This study comprised an information audit of certain micro enterprises of Umkhanyakude District Municipality in northern KwaZulu-Natal. The purpose of this study was to investigate the information needs, information resources available and the information gaps that exist in these enterprises. The Umkhanyakude District Municipality consists of five local municipalities, but this study focused mainly on two, Jozini and Mtubatuba, because of their large number of local economic activities compared with the other local municipalities. The study primarily used questionnaires to collect data. These questionnaires were administered in the two municipalities identified. The results of the study revealed that technical information relating to business and financial management were the highest ranking information needs indicated by the sampled enterprises. Legal and business management information was the second most-needed information for these enterprises. The study also revealed a correlation between the academic level of the entrepreneurs, the type of business that the entrepreneurs operate and the kind of information they needed. The information resources that these enterprises had and used included newspapers, business magazines, market research documents and government documents. Based on the responses of the respondents, a gap was identified. This includes the lack of relevant sources of information that meet the respondents' information needs. This study also revealed that there are a number of institutions that provide information for these enterprises, such as community libraries, government information centres, bookshops, government offices and so on. Although these information resource institutions exist within the district municipality, these enterprises also have other information needs. This therefore led the researcher to conclude that these information resource structures are not providing their services according to the needs of the community at large. Based on the identified gaps the researcher recommends a participatory proactive approach. This approach uses participatory development communication platforms for the district municipality, the information resource institutions and local enterprises. The district municipality needs to have a platform which will identify information needs, gaps and pportunities for local enterprises. The information resource institutions need to provide platforms where they can assess the information needs of their customers and also have a customer management feedback system where they can assess whether they are responding to the customer needs. Finally, the micro enterprises need to use existing platforms to make the municipality and information resource institutions aware of their information needs. These platforms could include local and presidential izimbizo where the government comes to the people to address their concerns and issues. The approach recommended by this study is part of a development communication approach where participatory two-way communication platforms are used to bring about development. Copyright / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Information Science / unrestricted

M. Tech. (Department of Visual Arts and Design, Faculty of Human Sciences), Vaal University of Technology. / Fashion entrepreneurs with no formal fashion-related education or training are hereafter referred to by the acronym FEWFFET (fashion entrepreneurs without formal fashion-related education or training). Entrepreneurship provides a feasible means of employment in a country where national unemployment rates are alarmingly high. To succeed, entrepreneurs require business knowledge and skill to operate profitable and sustainable businesses. However, entrepreneurs who were previously disadvantaged often possess only low levels of education, limited qualifications and training. This applies to survivalist fashion entrepreneurs in the Sedibeng District Municipality (SDM) who produce various items of apparel and clothing. Over a third of these entrepreneurs are not formally educated in business management and may not possess the adequate knowledge to operate their fashion business successfully. The research aim was to investigate the uses and challenges pertaining to business skills amongst FEWFFET to determine their business skills training needs. The sample population included 105 black fashion entrepreneurs, operating micro, survivalist enterprises within peri-urban, resource-poor communities in the Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM) of Sedibeng, Gauteng. A quantitative study using non-probability purposive sampling and snowball sampling was performed. Interviewer-administered questionnaires were conducted with respondents at fabric and haberdashery stores or within their home-business environments. The results indicated that respondents lacked business plan development skills and showed only moderate skills in finance and marketing. Respondents indicated business skills training needs for developing a business plan, conducting basic bookkeeping, determining correct product pricing, drafting quotations and invoices, developing a budget, conducting basic market research and advertising their products and services.

