Thesis (D. Tech.) -- Central University of Technology, Free State, 2008 / In the twenty-first century knowledge landscape, companies are compelled to compete in a complex and challenging context, transformed by globalisation, technological development, new applications of knowledge and hyper-competition. This new economic landscape requires organisations to perform differently with their knowledge assets to survive and prosper. It has become crucial for organisations to reinvent themselves through new rubrics of leadership, which essentially requires radical change as post-modern perspectives on the knowledge economy emphasise the fluidity, and immediacy of information exchanges that are leveraged through creativity and innovation as the new future sustainable rent. Postmodernist contestations of modernist economic and organisational rationalities have successfully activated discourse from diverse audiences and immense contributions to contemporary knowledge-intensive organisational diagnoses have been proffered. A current issue, which urgently enquires into new conceptions of organisational leadership, is regarded as the global knowledge economy. This economy seeks new sources of inspiration and revitalisation within the dynamic, mutable domains of future knowledge competency construction and enactment. New forms of human capital are now required to manifest tacit and intellectual capacity through exponential creativity and innovation capabilities, rather than explicit production-driven modalities. Therefore, organisations must access this new talent that engages deeply with creative thinking, as they can no longer reproduce themselves within the old traditions of management and control. The need to conjure new aspects of leadership to harness and then transform novel solutions into action should create an environment enabled to validate creativity and innovation as the major building blocks for knowledge transfer and trading. The purpose of this study is to render solutions for future knowledge-intensive organisations and explore new methodologies where leadership realises the paramount importance to nurture the knowledge worker as the most important source of knowledge creation. This study explores the complex challenges faced by contemporary leadership in grasping future value propositions for advancing knowledge trading and offers suggestions to unlock creativity and innovation for the enhancement of knowledge productivity and the development of supportive managerial effectiveness. It is recommended that leadership requires a profound cultural shift from traditional methods of management that can be best described as control orientated, bureaucratic and autocratic. These former hierarchical management structures originated in the modernist paradigm of industrial capitalism. In contrast, contemporary knowledge management is defined within the post-modern debate, where authority is diffused throughout the organisation and leadership engages in sufficient reflexivity to facilitate a more effective understanding of the contemporary knowledge worker. Within this postmodern context, fluidity of knowledge-leadership could actively promote the immediacy of creative exchanges as foundational to deliver the future into the present. The findings suggest a new role for leadership acting as coach and innovation facilitator, rather than controller. Furthermore the findings indicate that creative leadership should involve knowledge workers in defining the mission, vision and strategic intent and secure participation in the knowledge philosophy to mould their respective knowledge roles within a supportive culture. The findings indicated that collaboration between knowledge workers and leadership is crucial to establish formal communities of practice. These, as opposed to informal exchanges amongst knowledge workers, are pivotal to the process of continuous reinvention and proffer the shifts that are essential to drive future knowledge competencies. The findings furthermore revealed that communities of practice should be formally encouraged by leadership who diffuses the strategic intent to initiate forums where formal learning and the sharing of skills occur and creativity is continually advanced. The result is the creation of repositories of knowledge and innovation networks within knowledge concomitance required to enhance knowledge performance and ultimately drive sustainable competitive advantage. The research findings produced novel suggestions to proffer new knowledge-trading opportunities. The recommendations address contemporary leadership to perpetually challenge communities of practice to seek new creative and innovative horisons. This would yield the competencies and capabilities required for improved knowledge performance, based on individual and collective creative contributions. It is imperative for creative leadership to imbibe a new corporate curriculum to embrace the necessary radical innovative approaches required in today’s hyper-competitive economy. The recommendations suggest that the harnessing of creative and innovative potentials of knowledge workers, through the development of the creativity dimensions, namely fluency and elaboration could yield dominant discourse as a central ingredient for collective learning. This, in turn, would propel exponential levels of knowledge productivity, which is the critical component required to drive economic sustainability. Knowledge-leading organisations need to unearth and exploit the economy of knowledge by tapping into subjective experience, creativity and intuitive reflexivity. This study endeavours to offer a compelling vision of the future and recommends an intelligent organisation of the future that utilises a new corporate curriculum achieved by creative leadership to leverage enhanced managerial effectiveness. Finally, a definition for creative leadership is proposed which promotes innovative awareness, fluency and elaboration through formalised communities of practice to leverage enhanced knowledge productivity by means of knowledge worker empowerment and two-way communication. Creating a high-involvement organisation also involves new choices with respect to organisational design. An effective design would be the entrenchment of an organisational culture where the knowledge worker is accountable for and involved in the future success of the organisation. It is recommended that future leadership can achieve new innovative value propositions by structuring new mental models for increased knowledge productivity. The knowledge concomitance model suggests solutions to manipulate and economise knowledge to produce a transformational fusion of discontinuous innovation, nurturing a new syntagma for future knowledge management practitioners.

