M. Tech. Entrepreneurship / Looks at how bed and breakfast managers in Bushbuckridge perceive the attributes of the internet as an advertising medium. It also looks at the advertising media that are currently used by bed and breakfast accommodations businesses in Bushbuckridge for both local and international customers.

M. Tech. Business Administration / The important role that Small, Micro and Medium Enterprises (SMMEs) play in creating jobs and income generation cannot be overemphasised. While the contribution of small businesses to the economic development is acknowledged, small businesses are faced with many obstacles that limit their growth and/or survival and most of them ultimately close down. This study examined the problems and challenges faced by shebeens and taverns in Soshanguve Township. These problems and challenges were attributed to the following factors; capital, managerial skills and experience, government support, legislation and regulations, competition with big businesses, criminal activities and entrepreneurial capabilities.

M. Tech. Business Administration / The aim of this research it to investigate factors that can sustain T1 category small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that provides service at Impala Platinum Mine in Rustenburg. The population for the study was 53 SMEs owners/directors, convenient sampling was used and a sample of 26 percent responded to the questionnaire.

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Masters in Business Administration, Business Studies Unit, Durban University of Technology, Faculty of Commerce, 2008. / It is estimated, that 90% of small businesses in South Africa fail within the first two years of their operation. The South African Government has improved business support services to small businesses. However, it has called on all South Africans to become involved in supporting small businesses and not to leave this responsibility to a single role player. Improving individual entrepreneurial capabilities should therefore be a focus area for all stakeholders involved in the promotion of entrepreneurship in South Africa. Changes brought on by growth, competition and many other factors, frequently require businesses to quickly identify alternatives, for driving significant improvements in their businesses. Business assessment tools generally provide a framework to assist business leaders to review the operations of their businesses. It was against this background that this research study was undertaken. The main aim of this research study was to develop a guide which can be used to assess small businesses. This study identified and evaluated six business diagnostic tools currently used nationally and internationally. The information gathered from evaluating these assessment tools were verified through discussions with five expert business practitioners who have relevant experience and knowledge on assessment tools. A self – assessment can be defined as a comprehensive, systematic and regular review of an organization‟s activities and results. Of the six assessment tools evaluated, it was found that the Baldrige Quality Programme, best satisfied the research questions, in terms of applicability of content, procedures and effective administration of diagnostic tools. The guide for self - assessments for small businesses was therefore, developed by using the Baldrige Quality Programme as a benchmark. This research study demonstrated, by means of an exploratory case study methodology, that self - assessment diagnostic tools do have a critical role to play in improving entrepreneurial and organizational performance of small businesses. Through the use of the self - assessment guide, developed in this study, entrepreneurs have an opportunity to take an integrated approach towards the improvement of business leadership, management and general business capabilities. This self - assessment guide fully involves the small business owner in the planning, implementation and monitoring phases of operating his or her business. There is also an element of skills transfer designed into the administration aspects of the tool, as guidelines are included in the tool, where possible. The researcher strongly feels that the use of this self - assessment tool can contribute to enhancing the success rate of small businesses in South Africa.

Submitted in compliance with the requirements for the Masters Degree in Technology: Business Administration, Department of Entrepreneurial Studies and Management, Durban University of Technology, 2009. / The purpose of this study is to identify the influence of customer-supplier relationships through facilitation of credit on the development of Micro enterprises in the Sobonakhona Makhanya Tribal Area of KZN. This study originates from the fact that there are many SMME‟s in South Africa, absorbing about 15 million people (DTI, 1995:7). Even though this sector is providing most of the employment in the country, they still find it difficult to arrange funds to start or expand their businesses. Lending institutions do not want to provide finance for them, and if they do, they do it with reluctance and reservations. As a result, SMME‟s are not able to grow and develop into big businesses. This is a quantitative and exploratory research study which was used to explore, for the first time in Sobonakhona Makhanya Tribal area, the relationship between customer-supplier relationships and accessibility of credit facilities. The study made use of questionnaires to obtain the respondents‟ perceptions on the research questions developed. A questionnaire that consisted of 35 questions was distributed to 50 SMME owners in Adams Mission, Madundube and Umbumbulu (AMU) villages. Cronbach‟s reliability analysis was not applied as it was not appropriate for use with this questionnaire. The research showed that a relationship between customers and suppliers assists SMME‟s to obtain access to credit facilities. Added to this, SMME owners, who had access to credit facilities, experienced positive changes in their businesses. This serves to prove that access to credit is essential for the development of SMME‟s. As a result, recommendations to train and educate SMME owners on how to manage their businesses, how to apply for credit and the requirements needed for applications have been set out.

