taxpayers. This study concludes that centralization of revenue formation functions, by, increasing the level of state support to public schools, will reduce the existing inequalities in tax burden distribution.

Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters in Business Administration (MBA), Business Studies Unit--Durban University of Technology, 2008 / The ability of the South African Small Medium Enterprise Development Programme to promote economic growth and employment. The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) offers the Small Medium Enterprise Development Programme (SMEDP) incentive grant programme to qualifying manufacturers in South Africa. The status of the progress of this incentive grant programme is unknown. The DTI alluded to an impact study in the 2004 DTI Annual Report but no further reference or publication of results of the impact study has been made. The objectives of the study are to investigate the following three criteria of the SMEDP and to develop benchmarks and recommendations for future incentive grants offered by the DTI. • Rationale for implementation of SMEDP; • Exploration of SMEDP merits; and • Measure of SMEDP success. The study is a secondary analysis design with both qualitative and quantitative components. The qualitative component allows the researcher to reflect on the process by which the incentive programme under investigation came into being, whilst the quantitative component allows for comment on the result of the process as per the markers developed in the qualitative component of the design. There were 152 sample cases used in the study. The outcome measures are the output measures stated in the Medium Term Strategic Plan which are: • The number of jobs sustained. v i • The number of jobs created. • The number of Greenfield’s projects supported. • The fixed investment in Rand terms. • The improvement in employment levels. The DTI achieved certain of the stated objectives. The empirical data analysed confirms the achievement of these objectives. There is scope for further empirical investigation for the future development of incentive grants. The contribution of the SMEDP to economic growth and employment growth is evident and such government interventions should be continued. The recommendations from the study include further investigation into the following areas to improve the benefits provided by manufacturing incentive programmes: • Limit the incentive to a specified Rand value per job created; • Volume driven turnover growth not price driven turnover growth; • The continued inclusion of expansions in future programme; and • Specified sector programmes i.e. textile sector.

Thesis (MPA)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Student Financial Support Schemes (SFSS) have become increasingly important in providing financial assistance for students pursuing higher education, in both developed and developing countries. SFSSs were first established in the 1950s. The years that followed saw an increase steady expansion of student loan programs, through the introduction of student loans in more countries and expansion in the number of loans available in relation to their size and new expanded approach. The trend was in response to higher education expansion, combined with increasing financial toughness and concern for equity, while at the same time there was a surge of interest in student loans in the late 1980s and 1990s, with new programs introduced in Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom; several countries in eastern Europe, considering introducing student loans for the first time; and some developing countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America establishing or expanding student loan programs. The need for financial assistance is to enable students from low-income families to meet direct and indirect costs of higher education, and to ensure equality of opportunity, equity, and social justice. Recent arguments focused on whether student financial supports should be provided by governments, private agencies, employers, or institutions, and whether it should be in the form of scholarships, bursaries, grants either available to all students and or means-tested or fully repayable loans. Increasingly, debates also surrounds the question of how student loans should be administered in particular, eligibility and terms of repayment of loans, appropriate rates of interest, and mechanisms to target disadvantaged students while minimising default rates. Firstly, this study did a comparison between the SFSSs of the four different countries. Secondly, the best practices were identified and the Namibian case study was evaluated against the four countries. Lastly, some conclusions and recommendations were made that are aimed to improve the SFSS in Namibia. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Studente finansiële ondersteuningskemas in ontwikkelde en onder ontwikkelende lande lewer ‘n belangrike bydrae tot die finansiële ondersteuning van studente in höer onderwys. Studente finansiële skemas is tot stand gebring in die 1950s. In die daarop volgende dekades het daar ‘n enorme groei plaasgevind in die daarstelling van studente leningskemas. Nie net het die aantal leningskemas vermeerder nie, maar meer en meer lande het van die benadering gebruik gemaak. Gedurende die 1980s en 1990s was daar ‘n toename in studentegetalle in höer onderwys wat gevolglik gelei het tot ‘n toename in finansiële ondersteuning van studente. Die implementering van nuwe programme in Australië, Nieu-Seeland en die Verenigde Koninkryke het gelei tot ‘n toename in finansiële ondersteuningskemas van studente. Verskeie lande in Europa het oorweging geskend aan die implementering van finansiële ondersteuning van studente tewyl onder ontwikkelende lande in Asië, Afrika en Latyns Amerika oorweging geskenk het aan die uitbreiding van finansiële ondersteuningskemas aan benadeelde en opkomende studente. Finansiële ondersteuning van behoeftige studente is gedoen om die direkte en indirekte koste verbonde aan onderwys te dek, gelyke geleenthede tot onderwys te skep, toegang tot ondewys te verbreed en om sosiale geregtigheid te verseker. ‘n Debat het egter onstaan oor wie verantwoordelikheid moet aanvaar vir die toekenning van studiebeurse, lenings of skenkings aan studente. In die verband is daar spesifiek gevra oor watter bydrae instellings in die openbare en privaat sektore maak tot finansiële ondersteuning van studente. Verdere aangeleenthede wat tydens die debat geopper word is vrae soos, wie moet verantwoordelikheid aanvaar vir die bestuur van sodanige finansiële skemas, lenings, die rentekoers ter sprake by die terugbetaling van die lenings en watter metodes kan gebruik word in die geval van minder gegoede studente wat nie hul finansiële terugbetaling ooreenkomste kan na kom nie. Die studie is onderneem na aanleiding van ‘n vergelykende studie tussen vier verskillende lande se finansiële ondersteuningskemas. Daarna is ‘n beste praktyk ontwikkel waarteen die Namibiese finansiële ondersteuning skema geevalueer is. Sekere gevolgtrekkings en aanbevelings is gemaak om die bestaande skema te verbeter.

