M.B.A. / Due to the high unemployment rate of twenty-five and a half percent in South Africa it is critical to create jobs. Economies throughout the world have benefited through the job creation resulting from successful small and medium enterprises (SME’s). What is also apparent is the high prevalent rate of failure in start-up of SME’s. It is therefore important to guide entrepreneurs that enter into business by starting a SME and to ensure sustainability and success with the new venture. In order to be sustainable and successful, research is in agreement that market orientation is a prerequisite for the business performance of a company in that the successful implementation of market orientation as a management philosophy will result in sustainable competitive advantage. A SME’s is successful if and when the company have realised business performance. This study has determined the relationship between market orientation and businesses performance in the Mining Communication Industry of South Africa. In addition the study contributed by proposing a measurement tool for business performance. Considerations of the findings in this study will benefit entrepreneurs within the start-up phase as well as aspirant entrepreneurs. The benefit of these finding will become obvious in that the risk of failure will be reduced through the implementation of market orientation and the aspects of the financial perspective. Subsequently the enormous potential of job creation through successful and sustainable SME’s can become a reality.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2007. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: There is a growing need for a framework that explains the important steps in creating and managing a small business in a very simplistic, flexible and holistic way. The aim of this research report is to design a framework which will guide the entrepreneur and small business owner in the set-up and management of a small business. The research report explores the logic of constructing the framework. It starts with the core business transactions which justify the existence of the business. For a better understanding of the interactions in the transactions, a system approach is followed. Dynamic complexities focus on causality and feedback to describe how entities influence each other. A growth loop is established with a balancing loop. On the basis of these interactions the framework is constructed with the product and the market on opposite sides. From the product there are growing actions in the form of marketing. From the market a condition is created which is measured in financial terms. These interactions are the core of the framework. A second level is added with strategic intent and external analysis to indicate direction and to measure the market's response. The research report continues to describe the development of a small business in terms of the three layers of the framework: transaction, basic business level and extended business level. The transaction indicates the core and the reason for the business's existence. It is a description of the value exchange process. The basic business level is the platform in which the business is operating. The extended business level is how the platform is used. For each of the entities indicated on the framework an existing business model is used to explain the area. The framework is, therefore, not presenting a new model, but only a new way of how existing business models are related to each other. The framework can be used in various ways. First it can be used to establish a startup business by building it step by step from the inner layer to the outer layer. Secondly it can be used to evaluate an existing business. Each part of the business can be evaluated and determine whether the necessary structures are in place. Thirdly it can be used for a turn-around on a struggling business. To do it means first . to evaluate the business and then use the framework to build the business structure. To assist in this process of evaluation and building a business structure, a set of worksheets are presented in the study to help an entrepreneur to think through every important step of the business. To test the above assumption that the framework can support the construction of a business structure, a small business was selected and evaluated. The evaluation was done in the format of an interview with the owners and the structure of the framework was followed. The study is concluded with recommendations on areas that need