The impact of change and transformation on small businesses has compelled them to face a multitude of new challenges. The successful application of the selected strategies depends largely on an understanding of the predisposing and prevailing business dynamics and variables that impacts on their profitability, continued sustainability and future growth. There is increased attention that is focused on the turnover factor of small business in South Africa and this gives added need for extensive qualitative and quantitative analysis. International experience suggests that small businesses are a pervasive feature of the economic landscape in the developed world. The intensity and growing proportions of small business failure in South Africa is alarming. The problem not only presents management with new dilemmas, but also presents a challenge to researchers who are faced with the task of identifying through rational and scientifically valid processes, the underlying causes of the high failure rate amongst small businesses. Previous studies suggest that government regulations and franchised business have proven to be successful due to the infrastructure support offered by the franchisor. Since retail service station dealers operate within a highly regulated industry and within a franchised environment, this study examines the reasons for failure and success within the Retail Fuel Industry sector in South Africa. It was anticipated that there are a number of factors that influence success and failure from both within and outside the control of the fuel entrepreneur. While some researchers have identified gender, education levels and age as critical success factors, others suggested that management factors and occupational experience are key drivers. The fuel retail industry is regulated and seeks to reward efficiency through a retail fuel margin. This study provides new insights and important clues concerning the failure amongst fuel retailers. The closure of the business did not result in the physical disappearance of the establishment but rather in a transfer to new ownership. The purpose of this study is to conduct a more in-depth and comprehensive qualitative research using the case study methodology, which will investigate the causal factors that lead to the high mortality rate of fuel retailers in South Africa. The non-fuel aspect of the business comprises the shops and quick service restaurants and presents another dynamic to fuel retailing. This was investigated to fully address the research question. The case study analysis also attempted to quantify the level of support that franchisees received. There was sufficient evidence from the research findings to nullify the rival proposition that success and failure of fuel retailers was only a function of sales and volume. The case study evidence supported the research proposition that the reasons for failure and success were due to factors other than size. The 47% per annum failure rate recorded in the study was attributed to a number of factors from both within and outside the control of the fuel entrepreneur. While gender, education levels and age were not found to be critical success factors, the ability to manage the key components of target costs was critical. The management of manpower costs and the efficient application thereof was found to be the most significant variable in the cost build up and differentiated successful and failed retailers. There was also evidence of substantial imposed costs from both the regulatory environment and the franchisor. The monthly adjustment of fuel prices had an impact on working capital and generally resulted in net stock price losses. Both these variables were not factored into the calculation of the retail fuel margin resulting in the understating of the true costs. The loose regulatory environment also marginalised the fuel retailer. It was found that the oil companies optimised their fuel delivery regimes at the expense of the small business owner through the automatic replenishment system of wet stocks, controlled through a central ordering system. While, wet stock control mechanism was in place for the fuel business, the non-fuel business received limited support for stock and shrinkage management. The case study evidence also supported the retailers view on the inadequate level of business support and training. This was an important finding and such poor orientation negatively influenced the quality of the due diligence checks and business valuation. In many cases, the budgeting was optimistic with little or no recourse for remedial action leading to eventual failure. Statistical analysis indicated that the two groups differed significantly with regard to the mean difference between Shop sales and Budgeted Shop sales. It appears that in the case of the success group that the shop sales mean was much higher than budgeted mean, while in the case of the failure group the mean was lower than budgeted mean. Failure to achieve the shop budgets did contribute to failure. Important recommendations are made based on the case study findings. This includes the establishment of a central training unit, an industry valuation model and a more relevant regulatory regime aimed at removing the imbalances between the oil company and the retailer in terms of delivery and payment methodology. / Thesis (PhD.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2007.