Thesis (MDF (Development Finance))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The need for Small, Micro and Medium Enterprise (SMME) growth in South Africa is beyond question. Government sees SMMEs as an important vehicle to boost the economy of the country because of the contribution they make to job creation. According to recent estimates by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), small businesses represent 98% of the total number of registered firms, employ 55% of the country’s labour force and account for 35% of GDP. Unfortunately South Africa has a low survival rate among start-up businesses compared to other developing economies. Some believe that the reason for the failure of government programmes to support small businesses is due to poor delivery. This is one of the key issues to be addressed by all business support players. The key to success is to pursue a private sector led approach where experienced business advisors and mentors can add value to the businesses of customers. The research focuses solely on support organisations within the Siyanda region. The findings support the notion that Seda, as government’s small business support vehicle, will have to utilise support organisations more in order to make a success of its mandate. The investigation has identified some recommendations that may lead to an improvement in the current environment. The first approach is to ensure that people who render small business support have business experience and understand small enterprises. Secondly, to ensure that sector programmes are focused on a particular objective and that the overall strategy remains integrated and focused. In order to achieve this, the private sector should participate and share the costs. In recommending measures to improve the promotion of small business support at a local level, it is important to focus on what works best and that is ultimately privatesector organisations. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die behoefte aan groei van Klein, Mikro en Medium Ondernemings (SMMEs) in Suid-Afrika word nie debateer nie. Die regering sien SMMEs as ‘n belangrike medium om die land se ekonomie ‘n hupstoot te gee vanweë die bydrae wat hulle tot werkskeppping maak. Volgens onlangse skattings van die Departement van Handel en Nywerheid, verteenwoordig kleinsake-ondernemings 98% van die totale aantal geregistreerde ondernemings en verskaf hulle werk aan 55% van die land se arbeidsmag, en dra hulle by tot 35% van die bruto binnelandse produk. Ongelukkig het Suid-Afrika ‘n lae oorlewingsyfer onder nuwe besighede in vergelyking met ander ontwikkelende ekonomieë. Sommige mense glo die rede vir die mislukkig van regeringsprogramme wat kleinsake-ondernemings ondersteun, is swak dienslewering. Hierdie is een van die sleutelkwessies wat aangespreek behoort te word deur alle sake-ondersteuningspartye. Die sleutel tot sukses is om ‘n privaatsektor-gedrewe aanslag te volg waar ervare sake-adviseurs en -mentors waarde kan toevoeg tot kliënte se besighede. Die ondersoek het sekere aanbevelings geidentifiseer wat mag lei tot ‘n verbetering van die huidige omstandighede. Die eerste stap is om te verseker dat mense wat kleinsake-ondersteuning bied wel sake-ondervinding het en die kleinsakebedryf verstaan. Tweedens, om te verseker dat die sektor se programme wel gefokus is op ‘n spesifieke doelwit en dat die oorkoepelende strategieë geïntegreerd en gefokus bly. Ten einde dit te bereik, moet die privaatsektor deelneem en die kostes deel. By die soeke na stappe om die bevordering van kleinsake op plaaslike vlak te verbeter, is dit belangrik om te kyk wat (elders) reeds geslaag het. Dit is alte dikwels stappe wat deur die privaatsektor onderneem word.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2007. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Goverment of the Republic of Namibia soon after independence, recognised its cardinal national responsibility to change the orientation of the nation's economy from one of exporting raw materials and importing final-use products to in-country production of goods based on the country's resource endowment. One productive sector for which explicit and far-reaching guiding policies, strategies and programmes have been developed and instituted from the beginning is the promotion of highly competitive industries with special emphasis on SMEs as a major pathway to progressive and sustainable industrialisation and employment and the simultaneous development of entrepreneurial culture. In recognition of the critical role the SMEs can play in the socia-economic development and economic diversification of the country, the Government of Namibia through its Ministry of Trade and Industry has put in place policies and programmes, specifically for the development of SMEs. To this end, the Ministry of Trade and Industry realised that the lack of bankable business plans limited entrepreneurs' access to finance and this posed the biggest challenges to the growth of the SME sector in the country. This has been