The world is changing rapidly for the engineering community. Sustainability in every sense has become the watchword¿in terms of product manufacture and performance, and responding to global market and environmental pressures. A well thought-out manufacturing strategy can help organisations make choices that support its overall business objectives, respond to new opportunities and challenges as they arise. However, manufacturing strategy configuration and deployment in SMME¿s is a neglected field in manufacturing strategy literatures. More importantly, the application of lean manufacturing, Six Sigma and CIM strategies are said to be more applicable to batch production environments and large manufacturing organisations but not to SMMEs that operates a job shop type operating characteristics and with limited resource availability. With recognition that most of these methodologies were originally conceptualised and implemented in large manufacturing environments with batch and flow type manufacturing architecture, the need to develop solutions specific to SMME¿s with job shop type operating characteristics (tooling reclamation industry in particular) is imperative. The fundamental essence of this research is the development of an integrated manufacturing strategy which is based on Lean-Six Sigma-MRP-CADCAM methodologies at the case company. The framework for deploying this strategy is based on inputs from a business environment analysis, a lean strategic planning module (based on production planning and manufacturing/product cost structure analysis) and a lean resource planning interface that is predicated on value stream analysis and simulation models. The material and information flows of the case company manufacturing systems were studied. The approach taken emphasis the well know value engineering concepts of multiple-stage manufacturing system accumulating costs/time between individual stages as well as by transfer/material handling and work-in-process. The study shows that maximisation of capacity and resource utilisation, queue less work flow and flexible labour policies that support the case company¿s manufacturing system offer potential for reform which can substantially enhance customer service, product quality and overall improvement in investment returns. / NTR Ltd and KTP programme

Thesis (MPhil (Information Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2008. / SMMEs provide opportunities for employment and economic growth for South Africa. SMMEs need to be as prepared as their larger counterparts in the ever-changing local and global business environment. In order to become not only successful but also sustainable, the smaller enterprise must be aware of what is happening in both its external and internal business and operating environment. It is important for these smaller enterprises to take cognisance of changes in the political and legislative environments, as well as changes in customer expectations and competitor behaviour. Knowledge management tools such as competitive intelligence and particularly internal and external benchmarking are vital for the company’s survival. Concepts such as benchmarking for internal and external best practices, as well as competitive intelligence to gain important external decision-making knowledge, can be as beneficial to SMMEs as they are to the large corporate entities. However, knowledge management is largely ignored in the smaller company’s decision-making processes, due to financial and time constraints as well as a lack of the necessary skills to utilise knowledge management tools. Knowledge management can therefore be as important and beneficial to the smaller enterprise’s operations and decision-making mechanisms as it may be to corporations and large companies. The broad goal of this study is to review the literature on achieving best practice by implementing knowledge management in organisations. The examination of the literature and the subsequent description of the outcomes could be used to create awareness that, like larger companies, SMMEs need to process internal as well as external information in order to make strategic decisions. The utilisation of CI tools such as SWOT analysis, PEST analysis and benchmarking allow the company to systematically gather and interpret information. By using the Baldrige criteria, a systematic and continuous approach for learning and improvement is developed. This methodology (the literature review) provides a framework for gaining the knowledge that already exists (in books, journals and on the Internet). By disseminating this knowledge according to the methods described, it is hoped that the research will construct already existing knowledge into a new approach that might benefit the discipline as a whole. From the results of the study, it should become clear that certain aspects of enhancing CI in smaller enterprises require attention. Although there are organisations that assist SMMEs with relevant information, this information is scattered across various sources in different formats. Not much information and assistance is available to smaller enterprises that provides a clear framework of how to achieve internal CI practices by using the CI tools and business models such as benchmarking within the formal structure of the Baldrige criteria.

Dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the MTech: Internal Auditing In the Faculty of Business at the CAPE PENINSULA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, 2010 / The concept of Small Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) was created and implemented by the South African Government in an attempt to improve the economy of South Africa, reducing the unemployment rate and eliminating poverty. As a basic objective, SMMEs strive toward sustainability, however in recent years sustainability is at an all time low as substantial a number of these businesses fail to become viable entities. Popular literature show that Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) retail SMMEs make ineffective use of their accounting resources, resulting in them making critical business decisions without understanding and interpreting their financial performance or financial positions. These decisions have a ‘toxic’ affect on their business sustainability and as a result, it is perceived that these SMMEs make inefficient use of financial performance measures. The key objective of this research is to establish what financial performance measures sourced from accounting resources are regarded as being critical for the sustainability of FMCG retail SMMEs during the current dispensation of an economic depression in South Africa. To achieve the above dispensation, applied research will be used using ‘action research’ as the primary research paradigm supported by questionnaires for the purpose of data analysis, results of which were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Recommendations culminate from the research to mitigate the research problem.