The research study investigates some of the problems or challenges faced by SMMEs in the Mafikeng and Mmabatho area of the North West province. It strives to find out the extent to which these problems occur and the impact they have on these businesses. The research focuses on a number of major problems considered to be hindering the growth of SMMEs in this area, namely the lack of entrepreneurial management, financial skills, accessing finance and the role played by lack of financial and mentoring support on the success or failure of SMMEs. Some of the significant findings of this study are that the majority of the businesses fail because of lack of access to finance, lack of entrepreneurial skills and lack of mentoring support from the government. The government and banks should make it easier for SMMEs to access finance. The government should act as collateral for SMMEs to secure finance from commercial institutions. The government should involve the private sector in training SMMEs to acquire entrepreneurial skills. This will help SMMEs to run their businesses professionally and therefore become sustainable. This will impact positively to the economic growth, in terms of job creation to the entire province

This study is concerned with the start-up of small business ventures and the ultimate success of these small businesses. Research was carried out in the Limpopo Province of South Africa, which is mainly a very rural, under-developed province. Unemployment is high and much of the population is faced with the challenge of earning income from means other than in formal employment. However, the failure rate of the small business start-ups is extremely high. The study addresses the question whether or not there are leading indicators that will help to predict future success in business, specifically whether the personal profile can indicate the probability of future success. In summary the research found that no significant correlation existed between business growth and personality profile when measured with the established business group, when using the DISCUSTM personality profile test. This could be due to either one or both the following reasons: • No correlation exists between personality profile, success and growth, or • the DISCUSTM personality profile test's entrepreneurial category job match is not valid and reliable, and an alternative personality profile for this particular job match category needs to be developed. Secondly, a significant relationship was found to exist between level of literacy and start-up success according to the longitudinal study of a student group. No correlation was found to exist between level of numeracy and start-up success. Although there was a correlation between personality profile test results and start-up success with the student group, it can not be stated at this stage that this is a leading indicator for future business growth and sustainability, as success was only measured at start-up. These start-up businesses need to be monitored at least over the next three years in order to measure the internal growth of the businesses as compared to those achieved by the established business group. This is an area for further research. / Thesis (M.Com.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2002.

The aim of the research was to identify the constraints that restrict the development of informal and small formal retailers, and highlight potential opportunities that may assist in strengthening their position within the value chain. It explored the functioning of two municipal-managed static fresh produce markets in KwaZulu-Natal: Durban and Pietermaritzburg. The investigation revealed that informal and small formal retailers have relatively little impact on the fresh produce value chain and that the structure of static markets is not conducive to these groups because of their lack of capital and inability to buy produce in bulk. Predominant constraints to their economic growth include high cost of transport, high prices of produce and competition with other traders. In addition, police harassment was identified in Durban as one of the dominant constraints, but was not reflected in Pietermaritzburg. However, opportunities for small and informal retailers to strengthen their position were identified as increasing the market access for retailers, through the provision of transport, informal training workshops, cold storage facilities in the city, the formation of cooperatives and access to micro-credit. This research argues that attention must be given to enhancing the interests and role of small and informal retailers in governance and operational processes within fresh produce markets. The necessity of the development of social networks (also argued by Meagher 1995) is a critical factor in determining the success of informal and micro enterprises and could contribute to institutional reforms that help address the information and access asymmetries in the fresh produce market environment. Following the completion of this dissertation, it was distributed along with the appended log frames to the management at the Durban and Pietermaritzburg, market agents and informal retailer groups that participated. It will also be disseminated through the Learning, Monitoring and Research Facility, who funded part of the research, and is hoped that the information will aid informal retailers and empower those that were involved. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2008.

No abstract available. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1993.