conceived as a daunting factor and stems from the reality that entrepreneurs cannot provide bankable business plans to back up their applications. Given the prevailing condition, the Government of Namibia initiated the MSME Feasibility Studies and Business Plan Support programme ~ specifically geared to assist the SME sector with bankable business plans in order to induce financial institutions to provide loans to entrepreneurs with viable project ideas and prospects for success. The objective of the study is to explore the extent to which this support programme has facilitated the access to finance by SMEs and the creation of sustainable businesses. The findings of the study have established that worldwide some of the developed and developing countries initiated and implemented similar govemmental programmes in the form of subsidies to the services rendered by third parties to SMEs in business-plan formulations and related advisory services. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Kort na onafhanklikheid het die regering van Namibia besef dat die landsekonomie minder afhanklik moet word van grondstof-uitvoere en die invoer van vervaardigde goedere, met groter klem op die verwerking van plaaslik vervaardigde grondstowwe. In die verband is kleinsake as 'n belangrike ontwikkelingsinstrument beskou en 'n vername skepper van nuwe werksgeleenthede, wat juis in die uitvoer-georienteerde landbou- en mynbou-sektors aan die kwyn is. Om hierdie herorientasie van die ekonomie te bevorder het die Ministerie van Handel en Nywerheid verskeie programme ontwikkel, veral vir die bevordering van kleinsake. In die verband is die probleem van bankfinansiering as 'n besondere knelpunt beskou , met die gebrek aan omvattende sakeplanne vir finansierbare projekte gesien as kemprobleem. Met die oogmerk het die Ministerie die "SME Feasibility Studies and Business Plan Support programme" ontwikkel, ten einde finansiele instellings te motiveer om meer geredelik finansiering te verskaf. Hierdie studie ontleed die bestaande program, sy agtergrond, ontwikkeling en probleme asook die baie beperkte sukses wat tot sover bereik is. Vergelykings met programme in ander lande suggereer dat verreikende aanpassings nodig is om die program meer betekenisvol en suksesvol te maak

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2007. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The main objective of this study is to analyse and evaluate the alignment between the strategies and operational aspects of small business promotion initiatives of regional government with those of the private sector. Small business development had been identified by the post-apartheid government as one of the keys to addressing a number of social problems - growth, employment and (re)distribution of wealth. Despite efforts and investment from both government and the private sector, this sector had never performed as expected and South Africa usually ranks relatively poorly in terms of innovation, according to the published rankings. To provide context, a literature review briefly explores the importance, success and inhibiting factors of small business development in South Africa. From the data, it is : clear that the success of the Small, Medium and Micro Enterprise (SMME) sector in South Africa, as in most developing countries, is key to the achievement of socioeconomic goals which are linked directly to the structure and success of the larger economy. The factors inhibiting a more successful development of the SMME sector relate to (a) the influence of socia-political goals on the economic policies, (b) the invisibility of SMME track records because of the development of the informal sector and (c) lacking skills, both among entrepreneurs and regional/local government and agencies. A brief review of the SMME strategies and implementation by national and regional government highlights the major problem areas, being regional interpretation and implementation of what seems to be generally accepted as a fairly well-developed national SMME strategy. This appears to be due mostly to lacking co-ordination and capacity (skills and knowledge) at the regional and local levels of government. The description of the South African Breweries' KickStart programme as an example of private sector SMME development efforts highlights a few aspects that seem to ensure a greater degree of tangible, directly attributable success of SMMEs developing into a sustainable business, albeit in smaller numbers. These aspects relate to a mixture of training and mentoring that assists the entrepreneurs in becoming self-sufficient prior to the awarding of any substantial financial assistance. At a higher level, it is evident that the private sector develops a clear, simple national strategy and ensures regional execution thereof through clear guidelines and the alignment and linking thereof to local group and individual goals and performance measurement. The latter is perhaps the most evident contrast between the government and the private sector in this regard, as