Thesis (MTech (Human Resource Management)--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2009 / This thesis explores the barriers/constraints that the SMME may experience whilst attempting to recover their skills levies from the wholesale and retail SETA (W&RSETA). Skills development legislation was introduced in South Africa to address the previous disparities in education and training. The Skills Development Levies Act (SOLA) of 1999 established the introduction of skills levies. The SOLA stipulated that all companies with an annual payroll in excess of R 500 000 would be required to pay skills levies to the South African Revenue Service (SARS). SARS then distributes the funds to the relevant sector education and training authority (SETA). The company would then have the option of recovering up to seventy percent of its skills levies, provided that it had implemented various skills development and training initiatives throughout the year. While larger companies may be more attuned in terms of recovering these levies, small, micro and medium enterprises (SMMEs) may experience difficulties in doing so. The research design included a descriptive study of both qualitative and quantitative components. The investigation was conducted by interviewing twenty stakeholders within the wholesale and retail sector. The stakeholders were divided into two categories, namely SMMEs and the assistants to SMMEs. The information was analysed within the context of the twenty stakeholders interviewed who were located in the Westem Cape area and registered with the W&RSETA. The findings indicated that the main constraints that SMMEs may be experiencing whilst attempting to recover their skills levies from the W&RSETA included: a lack of understanding of the grant recovery system; lack of time; burdensome administration; a lack of finance; and a lack of communication and support from the W&RSETA This research would be a pilot study that would provide a basis for a future study which may seek to provide practical recommendations to policy makers both in govemment and the private sector, in terms of assisting levy paying SMMEs within the W&RSETA to recover skills levies.

Abstracts in English, Afrikaans and Sepedi / Small businesses flourish when employees are happy, healthy and productive. This makes employees an important asset of a small business because its success depends on the performance of its employees. Employee wellness practices in small medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) often focus on the physical aspects of wellbeing, despite employees wanting management to focus on their emotional needs. In view of the fact that employers do not realise that employee wellness significantly improves morale and increases retention rates, this research sought to explore the employee wellness experiences of managers and employees in SMMEs to develop an understanding of the need for employee wellness practices in these organisations. Accordingly, a qualitative study was conducted among 17 employees and four managers at three diverse industries operating in the Gauteng region of South Africa. The data were collected by means of focus groups interviews with employees and individual interviews with managers who work in SMMEs that employ less than 50 employees. The results indicated that employees consider employee wellness in terms of how well organisations treat them and take care of them. The findings demonstrated that employees depend on good working relationships to be happy and engaged in the workplace. Although management cited various financial and human resource constraints that limit employee wellness practices, the employees identified various activities and practices that were not dependent on financial resources for implementation. The results also showed there was insufficient evidence