The objective of the present study was to explore whether individuals' career anchors are dependent on their personality types. The Career Orientation Inventory (COI) and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) were administered to a sample of honours students in the subject field of Industrial and Organisational Psychology in order to measure the relationship between the two constructs. For statistical purposes only the female participants were included in the final sample analysis (N=117) because of the underrepresentation of males. Statistically significant differences were established with regard to the security/stability career anchor and the ESFJ, ENFP, ESFP and INFP personality types. It is recommended that future studies include larger samples that are more representative of all possible sixteen (16) personality types and a broader range of occupations. The findings contribute new knowledge regarding the career anchors and personality preferences of females pursuing further studies in the field of IO-Psychology. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.A. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

This study investigated the relationships between personality, ability, biographical and sociographical factors on the one hand and criterion measures of job-relevant behaviour on the other. The aim of the study was to isolate success-predicting factors for a Personal Financial Advisor in a South African Bancassurance operation. The research was done by means of a criterion-related concurrent validation study. The sample consisted of 185 advisors with two years or longer sales tenure in the position. Predictor variables included measurement on a 20-dimension competency model, an ability assessment and 17 biographical and sociographical variables related to the position. Criterion variables included production figures and managerial ratings on advisor performance. Meaningful predictors for the success of financial advisors were found for personality, ability, biographical and sociographical variables, and the results confirmed the hypothesised competency model derived from a job analysis. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Com. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

The primary objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between archetypal values (measured by the PMAI), career orientations (measured by the COI), perceived career success and meaningfulness (measured by open-ended questions) in a sample of 207 participants employed in the science and engineering sector. The secondary objective was to qualitatively assess the core themes underlying individuals‟ perceptions of their career success and meaningfulness. The tertiary objective was to determine whether demographic groups differ in terms of their archetypal values and career orientations. The research findings indicated significant relationships between participants‟ archetypal values, career orientations, their perceptions of career success and meaningfulness. The findings further revealed a number of core themes underlying individuals‟ perceptions of their career success and meaningfulness. Significant differences were observed between demographic groups in terms of their archetypal values and career orientations. The findings contributed valuable new knowledge to inform career counselling and decision-making practices. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Com. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between emotional intelligence and leadership styles in a petrochemical organisation (represented by transformational, transactional and laissez-faire leadership styles) and to determine if emotional intelligence can predict an effective leadership style. Leaders (N = 161) were selected from a business within a South African petrochemical organisation. Self reports from the EQ-i and the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ Form 5X) were analysed. Correlation analyses indicated statistically significant relationships between emotional intelligence and transformational and laissez-faire leadership. Findings indicated positive correlations between emotional intelligence (specifically adaptability) and transformational leadership. Negative correlations were obtained between emotional intelligence (specifically intrapersonal skills) and laissez-faire leadership. Theoretical implications and practical applications of these findings were discussed. / Psychology / M.A. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

Text in English / The aim of this research was to explore the contribution spiritual intelligence has made to leadership in the public sector; in an effort to encourage further debates about the legitimacy of spiritual intelligence in the workplace. The research design followed in this study is qualitative. The target population of this study were the leaders of the Free State Department of Education who have had self-acknowledged spiritual intelligence experience in their leadership context. The construct `spiritual intelligence` is a relatively complex phenomenon; hence the participants were recruited through a snowball sampling technique. The findings of this study revealed that spiritual intelligence contributes to leadership in the public sector. This study revealed that there is an association between leadership and spirituality and spiritual intelligence according to the subjective views of the participants. This suggests that researchers need to recognise the core component of internal development of leaders. The research attempted to bring about this type of awareness into the corporate world, and hopefully a valuable contribution will be made to future leadership attitudes, leadership styles, and working environment. / Psychology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Consulting Psychology)