it had not been found discussed in relation to how government executes strategy, in any of the literature reviewed. The writer agrees with the general opinion of the private sector from the literature reviewed, in that government should playa less directly involved and interventionist role and recommended that it should focus on facilitation of the process through creating the· right environment. Typically this will take place through reviewing of legislation and administrative requirements that increases the cost and complexity of doing business. Some proposals include the consolidation of SMME development . . efforts under a single Public Private Partnership (PPP); to ensure alignment and to . draw on the energy, focus and skills of the private sector. The study concludes that close co-operation between the public and private sectors is vital for the improvement of SMME development and that government has a number of options to consider for stimulating a greater private sector effort, while at : the same time becoming less interventionist. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die hoofdoelwit van die studie is om te analiseer en evalueer op watter wyse die strategiee en bedryfsaspekte van die kleinsakeontwikkelingsinisiatiewe van plaaslike regering en die van die privaatsektor by mekaar inskakel. Kleinsakeontwikkeling is reeds in 1994 deur die nuwe regering as een van die sleutels tot die verwesenliking van verskeie sosio-ekonomiese doelwitte geidentifiseer. Die vernaamste hiervan is groei, indiensneming en die (her)verdeling van inkomste. Ten spyte van die insette en finansiele belegging van sowel die regering as die privaatsektor, het hierdie sektor nooit na verwagting gepresteer nie en Suid-Afrika Ie gewoonlik relatief laag op die gepubliseerde ranglyste wat innovasie betref. As agtergrond tot die studie, ondersoek die literatuurstudie kortliks die belangrikheid, sukses en beperkende faktore van kleinsakeontwikkeling in Suid-Afrika. Die data toon duidelik dat die sukses van hierdie sektor, soos in die meeste ontwikkelende lande, 'n sleutelfaktor is in die verwesenliking van sosio-ekonomiese doelwitte, wat weer direk verbind is met die struktuur en sukses van die ekonomie in sy geheel. Die faktore wat 'n meer suksesvolle ontwikkeling van die kleinsakesektor verhoed, is verwant aan (a) die uitwerking wat sosio-politieke doelwitte op ekonomiese beleid het; (b) die feit dat die prestasies van die sektor as gevolg van die ontwikkeling van die informele sektor nie sigbaar is nie; en (c) 'n gebrek aan vaardighede onder entrepreneurs sowel as plaaslike/streeksregering en -agentskappe. 'n Analise van die nasionale en plaaslike regering se kleinsakeontwikkelingstrategiee, -struktuur en -implementering wys die grootste probleemareas uit, naamlik plaaslike regering se interpretasie en implementering van wat op die oog af as 'n redelik goed ontwikkelde nasionale strategie beskou word. Hierdie gaping blyk te wyte te wees aan 'n gebrek aan koordinering en kapasiteit (vaardighede en kennis) op plaaslike regeringsvlak. Die beskrywing van die "KickStart"-program van die SAB, as voorbeeld van privaatsektorinisiatiewe, wys 'n paar faktore uit wat oenskynlik lei tot 'n groter mate van tasbare en direk verwante sukses en onderhoubare groei in klein ondernemings, alhoewel in kleiner getalle. Hierdie faktore hou verband met die vermenging van opleiding en mentorskap wat die entrepreneurs help om selfonderhoudend te wees voordat enige wesenlike finansiele bystand verleen word. Op 'n hoer vlak is dit duidelik dat die privaatsektor tipies 'n duidelike, eenvoudige nasionale strategie ontwikkel en die uitvoering daarvan verseker deur duidelike riglyne en deur dit met plaaslike groeps- en individuele doelwitte en prestasiemeting te verbind. Laasgenoemde is waarskynlik die mees wesenlike kontras tussen die regering en die privaatsektor, aangesien nie enige van die Iitteratuur verwys het na die wyse waarop die regering strategie implementeer nie. Die skrywer stem saam met die algemene opinie van die privaatsektor op grond van die literatuurstudie, naamlik dat die regering 'n minder direkte rol, in kleinsakeontwikkeling behoort te speel, en beveel aan dat die regering op die fasilitering van die proses behoort te fokus deur die skepping van 'n tegemoetkomende besigheidsomgewing, hoofsaaklik deur die hersiening van wetgewing en administratiewe regulasies wat die kompleksiteit en koste van besigheid beinvloed. Van die aanbevelings sluit in die konsolidering van kleinsakeontwikkeling in 'n enkele vennootskap tussen die publieke en privaatsektore, om te verseker dat daar 'n beter gesamentlike poging sal wees en om die energie, fokus en kennis van die privaatsektor beter te benut. Die slotsom is dat samewerking tussen die publieke en privaalsektore krities is vir die suksesvolle ontwikkeling van die kleinsakesektor en dat die regering 'n paar opsies tot sy beskikking het om 'n groter mate van betrokkenheid deur die privaatsektor te stimuleer, terwyl die regering self minder direk betrokke kan wees.