to support the notion that there is a link between unhealthy workplace conditions and higher absenteeism and staff turnover rates. The findings highlighted that employees need social interaction in order to feel valued and cared for and that this factor often outweighs the negative feelings employees have of working in unhealthy environments. Thus, employees were willing to work in unhealthy conditions as long as they felt valued by top management. The findings of the study contribute to the knowledge in the literature on employee wellness practices in SMMEs because limited studies have been conducted to demonstrate the impact of workplace conditions on employee wellness. / Klein ondernemings floreer wanneer werknemers gelukkig, gesond en produktief is. Dit maak werknemers ’n belangrike bate vir ’n klein onderneming, want die onderneming se sukses hang af van die werknemers se prestasie. Werknemerwelstandpraktyke in klein-, medium- en mikro-ondernemings (KMMO’s) fokus dikwels op die fisieke aspekte van welstand, ten spyte daarvan dat werknemers wil hê bestuur moet op hul emosionele behoeftes fokus. In die lig daarvan dat werkgewers nie besef dat werknemerwelstand moraal en behoudsyfers aansienlik verbeter nie, het hierdie navorsing gepoog om die werknemerwelstand-ondervindinge van bestuurders en werknemers in KMMO’s te ondersoek om ‘n begrip van die behoefte aan werknemerwelstand-praktyke in hierdie ondernemings te ontwikkel. Ooreenkomstig hiermee is ‘n kwalitatiewe studie onderneem onder 17 werknemers en vier bestuurders by drie diverse industrieë wat in die Gauteng-omgewing in Suid-Afrika sake doen. Die data is versamel deur middel van fokusgroeponderhoude met werknemers en individuele onderhoude met bestuurders wat by KMMO’s met minder as 50 werknemers werk. Die bevindinge toon dat werknemers werknemerwelstand beoordeel volgens hoe goed organisasies hulle behandel en na hulle omsien. Die bevindinge het uitgewys dat werknemers staatmaak op goeie werksverhoudings om gelukkig en betrokke te wees in die werkplek. Hoewel bestuur verskeie finansiële en menslike hulpbron-beperkings uitgewys het wat werknemerwelstandpraktyke beperk, het die werknemers verskeie aktiwiteite en praktyke geïdentifiseer wat onafhanklik van finansiële hulpbronne geïmplementeer kan word. Die studie het ook bevind dat daar nie genoegsame bewyse is om die idee te staaf dat daar ‘n verband is tussen ongesonde werkplekomstandighede en ‘n hoër afwesigheidsyfer en personeelomset nie. Die bevindinge lig dit uit dat werknemers sosiale interaksie nodig het om gewaardeerd en na omgesien te voel en dat hierdie faktor dikwels swaarder weeg as die negatiewe gevoelens wat werknemers in ‘n ongesonde werkomgewing ervaar. Werknemers is dus bereid om in ongesonde omstandighede te werk solank hulle gewaardeerd voel deur topbestuur. Die bevindinge van die studie dra by tot die kennis in die literatuur oor werknemerwelstandpraktyke in KMMO’s aangesien studies wat die impak van werkplekomstandighede op werknemerwelstand demonstreer tot dusver beperk is. / Dikgwebo tse nyane di tswella ka bokgabane ha basebetsi ba thabile, ba phetse hantle ebile ba sebelletsa ho beha ditholoana. Sena se etsa hore basebetsi e be bona ba bohlokwa haholo dikgwebong tse nyane hobane katleho ya dikgwebo tsena e dutse mahetleng a bokgabane ba basebetsi. Bophelo bo hantle ba basebetsi dikgwebong tse nyane le tse kgolwanyane (SMMEs) hangata bo tobane le bokgoni ba basebetsi ho tswellisa pele mosebetsi o behang ditholoana, empa basebetsi le bona ba batla hore ba nahanelwe ke bo ramesebetsi ka ditlhoko tsa bona tse ba amang moyeng. Bo nnete ba taba ke hore bo ramosebetsi ha ba elellwe hore bophelo bo hantle ba basebetsi bo bohlokwa hobane bo nyolla boitshwaro bo botle ba basebetsi, ebile ba dula dilemo mesebetsing ya bona. Dipatlisiso tsa pampiri ena di tlo sheba bophelo