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 (MComm)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Organisations today form part of a global market economy characterised by constant change and a high level of competition. This is especially true for organisations functioning in competitive markets or industries, such as the service industry. New Product Development (NPD) has been recognised as an avenue for organisations to remain relevant and competitive in this constantly changing landscape. A successful new product can potentially do more good for an organisation than anything else that can happen to it. Despite this critical role, the strategic and operational aspects of the product development process are poorly understood, particularly in the service industry. The South African financial services industry is an example of a service industry characterised by a high level of competition, rapid technological advancements, stringent regulations and changing client needs. This is particularly true for the investment sector of the industry, which endeavours to remain relevant and progressive within both a domestic and an international context. As a result, organisations functioning in the investment sector increasingly need to engage in developing and introducing new products to ensure their survival. Against this background, such organisations should realise the importance and potential benefits of an increased understanding of how to improve the success of their NPD efforts. The purpose of this study was therefore to investigate factors influencing the success of New Product Development in the investment sector of the South African financial services industry. Twelve success factors were defined for the purpose of the study. They are: a successful launch, effective NPD management, product superiority, a favourable market environment, good use of communication, effective IT systems, a NPD-friendly corporate culture and the use of a formal NPD process, legislation, distribution of the product, the marketing budget, and the timing of the release of the product. Additionally, nine measures of success were examined, namely: commercial, technical, financial and sales measures, as well as the NPD process followed the level of client satisfaction, and the size, performance and longevity of the product. This study made use of a structured questionnaire, which was developed, based on the literature reviewed and on the feedback from the pilot study. The questionnaire made use of a seven-point Likert scale, and was electronically administered via email to the chosen sample group. The results from this study indicated that 10 of the 12 identified success factors have a significant influence on one or more of the measures of success. The remaining two success factors, namely, the distribution of the product and the marketing budget, were found to have no significant influence on any of the measures of NPD success. It was also revealed that three of the success factors had a significant influence on the overall measure of NPD success (all 9 measures grouped into one), namely, the characteristics of a "superior product"; the implementation of an effective IT system; and the timing of the product release. Furthermore, the implementation of effective IT systems revealed an unexpected negative relationship with three measures of success as well the overall measure of NPD success (all 9 measures grouped into one). A number of implications were suggested and recommendations made, based on the findings. Specific recommendations were made to NPD practitioners, regarding methods which could be implemented to enhance and better manage the influence of the identified success factors in order to increase their product development success. An important recommendation was made regarding the IT system project requirements and associated costs. It was recommended that the IT system requirements be carefully scoped in the infancy stage of the project by consulting with an IT specialist because of its influence on both the overall costs and project success. Specific recommendations were further made regarding a number of the other identified success factors. Finally, based on the findings, several recommendations were made regarding further research. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In die huidige klimaat van die wêreld-ekonomie staar organisasies gedurige verandering en groot kompetisie in die gesig. Dit is veral waar vir organisasies wat moet funksioneer en oorleef in kompeterende markte of industrieë, soos die dienste industrie. Dit word algemeen aanvaar dat die konsep van Nuwe Produk Ontwikkeling (NPO) 'n noodsaaklike opsie geword het vir besighede en organisasies om relevant en kompeterend te bly in hierdie konstante veranderende landskap. 