Thesis (M.Tech.: Entrepreneurship)-Dept. of Entrepreneurial Studies, Durban Institute of Technology, 2003 ix, 90 leaves / The South African economy is unable to support the employment needs of the growing number of graduates. In an attempt to address these needs, the proposed study focuses on the development of an incubator system to nurture young entrepreneurs (graduates), until they are able to survive independently – usually in two to three years.

Thesis (MComm (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: For any country, including South Africa, new business development is critical for the sustained growth and development of the economy. In this study the impact of the transfer of knowledge and skills by the investor to the investee and the impact on the success of private equity, venture capital and angel investments, new business development in South Africa and internationally is researched. A literature study is firstly conducted to determine, from literature, the importance of the transfer of knowledge and skills by the investor to the investee of a new venture. The results from recent research conducted in the United States of America and Europe is also included to determine current global development tendencies. The research highlighted factors, other than merely having a good business idea, which determines the success of a new venture. The global research clearly demonstrates that the active involvement of the angel investors, venture capitalists and private equity investors in new ventures, through the transfer of knowledge and skills, determines the success of the investment in new business development. The survey that was done in the South African venture capital environment seems to support this outcome although the South African market sector is in the early stages of development and focuses mainly on private equity and not so much new business development. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Nuwe besigheidsontwikkeling is krities vir enige land, ingeslote Suid Afrika, om deurlopende en volhoubare groei en ontwikkeling van die land se ekonomie te verseker. Hierdie studie het die impak van die oordrag van kennis en vaardighede op die sukses van privatekapitaal- , waagkapitaal- (alternatiewelik – nuwebesigheidsbeleggings) en engelbeleggings in nuwebesigheidsbeleggings vir Suid Afrika en Internationaal, nagevors. ‘n Literatuurstudie om die belangrikeid van die oordrag van kennis en vaardighede, van die belegger na die nuwe besighede, in die gemelde belggingsprosesse vir nuwebesigheidsbeleggings te bepaal, is eerstens gedoen. Die uitkoms van navorsings wat onlangs in die Verenigde State van Amerika en Europa gedoen is, is ook ingesluit om die huidige internationale ontwikkelingstendense rakende nuwebesigheidsbeleggings te bepaal. Die navorsing het die klem geplaas op ander belangrike faktore anders as slegs ’n goeie besigheidsidee, wat die sukses van ‘n nuwe besigheid bepaal. Die internasionale navorsing het duidelik aangedui dat die aktiewe betrokkenheid van beleggers, engel-, waagkapitaal en privatebeleggers, deur die oordrag van kennis en vaardigheid aan die nuwe besigheid, die sukses van die nuwe besigheid en dus die belegging bepaal. Die opname wat in Suid Afrika gedoen is, ondersteun hierdie internasionale bevinding alhoewel die Suid Afrikaanse nuwebesigheidsbeleggings sektor in die vroeë stadium van ontwikkeling is en daar hoofsaaklik gekonsentreer word op privatekapitaalbeleggings, “private equity investments”, terwyl die werklike nuwebesigheidsbeleggings nie soveel aandag geniet nie.

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Venture capital is a major source of funding for the entrepreneurial community and usually focuses on the early stage, more risk orientated business endeavours. This study explores and identifies the investment criteria used by South African venture capitalists in their venture screening and evaluation process and compares these criteria with the results obtained in similar studies abroad. By identifying the criteria that are deemed as important, venture capitalists can enhance their decision-making process and entrepreneurs can adjust their preparation for venture capital application to maximise their success rate. By alerting entrepreneurs of these criteria, some potentially flawed proposals can be corrected beforehand, hence enhancing the venture capital process for both the venture capitalist and the entrepreneur. By making use of a questionnaire, data was gathered from a population of 16 identified South African venture capitalists, of which 75% replied. The most important criteria was identified by evaluating the mean ratings assigned to them and was found to be, the entrepreneurs honesty and integrity, a good expected market acceptance and a high IRR. The data was further analysed using the Friedman two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) by ranks test, the Sign test and factor analysis. It was found that the South African venture capitalists, just like their overseas counterparts, rate the entrepreneur and management team, as the most important category of criteria when evaluating new projects for investment. In addition, two lists of factors were identified by using factor analysis to reduce the criteria obtained from the questionnaire. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Waagkapitaal is een van die belangrikste bronne van befondsing waarvan entrepreneurs gebruik kan maak. Dit fokus hoofsaaklik op besighede in 'n vroeë besigheid lewensiklus, waar hoër risiko aan die orde van die dag is. Hierdie studie identifiseer en analiseer die beleggings maatstawwe wat gebruik word vir waagkapitaal belegging besluitneming in Suid-Afrika en vergelyk die resultate met soortgelyke studies wat reeds in die buiteland uitgevoer is. Die besluitnemingsproses vir die waagkapitalis kan ook vergemaklik word deur die identifisering van die mees belangrikste maatstawwe en terselfdertyd kan entrepreneurs dit ook gebruik vir beter voorbereiding in hul aansoek om waagkapitaal. Deur entrepreneurs se aandag op die belangrike faktore te vestig kan potensiële swak voorleggings vroegtydig gekorrigeer word, wat 'n positiewe bydrae sal lewer tot die beleggingsproses vir beide die waagkapitalis en die entrepreneur. Daar is gebruik gemaak van 'n vraelys wat gestuur is aan 16 Suid-Afrikaanse waagkapitaal beleggers, 75% het die vraelys voltooi. Deur vergelyking van die gemiddelde waardes is vasgestel dat die belangrikste maatstawwe die entrepreneur se eerlikheid en integriteit, goeie verwagte aanvaarding en aanvraag na die produk en 'n hoë “IRR” is, daarna is die data geanaliseer deur middel van die “Friedman two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) by ranks test”, die ”Sign test” en “factor analysis”. Daar is bevind dat die Suid-Afrikaanse waagkapitalis net soos sy oorsese eweknie, die entrepreneur en bestuurspan as die mees belangrikste afdeling van maatstawwe ag wanneer gekyk word na nuwe projekte vir beleggings. Daar is ook twee addisionele lyste van belangrike maatstawwe opgestel deur die aantal faktore te verminder deur faktor analise.