bo botle ba basebetsi ka ho lekola batshwari ba basebetsi le basebetsi mmoho dikgwebong tse nyane (SMMEs) hore bo ka tsela e jwang le ho re thusa ho utlwisisa bohlokwa ba bophelo bo hantle mesebetsing ka ho fapana. Ho fumana dintlha tsa dipatlisiso, ho kopuwe basebetsi ba leshome le metso e supileng (17) le batshwari ba basebetsi ba bane (4) mesebetsing e fapaneng Gauteng, Afrika Borwa. Ho bile le di hlopha tse fapaneng tse botsuweng dipotso hore ho tholahale dintlha ka taba ya bophelo bo hantle ba basebetsi, mme batshwari ba basebetsi ba botsuwe dipotso ka bonngwe ba bona. Dikgwebo tse nyane (SMMEs) tse nkileng phato di na le basebetsi ba ka tlase ho mashome a mahlano (50). Sephetho sa ditlatlobo tsa dipotso tse botsuweng basebetsi se bontsha hore basebetsi ba nahana hore boitshwaro bo hantle ba basebetsi bo ya ka hore mesebetsing e fapananeng batho ba hlokometswe jwang. Basebetsi ba boletse hore dikamano pakeng tsa basebetsi mmoho tse thabisang di ba loketse mesebetsing. Le ha batshwari ba Page viii basebetsi le bo radikgwebo ba lla ka hore disebediswa le ditjhelete ha di lekane hore ba tswellise pele boitshwaro bo botle ba basebetsi, basebetsi ba buile ka dintlha tse bontshang hore boitshwaro bo botle ha bo hloke tjhelete ka dinako tsohle. Sephetho se ile sa bontsha hore ha hona bopaki bo lekaneng ho bontsha hore basebetsi ba lofa mesebetsing kapa hona ho se dule dilemo mesebetsing ka lebaka la hore poleke ya bona ya mosebetsi ha e kgahlise. Dipatlisiso di bontshitse hore basebetsi ba hloka dikamano le basebetsi ba bang, ha mmoho le bo ramesebetsi hore ba ikutlwe ba kgathallwa. Dikamano tsena di etsa hore basebetsi ba phuthollohe ha ba le mesebetsing ebile ba lebale ka dintho tse sa lokang mesebetsing ya bona. Ka hoo, basebetsi ba tsotella dikamano tse ntle pakeng tsa bona le bo ramesebetsi, le ha poleke ya mosebetsi e sa thabise ha kalo. Dipatlisiso tsa pampiri ena di tlatselletsa tsebo e teng ho dithuto tsa bophelo bo hantle ba basebetsi le di tsamaiso tsa tsona dikgwebong tse nyane (SMMEs) hobane ha dingata dipampiri tse ngotsweng ka sehlooho sena ho re ruta hore boitshwaro bo botle ho basebetsi bo ama mesebetsi e fapaneng ka tsela tse jwang. / Human Resource Management / M. Com. (Human Resource Management)

Between 45-57% of South Africans are estimated to be engulfed by poverty. In an attempt to identify policy instruments that could help change this status quo, the various strategies that have been implemented in countries (e.g. China, Vietnam and Uganda) that are known to have been relatively successful in reducing poverty are reviewed. In the process, this dissertation discusses the literature regarding poverty, with a particular emphasis on the definition, measurement and determinants thereof. Furthermore, South Africa's anti-poverty strategies are discussed. It turns out that these have met limited success. This is largely due to insufficient pro-poor economic growth, weak implementation/administration at the municipal level, slow asset redistribution, high income/wealth inequality, low job generation rate by SMME's, high HIV/AIDS infection rate, public corruption and inadequate monitoring of poverty. Therefore, if meaningful progress towards poverty reduction is to be achieved, the government needs to deal with the foregoing constraints accordingly. / Economics / M.Comm. (Economics)