'n Suksesvolle nuwe produk kan vir 'n besigheid groter waarde toevoeg as enigiets anders wat daarmee sou gebeur. Ten spyte van hierdie belangrike en beslissende rol wat dit speel, is daar min begrip vir die rol van strategiese en operasionele aspekte van die Produk Ontwikkelingsproses veral in die dienste industrie. Die Suid-Afrikaanse finansiële dienste industrie is 'n voorbeeld van 'n dienste industrie wat gekenmerk word deur sterk kompetisie, snelle tegnologiese ontwikkeling, streng regulering en veranderende kliëntebehoeftes. Dit geld veral vir die beleggingsektor in die industrie, wat daarna streef om relevant en progressief te bly in beide 'n plaaslike, sowel as internasionale konteks. Gevolglik, ten einde hul voortbestaan te verseker, is dit toenemend noodsaaklik dat organisasies in die beleggingsektor gedurig nuwe produkte ontwikkel en toepas. Teen hierdie agtergrond is dit noodsaaklik dat sulke besighede die belangrikheid, sowel as die potensiële voordele daarvan besef dat 'n bewussyn gekweek word ten opsigte van maniere om die NPO se sukses te verseker. Die doel van hierdie studie was dus om die faktore te ondersoek wat die sukses beïnvloed van NPO binne die beleggingsektor van die Suid Afrikaanse finansiële dienste industrie. Twaalf sukses faktore was vir die doel van hierdie studie geïdentifiseer. Hulle is: 'n suksesvolle bekendstelling, doeltreffende NPO bestuur, 'n superieure produk, gunstige markomstandighede, goeie gebruik van kommunikasie, doeltreffende IT-stelsels, 'n korporatiewe kultuur wat NPO vriendelik is, gebruik van formele NPO prosesse, wetgewing, verspreiding van die produk, die bemarkingsbegroting, en die tydsberekening ten opsigte van die produk se bekendstelling. Verder is nog nege maatstawwe van sukses gemeet, naamlik: kommersieël, tegnies, finansieel- en verkoopsmaatstawwe, sowel as die NPO-proses wat gevolg is, die vlak van tevredenheid van die kliënt, en die omvang, prestasie en lewensverwagting van die produk. Hierdie studie het gebruik gemaak van 'n gestruktureerde vraelys wat ontwikkel is op die basis van die literatuur wat hersien is, asook terugvoering vanaf die loodsstudie. Die vraelys het gebruik gemaak van 'n sewe-punt Likert skaal en was elektronies geadministreer deur middle van e-pos aan die uitgesoekte steekproef groep. Die resultate van hierdie studie het aangedui dat 10 uit die 12 suksesfaktore wat geïdentifiseer is, 'n beduidende invloed gehad het op een of meer van die maatstawwe van sukses. Die laaste twee, naamlik, die verspreiding van die produk en die bemarkingsbegroting, het nie 'n noemenswaardige invloed gehad op enige van maatstawwe van NPO sukses nie. Dit het ook duidelik geword dat drie van die suksesfaktore wel 'n beduidende invloed gehad het op die algehele NPO maatstawwe van sukses (al nege saam groepeer as een), naamlik, die eienskappe van 'n "superieure produk"; die aangewend van 'n effektiewe IT-stelsel; en die tydsberekening ten opsigte van die produk se bekendstelling. Verder, die aanwending van 'n effektiewe IT stelsel het 'n onverwagse negatiewe verhouding gevorm met drie maatstawwe van sukses asook met die algehele NPO maatstawwe van sukses (al nege saam groepeer as een). Verskeie gevolge is genoem en aanbevelings is gemaak op grond van die bevindings. Spesifieke aanbevelings is aan die NPO praktisyns gelewer ten opsigte van stelsels wat toegepas kan word om genoemde suksesfaktore doeltreffend te bestuur en te verbeter en gevolglik die sukses van die produk ontwikkeling te verhoog. 'n Belangrike aanbeveling was met betrekking tot die IT-stelsel se projek behoeftes en gepaardgaande kostes. Daar is voorgestel dat die omvang van die IT-stelsels in die beginstadium met groot omsigtigheid bepaal word en 'n kundige op die gebied van IT behoeftes moet geraadpleeg word, aangesien dit 'n groot impak kan hê op oorhoofse kostes, sowel as die sukses van die projek. Meer spesifieke aanbevelings is ook gedoen ten opsigte van sekere van die ander faktore wat geïdentifiseer is. Op grond van hierdie bevindings kan ten slotte verklaar word dat daar etlike aanbevelings ter ondersteuning van verdere navorsing was.

Thesis (MComm (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: “Africa’s not for sissies” is what one often hears when discussing business conditions in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). For purposes of this study, the relatively well-developed country of South Africa has been excluded from the definition of SSA. The region boasts some of the lowest human development index scores and economic growth levels in the world, while enjoying the unenviable reputation as one of the most corrupt places on earth. The fact that SSA fares poorest of all when it comes to attracting foreign direct investment (barely 1% of global inflows), is due to foreign investor perceptions of unacceptable levels of country risk that keep them from investing in the region. Reasons for SSA’s malaise are instructive as context for the status quo and include the aftermath of colonialism, continued flare-ups of ethnic-induced civil unrest, the lingering effects of a disastrous flirtation with socialism and a recent generation of corrupt and incompetent leaders. However, the good news is that the new millennium increasingly exhibits significant trends in support of the notion that a reversal of SSA’s fortunes is underway: annual GDP growth in the region is well ahead of the global average, civil wars in the region have largely come to an end and, for two years running, private equity investment flows into the region have surpassed that of foreign aid, Africa’s traditional ‘crutch’. Importantly, a small band of early-mover Multinational Corporations (MNCs) are making their presence felt in the region and beginning to make good profits. These firms include the likes of Diageo, The Coca-Cola Company, MTN and SABMiller. Still, today’s business environment in the small, impoverished markets of SSA remains extremely challenging, characterised by poor infrastructure and skills, coupled to an unhelpful officialdom. The purpose of this study is to research the impediments to investing in SSA, both real and imagined, and then to discuss ways of overcoming these. By applying a qualitative research methodology, including the use of case studies and structured interviews with selected executives of the MNCs active in the region, key success factors for investing and operating in the region will be identified and explained. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Enigeen wat ‘n besigheid in Afrika bedryf is dit eens dat ‘n mens hare op jou tande nodig het om hier sukses te behaal as gevolg van die aansienlike aantal struikelblokke wat ‘n mens te wagte moet wees. Hierdie studie is gemik op die onontwikkelde Afrika lande, suid van die Sahara woestyn (ASS). Suid Afrika word vir doeleindes van hierdie studie uitgesluit uit die definisie van ASS, weens die land se relatiewe gevorderde besigheidsklimaat. Ongelukkig word die lande van die ASS streek oorwegend gekenmerk deur lae peile van ontwikkeling, asook lae ekonomiese groeikoerse. Die streek word boonop beskou as die mees korrupte plek op aarde. Dit is dus geen wonder nie dat ASS die slegste van alle streke vaar wanneer dit by besteding deur buitelandse beleggers kom nie – laasgenoemde glo eenvoudig dat die gepaardgaande risiko verbonde aan die maak van ‘n belegging in die streek onaanvaarbaar hoog is. Sommige van die redes wat aanleiding gee tot hierdie teleurstellende toedrag van sake is insiggewend as konteks vir hierdie studie, insluitend: die nagevolge van die era van kolonialisme, sporadiese uitbarstings van etniese geweld, die negatiewe gevolge veroorsaak deur die onlangse beheptheid met sosialisme onder baie van die streek se lande, asook die uitwerking van uiters swak leierskap in die streek gedurende die tweede helfte van die 20ste eeu. Die keersy van hierdie swak beeld is dat ‘n aansienlike verbetering in toestande te bespeur is sedert die aanvang van die 21ste eeu. Die Bruto Nasionale Produk van ASS lande groei nou vinniger as dié van enige ander streek op aarde. Die voorkoms van burgerlike onrus en geweld in die streek toon ‘n beduidende afname. Vir die eerste keer ooit is die waarde van buitelandse beleggings in ASS groter as die waarde van hulp en ondersteuning wat die streek van die buiteland ontvang (en waarop die regerings van die streek tradisioneel staatgemaak het om basiese dienste aan hul inwoners te verskaf). Dit is ook verblydend om te verneem dat ‘n klein groepie ywerige internasionale maatskappye besig is om hulself toenemend in die gebied te vestig en dat hulle goed geldmaak daaruit. Voorbeelde van suksesvolle maatskappye sluit Diageo, Coca-Cola, MTN en SABMiller in. Nogtans bly die besigheidstoestande waarin maatskappye hulle bevind ongunstig in die brandarm markte van ‘n streek wat verder gekenmerk word deur gebrekkige infrastruktuur, onvoldoende vaardighede en onbehulpsame amptenare. Die doel van die navorsing is eerstens om die daadwerklike toedrag van sake vas te stel i.v.m. die omgewingsfaktore wat verhinder dat maatskappye vrylik hul doelstellinge in ASS mag najaag. Daarna word die fokus verskuif sodat oplossings geformuleer mag word ten einde hierdie struikelblokke uit die weg te ruim. ‘n Kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetode word nagevolg. Dit sluit die gebruik van gevallestudies en gestruktureerde onderhoude met senior verteenwoordigers van internasionale maatskappye met filiale in ASS in. Die vernaamste uitslag van die navorsing is die daarstelling en verduideliking van ‘n stel kritieke suksesfaktore wat as handleiding mag dien aan diegene wat besighede in die streek bedryf.

Thesis (MComm (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / This study seeks to analyse the critical factors that influence the success and failure of Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Namibia in the Khomas Findings of the study indicate that there is a problem of business failure in the Khomas Region. Although business owners of successful and unsuccessful businesses recognise the support from the government, most unsuccessful business owners feel that the lack of proper governmental assistance is still one of the most critical factors that led to failure. Finally the major recommendation of the study highlights the issue that the government should come up with strategic measures (such as business incubators) that will prolong the survival of SMEs. Region. To achieve this, the objectives of this study are to confirm whether there is a problem of business failure in Namibia in the Khomas Region. This will be done by identifying the causes of the problems and to search for practical solutions, given the causes of the problems. It is important that the problems associated with business success and failure be understood. Through an analysis of theoretical information and empirical results it is possible to establish how to facilitate more innovative and effective development that is much needed in developing countries, such as Namibia. From the literature it became clear that there are numerous advantages and disadvantages associated with operating an SME. There will be always disadvantages for which we may never find solutions. Despite this, it is evident that SMEs are crucial for the development of any country, as they offer benefits such as subcontractors for larger organisations, economic growth and employment generation. Data were colleted from respondents by means of forty structured questionnaires (twenty for successful firms and twenty for unsuccessful firms) consisting of 23 questions (plus three open-ended questions). Nineteen of the questionnaires were returned of which twelve were from successful firms and nine from unsuccessful firms. The sample was drawn from a list of all the SME owners in Namibia in the Khomas Region.