Thesis (MDF)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The South African population involves huge numbers of young people. The majority of these young people are unemployed and unable to make a living as a result of the inability of the economy to absorb them into the labour market. Other young people attempt to make a living through entrepreneurship. However, the participation of young people in entrepreneurship is very low. Young people face many challenges associated with lack of funding and business development support services, technical skills and development. The problems facing the country substantially caused socio-economic challenges resulting in a shrinking economy. This translated into an inability of both the private sector and government to create and sustain jobs. The government of South Africa established the National Youth Development Agency (here called the Agency) with the mandate to reduce poverty by making sound investments. This facilitates opportunities for young people to acquire skills, promote creation of jobs or pursue meaningful self-employment opportunities through various enterprise development initiatives. The agency developed the Enterprise Development Finance Programme as an economic development approach. The agency provides access to financial and non-financial services to the previously disadvantaged youth in a sustainable manner that improves and promotes sustainable livelihoods for the low-income groups. The study evaluates the effectiveness of the EDFP. The public and private sector offers different programmes aiming at equipping aspiring and established entrepreneurs with skills, knowledge, and motivation to enable business development and growth in the country. However, the challenge is that many do not have entrepreneurial minds. Those who have entrepreneurship knowledge do not know about the programmes, or the programmes are not easily accessible particularly to people in the rural areas. In addition, these programmes are not co-ordinated and as result we are not in a position to tell immediately as to who is doing what and where. This also makes it difficult to identify gaps and to maximise the impact of the programmes. There is a need to audit all programmes aimed at improving the economic development of the country. The government of South Africa must instil a culture of entrepreneurship at all levels to promote and nurture entrepreneurship skills. Vigorous entrepreneurial activity and innovation is needed to alleviate high unemployment levels through a combination of improved quality education and skills development. Promotion and support of entrepreneurship should form an important component of policy options considered to increase economic growth for the long term. The Economic Development Finance programme provides SME and microfinance funding which is seen as an important strategy for economic growth. Education and skills development is an important tool that supports the culture of entrepreneurship, as it contributes to the success of businesses. The private and public institutions should intensify their involvements and consider both financial and non-financial support for youth enterprises and entrepreneurs equally. The support for entrepreneurship should be holistic and cover funding, technical training, training in business and financial management, and business linkages.

published_or_final_version / Business Administration / Master / Master of Business Administration

Thesis (Master's Degree in Technology: Entrepreneurship), Durban Institute of Technology, 2003. / Over the last decade computer technology has impacted tremendously on the survival and productivity of organisations. In today's technologically advanced business environment, much emphasis is being placed on obtaining a competitive advantage through the use of computers - a commodity that has become available to almost everyone in an organisation. Increasing global competition and pressing social needs have impacted with such vigo~ that even tertiary institutions are now facing major financial constraints, thus forcing them to investigate alternative sources of income to maintain sustainability. Through the use of computer technology - searching, retrieving, sorting, producing and organising data efficiently and accurately - the belief is that many departments at the M L Sultan Campus of the Durban Institute of Technology can be converted into income-generating units that can be self-sustaining. There are many departments at the M L Sultan Campus with the relevant infrastructure and person-power to establish business units. These departments vary in the services that they provide, thus relevant information systems need to be aligned to future business units within these departments. This study focuses on a) investigating the impact of information technology and its systems on businesses; b) ensuring that information technology and its systems is looked at a~ a cost effective resource for maintaining a competitive edge and promoting business value. The interaction of business processes, people and technology will ensure successful planning and implementation of strategies within the potential business units; and c) recommending to selected departments the expected fmdings whereby they could choose to adopt these recommendations to transform themselves into business units in order to maintain a competitive edge for financial sustainability. / M