further research. The worksheet I guideline recommendation is that the worksheets and guidelines be developed with a specific aim in mind, for example design a new business or evaluate an existing business. The application recommendation is to explore the use of a rating system to do a quick evaluation of the business based on the entrepreneur's "gut feeling". The structural recommendations are first to explore strategic mapping to summarise the results of the design or evaluation into an existing model. The second recommendation is to investigate the development of the different entities in the framework in line with the business life cycle and thereby adding a depth dimension to the framework. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Daar is 'n groeiende behoefte na 'n raamwerk wat die belangrike stappe om 'n klein besigheid te skep en te bestuur, in 'n baie simplistiese, buigsame en holistiese manier verduidelik. Die doel van die navorsingsverslag is om 'n raamwerk te ontwerp wat die entrepreneur sal lei in die opstel en bestuur van sy besigheid. Die navorsingsverslag gee aandag aan die logika hoe die raamwerk saamgestel word. Die raamwerk bestaan uit die kern besigheidstransaksie wat die bestaan van die besigheid regverdig. Om die interaksies in die transaksie beter te verstaan, word 'n stelselbenadering gebruik. Dinamiese kompleksiteite fokus op oorsake en die terugvoer hoe verskillende entiteite mekaar beinvloed. 'n Groeiende sirkelaksie en 'n uitbalanserende sirkelaksie word gevolg. Op grond van hierdie interaksies is die raamwerk geskep met die produk en die mark aan teenoorgestelde kante. Van die produk is daar 'n groeiende aksie na die mark in terme van bemarking. Van die mark is daar 'n terugvoeraksie na die produk in terme van finansiele maatstawwe. Hierdie inleraksies vorm die kern van die raamwerk. 'n Tweede vlak word bygevoeg in die vorm van strategies voorneme en eksterne analise om rigting aan te toon en die mark terugvoer te meet. Die navorsingsverslag gaan voort om die ontwikkeling van 'n klein besigheid te beskryf in terme van die drie vlakke: transaksie, kern besigheidvlak en uitgebreide besigheidvlak. Die transaksie toon die kern en die rede vir die besigheid se bestaan aan. Dit is die beskrywing van die waarde uitruilingsproses. Die kern besigheidsvlak is die platform waarop die besigheid funksioneer. Die uilgebreide besigheidsvlak is die manier hoe die besigheid die platform gebruik. Vir elk van die entileite wat in die raamwerk aangetoon word, word 'n bestaande besigheidsmodel gebruik om die detail te verduidelik. Die raamwerk moet daarom nie gesien word as 'n nuwe model nie, maar net as 'n manier hoe bestaande besigheidsmodelle in verhouding tot mekaar staan. Die raamwerk kan in verskeie maniere gebruik word. Eerstens kan dit gebruik word om 'n aanvangsbesigheid stap-vir-stap volgens die verskillende vlakke in die raamwerk te bou. Tweedens kan dit gebruik word om 'n beslaande besigheid te evalueer. Elke deel van die besigheid kan beoordeel word en so bepaal of die nodige strukture in plek is. Derdens kan dit gebruik word om 'n omkeer op 'n sukkelende besigheid te doen. Om dit te doen sal beteken om eerstens 'n evaluasie te doen op grond van die raamwerk en dan die nodige strukture te bou of herbou. Om die proses van bou en herbou te ondersteun stel die studie werksblaaie voor wat gebruik kan word. Die doel hiervan is om die entrepreneur se denke deur die belangrlkste stappe te lei. Om die bogenoemde aanvaarding te toets dat die raamwerk gebruik kan word om die bou van 'n besigheidstruktuur te ondersteun, was 'n klein besigheid geselekteer en ge-evalueer. Die evaluasie was gedoen in die vorm van 'n onderhoud met die eienaars en die struktuur van die raamwerk was gebruik. Die navorsingsverslag word afgesluit met aanbevelings oor areas wat verdere ondersoek nodig het. Die werksblaaie en riglyne aanbeveling is dat die werksblaaie en riglyne vir 'n spesifieke doel ontwerp word, byvoorbeeld die ontwerp van 'n nuwe winkel of die evaluasie van 'n bestaande winkel. Die aanwendingsaanbeveling is om 'n evalueeringstelsel te ontwikkel waar 'n evaluasie gegrond op 'n entrepreneur se aanvoeling kan plaasvind. Die struktuuraanbevelings is om eerstens strategiese kaartering te ondersoek om die resultate van die ontwerp of evaluasie in 'n bestaande model op te som. Die tweede aanbeveling is om die ontwikkeling van die verskikkelende entiteite van die raamwerk in Iyn met die besigheidslewensiklus te ondersoek en sodoende 'n diepte dimensie by die raamwerk te voeg.