Between 45-57% of South Africans are estimated to be engulfed by poverty. In an attempt to identify policy instruments that could help change this status quo, the various strategies that have been implemented in countries (e.g. China, Vietnam and Uganda) that are known to have been relatively successful in reducing poverty are reviewed. In the process, this dissertation discusses the literature regarding poverty, with a particular emphasis on the definition, measurement and determinants thereof. Furthermore, South Africa's anti-poverty strategies are discussed. It turns out that these have met limited success. This is largely due to insufficient pro-poor economic growth, weak implementation/administration at the municipal level, slow asset redistribution, high income/wealth inequality, low job generation rate by SMME's, high HIV/AIDS infection rate, public corruption and inadequate monitoring of poverty. Therefore, if meaningful progress towards poverty reduction is to be achieved, the government needs to deal with the foregoing constraints accordingly. / Economics / M.Comm. (Economics)

Abstracts in English, Afrikaans and Tswana / This study explores whether the turnover tax system (TTS) fulfils its intended function of being a simplified tax system, using primary and secondary data. Structural-functionalism and the tax canons form the theoretical foundations for this study and are used to guide the questionnaire design, data collection process, identification of the overarching themes and the data analysis. Semi-structured interviews are utilised to solicit information from the selected participants, using convenience and snowball selection techniques. The participants believe that the TTS is not functioning as a fully simplified tax system, as not all the tax canons and structural functionalism principles of an effective tax system are being met. The concept of the TTS is perceived as good, although the administration thereof and the South African Revenue Service officials’ knowledge on the TTS are seen to be inadequate. Various recommendations are provided to improve the TTS. / Hierdie studie het ten doel om te bepaal of die omsetbelastingstelsel (“TTS”) sy beoogde funksie vervul – naamlik dié van ʼn vereenvoudigde belastingstelsel, deur die gebruik van primêre en sekondêre data. Strukturele funksionalisme en die belastingbeginsels vorm die teoretiese grondbeginsels vir hierdie studie en word gebruik om die vraelysontwerp, data-insamelingsproses, identifisering van die oorkoepelende temas en die data-ontleding te lei. Halfgestruktureerde onderhoude word gebruik om die uitgesoekte deelnemers om inligting te vra met behulp van gerieflikheid- en sneeubalselekteringstegnieke. Die deelnemers glo dat die omsetbelastingstelsel nie as ʼn ten volle vereenvoudigde belastingstelsel funksioneer nie, aangesien nie al die belastingbeginsels en strukturelefunksionalismebeginsels van ʼn doeltreffende belastingstelsel gevolg word nie. Die konsep van die omsetbelastingstelsel word as goed beskou, hoewel die administrering daarvan, sowel as die kennis wat die Suid-Afrikaanse Inkomstediens se amptenare ten opsigte van die omsetbelastingstelsel het, as ontoereikend beskou word. Verskeie aanbevelings word gedoen om die omsetbelastingstelsel te verbeter. / Thuto ye e lebeledišiša ge e le gore poelo ya tshepedišo ya lekgetho (TTS) e kgotsofatša mohola wo e nepetšwego wona e lego wa go ba tshepedišo ya lekgetho yeo e nolofaditšwego ka go šomiša tshedimošo ya motheo le ya tlaleletšo. Tšhomišego ya sebopego le melao ya motšhelo go hlama metheo ya dikgopolo ya thuto ye le go e šomiša go hlahla tlhamo ya letlakalapotšišo, tshepedišo ya go kgoboketša tshedimošo, tlhaolo ya merero ya go tlaleletša le tekolo ya tshedimošo. Dipoledišano tša go hlamega gannyane di šomišwa go hwetša tshedimošo go batšeakarolo bao ba kgethilwego, go šomišwa kgonagalo le mekgwatiro ya go kgetha ka go ya godimo. Batšeakarolo ba dumela go re TTS ga e šome bjalo ka tshepedišo ya go tlala ya lekgetho, ka ge e se metheo ka moka ya melao ya lekgetho yeo e fihlelelwago. Lereo la TTS le lemogwa bjalo ka le kaone, le ge tshepedišo ya lona le tsebo ya bašomi ba Ditirelo tša Lekgetho tša Afrika Borwa ya TTS e bonala e sa lekana. Ditigelo tše mmalwa di tšweleditšwe go kaonafatša TTS. / College of Accounting Sciences / M, Phil. (Accounting Sciences)