Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is taking on a developmental stance in Third-World Countries. Old Mutual, through its partnership with the South African govemment, set up a trust to assist govemment in skills development at local, provincial and national level and small enterprises. Old Mutual's retired senior employees were taken on as consultants in Project iLima to share their experience and expertise with government employees. Literature on mentoring is reviewed, covering the definitions of mentoring, the different phases of mentoring and the competencies required for each phase for the mentor and mentee. Finally the benefits of mentoring are addressed. The method used to uncover the business system involved primary research and a synthesis process. Interviews were held with two iLima consultants, after which questionnaires were used to gather qualitative feedback from the iLima consultants and their clients. The feedback was synthesized until business objectives and activities were identified. The study project sheds light on iLima's business system. This is done through a method of synthesis, which seeks to get to the underlying meaning of the responses. Eight key business objectives are identified. These can be achieved through managing twenty-one business activities. The business model provides a compass or map from which business solutions can be aligned to business opportunities and problems. The model is a one-page representation of the entire business system that Project iLima ought to put under strong management, in the writer's view. The iLima business model may be summed up as follows: "Through the attractiveness of the iLima purpose and culture, a strong client engagement model and successful project delivery, Project iLima can build a strong ccnsulting brand and adopt a viable business strategy beyond its four year funding limit." The contribution this thesis makes to the business-modeling domain is to use a noncollaborative method to generate a systemic business model. The thesis demonstrates a simple synthesis process to generate the business model provided there is access to a sufficiently broad-based, but not necessarily deep, knowledge repository. Recommendations were made as to how Project iLima's management can introduce the business model as a management tool. It is recommended that a further study be done to test the acceptability and adoption of the model. In addition to the presentation of the iLima business model, CSR trends locally were explored. It appears from the trends covered that targeted skills development is still a fairly new phenomenon in South Africa. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Korporatiewe Sosiale Verantwoordelikheid is aan die ontwikkel in Derdewereld lande. Ou Mutual het 'n trust in vennootskap met die regering gestig om die regering te help met die ontwikkeling van vaardighede op 'n lokale, provinsiale en nasionale vlak. Afgetrede senior werknemers van Ou Mutual is as konsultante aan boord gebring by die iLima Trust om hul ondervinding en kennis met regeringsamptenare te deel. Hierdie studie bespreek die besigheidsmodel van iLima. Die model identifiseer agt sleutel besigheidsdoelstellings wat bereik moet word deur die bestuur van een-en-twintig besigheidsaktiwiteite. Dit verskaf ook 'n kompas of riglyn waardeur besigheidsoplossings in lyn gebring kan word met besigheids-geleenthede of bedreigings. Die model is 'n voorstelling op een bladsy, van die hele besigheidstelsel wat iLima Trust onder effektiewe bestuur moet plaas. Die iLima se besigheidsverhaal kan as volg opgesom word: "Deur die aantreklikheid van die iLima doel en kultuur, 'n sterk kliente-verhoudingsmodel en suksesvolle projeklewering, hoop iLima Trust om 'n sterk konsultasie handelsmerk te bou en om 'n lewensvatbare besigheidstrategie te implementeer wat sal voortbestaan na die einde van die vier jaar van befondsing". Die metode waardeur die besigheidstelsel ondersoek is, het primere navorsing en 'n proses van sintese behels. Onderhoude is gevoer met twee iLima konsultante, waarna vraelyste gebruik is om kwalitatiewe terugvoering van die iLima konsultante en hul kliente te verkry. Die terugvoering is deur 'n proses van sintese geneem om besigheidsdoelstellings en aktiwiteite te identifiseer. Die bydrae van hierdie tesis tot besigheidsmodelering is om op 'n nie-kollaboratiewe wyse 'n sistemiese besigheidsmodel te genereer. Die tesis demonstreer 'n eenvoudige sinteseproses om die besigheidsmodel te genereer, gegewe toegang tot 'n wye, maar nie noodwendig diep, versameling van inligting. Aanbevelings is gemaak waardeur iLima se bestuur die besigheidsmodel kan bekendstel as 'n bestuurstegniek. Daar word ook aanbeveel dat 'n verdere studie onderneem word om die aanvaarbaarheid en aanneming van die model te toets. Bykomend tot die bespreking van die iLima se besigheidsmodel, is 'n ondersoek en bespreking van Korporatiewe Sosiale Verantwoordelikheids-tendense op 'n nasionale en internasionale vlak. Geteikende vaardigheidsontwikkeling is in die verband nog steeds 'n redelik nuwe verskynsel in Suid Afrika.

The South African government, in an attempt to accelerate economic growth and development, has identified the SMME sector and entrepreneurs as a vehicle capable of bringing about this change. Unfortunately, this growth has been stifled due to the high failure rate of entrepreneurial businesses in the SMME sector. A possible solution for SMMEs and entrepreneurs is the introduction of mentoring. Mentoring entrepreneurs is the function of nurturing and supporting entrepreneurs by providing them with professional skills development and moral support in an attempt to positively impact on the business's sustainability. The study is the first of its kind in that it relates specifically to entrepreneurship mentors. This study empirically endeavours to determine the basic profile of entrepreneurship mentors in South Africa and their skills sets. The study aims to represent the importance of the skills as represented in the model and to understand the entrepreneurship mentoring environment in South Africa. / Business Management / M. Com. (Business Management)

This study examines the conditions for successful online mentoring in order to develop writing skills in English in a workplace setting. Chapter 1 gives the background and context of the study. Problems to be addressed in the study and the aims, objectives, hypotheses and their rationale are presented. This is followed by testing procedures, research design, sources of data and research procedures. In Chapter 2, the literature review supports the hypotheses on the need for collaboration in materials development and delivery, mentoring relationships, motivation and computer and Internet efficacy. Chapter 3 presents the findings from the case study bringing into focus problems that would jeopardise a mentoring programme if training providers do not pay attention to the hypotheses. The findings are collated and the hypotheses are confirmed. Conditions for successful online mentoring are spelt out in Chapter 4. The study concludes that online mentoring works once the conditions are properly followed. / English Studies / M.A. (TESOL)

The study was undertaken to investigate the effectiveness of the interventions made by the Mogale City Plato mentorship programme to promote growth and sustainability of SMMEs. Though there have been interventions through the Plato mentorship programme to help develop SMMEs, there is still a high failure rate of small businesses in MCLM. The study will therefore evaluate if the Plato mentorship programme achieved its envisaged aim. A structured research instrument (questionnaire) was used to collect data through a self-administered survey. Questionnaires were distributed to the respondents by the researcher, and 100% of the questionnaires were returned for analysis. The results of the study showed that Mogale Plato mentorship programme adds value and advances small businesses and entrepreneurship. The study concluded that owners that took part in the MCLM Plato mentorship programme acknowledged that the programme was effective and increased business performance. The study showed that owners are faced with different challenges in running their businesses, which spoke volumes regarding the effectiveness of the mentorship programme. The findings also revealed that a majority of business owners benefited from the assistance received from MCLM Plato mentorship programme. The study recommends that MCLM sets up an office for mentoring individuals/groups in the municipality. This means that within MCLM, there should be a mentoring office and training twice a month that is aimed at helping business people know how to improve their businesses and manage challenges and take advantage of opportunities around them. The study also recommends that the municipality to create an incubating site for new owners/managers. The new owners/managers could share common services such as secretarial services, bookkeeping, and boardrooms / Business Management / M. Tech. (Business Administration)