This dissertation explores how local government policies affect pre-and postdisaster business resilience, in the context of institutional and neo-institutional frameworks. The study builds on past research on business vulnerability and resilience to examine government policies in the pre-disaster and response and recovery periods, and explore how government responses of varying types can contribute to different outcomes for local small businesses in the recovery period following hurricane disasters. The project examines two cases surrounding events in 2005 and their impact on business resilience: Hurricane Katrina and its effects on the New Orleans metropolitan area; and Palm Beach County's experience with Hurricane Wilma. The dissertation involves a mixed-method approach to the subject matter. The statistical analysis portion uses multiple regression analysis of surveys of government-registered business owners in the affected areas. Business resilience is examined in light of the p redictive power of the size of the disaster; the influence of the institutional policies in public procurement, and vii economic development through small business programs; the role of institutional culture; and finally business vulnerability. The interview portion involves interviews with public officials, and coding and analysis of the field texts of these discussions, for additional information about the role that institutions play in the resilience of businesses before and after disaster. The statistical results suggest that institutional culture; size of disaster, institutional policies (particularly in procurement practices), and vulnerability can play a role in determining the resilience of a local business community. / The statistical analysis is supported by interview data, which suggest that public institutions can create a culture of resilience in the business communities they serve, through support of proactive measures that make businesses less vulnerable, and creation and maintenance of supportive networks in the business community through public-private channels. Such approaches, combined with forward-thinking policy toward economic development as a general imperative, can create business communities that are more resilient in the face of disaster. / by Christopher L. Atkinson. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2011. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2011. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

In seeking to account for variation in the performance of new and small firms entrepreneurship theory has experienced a shift away from approaches which attribute success to personal characteristics in favour of approaches emphasizing the social context of resource acquisition and mobilization. This study develops and tests a new theoretical model concerning relations between vision, support and new venture performance based on Sooklal's (1991) grounded theory of visionary leadership. In doing so, it addresses theoretical and methodological weaknesses associated with past efforts. Four stages of data collection were required to execute the study. Phases One and Two were used to develop the instrumentation for measuring entrepreneurial vision. Phase Three was a small-scale pilot study. Phase Four, the main component of the study, was utilized to test the research hypotheses. This final phase entailed semi-structured interviews with a random sample of 50 Newfoundland firms incorporated in 1993. Employing Wold's method of Partial Least Squares analysis, five of the nine hypotheses concerning relations amongst seven theoretical constructs were statistically significant. In general, there was strong support for the contribution of both vision and support in the theoretical model. Higher performance were found to be positively influenced by both vision reach (i. e. the "ambitiousness" of the vision) and the strength of received support. Increased support strength was associated with greater vision reach and greater diversity of value-based (i. e. without expectation of reciprocal benefit) and convenience-based (i. e. relationships based on economic exchange) supporters. Contrary to expectations, visions that focused on either internal or external dimensions were associated with greater insider and outsider supporter diversity. The relative importance of predictor constructs in the model was substantially different for urban versus rural firms. Overall, the model was found to possess useful predictive power. The results of the study indicate that vision and supporter diversity play an important role in the strength of support received by start-up entrepreneurs and that both entrepreneurial vision and the strength of received support contribute to new venture performance. In developing the measurement model for the research, many of the indicators for the theoretical constructs were either adapted from other disciplines or newly developed in the absence of pre-existing measures of vision and to overcome weaknesses associated with past "network" studies of support. This measurement model was found to possess satisfactory validity and provides a substantial base upon which further advancements can be made. Practitioners stand to benefit from the predictive power of the model and the insights the model provides concerning performance-enhancing start-up activities beyond the business plan.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Evaluating small business development policies and programmes is a methodologically difficult task. A wide range of role players in the economy - government departments and agencies, corporations, international donors, and non-governmental organisations - invest resources of sizeable magnitude annually in promoting small business. This investment is often justified on the basis of the importance of small business in contributing to the attainment of a range of socio-economic objectives such as job creation, addressing economic inequity among various population groups, stimulating competition in the economy, and enhancing economic growth. With the increase in the magnitude of public investment in small business development, and increasing competition for the same resources from other worthwhile interventions, the pressure for public accountability and the need to demonstrate effectiveness of policies and programmes has increased. Programme sponsors are increasingly requiring that those receiving public funds for small business development projects should ensure effective monitoring and evaluation of their programmes in order to ensure that there is a sound information base to provide the necessary policy and programme feedback. The question, however, is to what extent small business policies and programmes are successful in ensuring the attainment of their objectives. To what degree can any changes at the level of the enterprise and its immediate environment be realistically attributed to the effectiveness of policies and programmes? Can ongoing investment In small business development be justified in the face of competing demands for the same resources from other worthwhile and perhaps more pressing causes? How efficient is a particular policy or programme in terms of its cost in relation to other policy or programme alternatives? These and more are questions facing evaluators of small business development policies and programmes. This thesis shows that the task facing these evaluators is not an easy one, due to methodological complexities encountered in attempting to answer these questions. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die evaluering van ontwikkelingsbeleidsrigtinge en -programme van kleinsakeondernemings is metodologies geen maklike taak nie. 'n Groot verskeidenheid rolspelers in die ekonomie, ingeslote regeringsdepartemente en -instansies, korporasies, internasionale skenkers en nie-regeringsorganisasies, belê jaarliks aansienlike hulpbronne in die bevordering van kleinsakeondernemings. Sodanige beleggings word dikwels geregverdig aan die hand van die belangrikheid van kleinsakeondernemings se bydrae tot die bereiking van verskeie sosio-ekonomiese doelwitte soos werkskepping, en om die kwessie van ekonomiese ongelykheid tussen onderskeie bevolkingsgroepe aan te roer, om mededinging binne die ekonomie aan te moedig en om ekonomiese groei te versterk. Die toename in die omvang van openbare beleggings in kleinsakeontwikkeling asook toenemende mededinging vir dieselfde hulpbronne deur ander verdienstelike partye gaan gepaard met toenemende druk vir openbare aanspreeklikheid en noodsaak doeltreffende beleidsrigtingr en -programme. Programborge vereis toenemend dat diegene wat openbare fondse vir kleinsakeontwikkelingsprojekte ontvang, die doeltreffende monitering en evaluering van hulle programme moet waarborg sodat daar 'n deeglike inligtingsbasis bestaan om die nodige beleids- en programterugvoer te verskaf. Die vraag is egter tot welke mate kleinsakebeleidsrigtinge en -programme daarin slaag om te verseker dat hul doelwitte bereik word. Tot watter mate kan enige veranderinge op ondernemingsvlak en sy onmiddellike omgewing, realisties gesproke, aan die doeltreffendheid van beleidsrigtinge en -programme toegeskryfword? Kan voortgesette beleggings in kleinsakeontwikkeling geregverdig word in die lig van mededinging vir dieselfde hulpbronne deur ander verdienstelike, en moontlik selfs meer dwingende, sake? Hoe doeltreffend is 'n bepaalde beleid of program in terme van sy koste, gesien in verhouding tot ander beleids- of programkeuses? Diegene, wat verantwoordelik is vir die beoordeling van kleinsakeontwikkelingsbeleidsrigtinge en - programme word deur hierdie en vele ander vrae gekonfronteer. Hierdie tesis toon aan dat sodanige beoordelaars, as gevolg van die metodologiese ingewikkeldhede waarvoor hulle te staan kom in die poging om hierdie vrae te beantwoord, geen maklike taak het me.

Thesis (MDF (Development Finance))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010.

Small business owners contribute 39% of Canada's gross domestic product and account for 67% of new jobs created, but only 50% survive beyond the first 5 years of existence. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore what strategies some small business owners in Halifax, Nova Scotia used to sustain their business operations beyond the first 5 years. The study population consisted of 6 small business owners of professional firms located in Halifax, Nova Scotia who had succeeded in business beyond the first 5 years. The conceptual framework that grounded this study was the systems theory. Data were collected through semistructured interviews, a review of company documents, and archival records. Member checking of interview response data was used to strengthen the credibility of the findings. Based on the methodological triangulation of the data collected and the van Kaam process, themes that emerged after the data analysis were networking, product-advantage, business-centric approach, and human capital. The data and application of the findings from this study may contribute to social change by providing essential strategies for small business owners to ensure business success that could potentially lead to the prosperity of the community and Halifax economy.

The use of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems by small enterprises is proliferating. Traditionally used by large enterprises, ERP systems are now considered important enterprise management aids, which may contribute to the sustainability and growth of small enterprises. Although varying acceptance factors may impact on the acceptance of ERP systems, there is no consolidated list of ERP system acceptance factors specific to small enterprises. In this study, the strategic, business, technical and human factors that influence the acceptance of ERP systems in small manufacturing enterprises in South Africa is presented. These influencing factors may guide future initiatives aiming to ensure the acceptance of ERP systems by small manufacturing enterprise. A combined quantitative and qualitative data analysis approach was used as an analytical lens to interpret responses gathered from small manufacturing enterprises. Recommendations are made for future research on ERP system acceptance and adoption within the broader spectrum of small enterprises. / Information Systems / M. Sc. (Information Systems)

The use of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems by small enterprises is proliferating. Traditionally used by large enterprises, ERP systems are now considered important enterprise management aids, which may contribute to the sustainability and growth of small enterprises. Although varying acceptance factors may impact on the acceptance of ERP systems, there is no consolidated list of ERP system acceptance factors specific to small enterprises. In this study, the strategic, business, technical and human factors that influence the acceptance of ERP systems in small manufacturing enterprises in South Africa is presented. These influencing factors may guide future initiatives aiming to ensure the acceptance of ERP systems by small manufacturing enterprise. A combined quantitative and qualitative data analysis approach was used as an analytical lens to interpret responses gathered from small manufacturing enterprises. Recommendations are made for future research on ERP system acceptance and adoption within the broader spectrum of small enterprises. / Information Systems / M. Sc. (Information Systems)