The purpose of this research was to conduct an exploratory study of the information processing utilized by incubator-housed manufacturers during channel member selection. The study included the evaluation of the decision models used by the manufacturers as well as criteria used in the selection process. The study was specifically designed to achieve the following objectives. First, the research was to identify the evaluation modes used by the manufacturers as either compensatory or noncompensatory. Second, the study was to evaluate the effect of the task on the selection of the evaluation model(s) used during the channel member selection process. Third, the study was to evaluate the effect of the selected decision strategy on the amount of information used during the decision process. Finally, the study was to identify and examine the importance of the criteria used by the manufacturers in the selection process. The methodology in this study consisted of primary research using protocol analysis as the main data gathering technique. A ranking instrument was also mailed to the respondents prior to the protocol session. The population for the study was identified as all manufacturers located in publicly-sponsored business incubators. A total of 235 incubators were in existence with approximately 47 percent of them being publicly-sponsored. Approximately 42 percent of the incubators house at least one manufacturing firm. It was estimated that there were approximately 46 manufacturing firms located in public incubators. A sample of six was used in this study. The statistical analysis included frequencies, cross tabulations, correlations, paired comparisons, and measures of association. The findings of this study suggest that the incubator-housed manufacturers' choice of evaluation models was not affected by the task nor did the selected strategy influence the amount of information used by the manufacturers. The findings indicate a need for further research to evaluate the relationships brought forth in this study. Based on the conclusions and findings of this study, recommendations for further research were given.

The main aim of the study was to analyze the socio-economic variables effecting agritourism business using data from two rural communities of the Limpopo province, Nwa’metwa and Lenyenye. The results showed that there are significant socio-economic differences among agritourism and non-agritourism farmers. The socio-economic variables used are literacy, gender, age, land size and family size. Two multinomial models were used to model agritourism behavior. The two models, namely fully and partially registered agritourism farmers were estimated. Non-registered agritourism farmers were used as the reference group. These models denoted the relative probability of both fully and partially registered agritourism farmers to the probability of the non-registered agritourism farmers. The logarithm results implied that older farmers were less likely to prefer to operate business as a fully or partially registered agritourism farmer compared to the non-registered agritourism group. Farmers’ decisions in business operation were informed by their level of education, experience as well as social networks. / Agriculture, Animal Health and Human Ecology / M. Sc. (Agriculture)

The preoperational stage of a new venture is characterized by concept definition, idea enhancement, and strategy formulation. Entrepreneurs consult advisors in knowledge sharing activities. Trust is dominant in these entrepreneur-advisor relationships as entrepreneurs rely on an advisor's judgment to keep venture ideas away from competitors. However, the relationships between trust, knowledge sharing, and knowledge security during the preoperational stage of a new high-tech venture are not directly examined in many research studies. Concerning types of trust, McAllister (1995) defines two types of interpersonal trust: affective trust, which develops from emotional bonds between individuals, and calculative trust, which is based on an individual's level of competence and reliability. The present study applies McAllister's (1995) theory of types of trust to Kale, Singh, and Perlmutter (2000) findings to examine how trust relationships between entrepreneurs and advisors affect knowledge sharing and an entrepreneur's use of NDAs. This dissertation's research primary question is, "How does trust between an entrepreneur and advisors affect knowledge sharing and choices of knowledge security mechanisms during the preoperational stage of a new high-tech venture?" I used de Koning and Muzyka's (1999) classification of the entrepreneur's social context to define three advisor types: Close Friends, Business Associates, and Licensed Professionals. Linking these types with literature on trust and knowledge, I hypothesize seven relationships dealing with trust, knowledge sharing, and knowledge security. I used structured and non-structured interview formats to collect data on 143 entrepreneur/advisor relationships in South Florida. / The results confirmed that relationship length significantly contributed to affective trust and entrepreneurs were more likely to share knowledge with Business Associates than with Close Friends or Licen found t o be the dominant form of trust driving knowledge sharing but affective trust was not significantly found to impact the use of NDAs. Entrepreneurs expected all advisor types to be competent, experienced, and skilled, reporting nonsignificant differences in calculative trust across advisor types. I did not find the use of NDAs to be associated with any particular advisor type. Rather, NDAs were seldom used during the preoperational stage for reasons such as the entrepreneurs' desires to maintain positive relationships with advisors, along with their reliance on a strong institutional background. / by Abiola Omoyeni Fanimokun. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2010. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2010. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

觀察國內連鎖服務業近二十年來的發展，由於台灣生活水準的提高，服務業也更為精緻化、多元化，除了本土的連鎖服務業種類與品牌日亦增加，也有愈來愈多的跨國連鎖服務業透過合資、授權或在台設立分公司的方式進入台灣市場。以目前國內連鎖餐飲業的發展情況來看，已有不少跨國企業成功將餐飲文化與標準化餐飲管理技術帶入台灣，包括麥當勞與肯德基、T.G.I. Friday’s、摩斯漢堡、Afternoon Tea、Cold Stone，Burger King等，這些國外品牌成功的融合台灣在地文化在台灣市場穩定發展，並促使台灣餐飲業更注重消費者的感受與服務品質。 然而，國外企業要進入台灣市場必定會面臨一些環境差異的挑戰，因此許多國際品牌選擇以合資的方式和本地企業合作以順利擴張其品牌營運範圍。國內亦有不少企業集團以合資方式和名國際品牌合作發展新事業，一方面能學習到國外品牌企業之經營知識技術，並獲得品牌知名度的優勢；另一方面則可善用集團內部的資源。相較於自行發展品牌進入不熟悉的領域，此種做法能減少風險並增加效率。然而，由於合資的原故，新事業的發展必然也會受到國外企業的牽制與規範，從初期技術轉移、經營模式到未來的策略選擇方面，可能都會面臨一些困難與挑戰。 　　本研究以本地企業和國際品牌企業合資引進國外品牌，並建立新事業之過程做為主軸，以組織學習的觀點探究其新事業營運模式之建立過程。本研究主要獲得以下結論： 1. 台灣企業以國際合資方式引進國外品牌建之新事業，初期團隊的經營幹部大部分由台灣母公司指派，且組織扁平化。 2. 以合資方式引進國外品牌的新事業享有當地與海外母公司的雙重資源，在品牌理念方面深受外資企業的影響，但在經營管理方面則會融合兩方的特色。 3. 國際合資新事業的初期籌備著重於向品牌方學習相關的知識技術，是以模仿學習為主，之後則會從經驗中學習，配合環境做出調整。 4. 在新事業建立初期，若國外品牌方能夠提供教育訓練或提供人力於營運當地協助，將有助於合資新事業快速學習知識並建立營運模式。而長期經營則有賴良好的溝通機制使得雙方的知識交流能持續不斷。 5. 國際合資新事業由於引進品牌在當地經營，在不違背國外品牌企業的限制下，會做適度的在地化，也因產生創新。以相關多角化發展合資新事業的企業，由於集團內部的互補資源較多，將有助於合資新事業創新的產生。 / With the improving standard of living in Taiwan, the chain-store industry has become more delicate and more diverse. The number of local chain-store brands has increased, and more and more multinational chain services companies have entered Taiwan market with the forms of joint ventures, licensing or setting up branches. Many multinational companies have successfully brought the food cultures and the food management technology into Taiwan, such as McDonald's, Kentucky Fried Chicken, TGI Friday's, Mos Burger, Afternoon Tea, Cold Stone, Burger King, etc. These foreign brands have successful adapted the Taiwanese culture and have been developing stably in Taiwan. They also have inspired Taiwan's restaurants to pay more attention to the feelings of consumers and the service quality. However, due to the differences of market natures, foreign enterprises face some challenges as they enter the Taiwan market. For the reason, many international brands set up joint ventures with local enterprises to expand their business territory. Some domestic enterprises also develop their new businesses through international joint ventures. In this way, they not only can learn knowledge and skills from the foreign brands, but also can utilize their intra-group resources. By establishing international joint ventures reduce risk and increase efficiency, the domestic enterprises want to enter an unfamiliar area. New business development, however, will necessarily be restricted by the foreign enterprises, from the initial transfer of technology, operational strategy, and the future choice, and this development may face some difficulties and challenges. The study focuses on the process of the domestic enterprises when they build new business with international joint ventures. The main literature in this study includes international new business venture, organizational learning, and creative value. There are several conclusions from the study: 1. The organization of the initial team of the Taiwanese enterprises which builds the brand new business through international joint venture is flat. Most of the management cadres of the initial team come from the Taiwan’s parent company.   2. The new business which introduces foreign brand with international joint ventures enjoys the dual resources, the brand concept will influence deeply by foreign company, but the management will be integrated in the operating characteristics of the two sides. 3. International new business venture learn knowledge from the brand company at early stage, focusing on learning from imitation, but later would learn from experience, and adapt to the environment. 4. If the foreign brands are able to provide education, training or providing manpower to assistant in Taiwan, the new business venture will learn quickly and easy to establish the business model. The long-term business relies on good communication mechanism to allow the exchange of knowledge of both sides continuously. 5. International joint venture will localize, but not violate the constraints of foreign brands, so it produces innovation. The companies which develop joint new business ventures with related diversification are easy to produce innovation because there are more complementary resources in the companies.