Dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degreerequirements Master of Technology: Civi Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology Supervisor: APN. Sutherland Co-supervisor: Prof. R. Haldenwang Cape Town October 2013 / The reliable prediction of pressure drop versus flow rate for non-Newtonian pipe flow is important in many industrial processes. In laminar flow scale up is straightforward, but transitional velocity and turbulent flow predictions remain a practical problem. Various theoretical models exist, but nothing in literature shows conclusively which of these is the most reliable and consistent, nor is it evident what effect the choice of rheological model has on the predictions. The aim of this work was to i) evaluate the influence of different rheological models when used in existing prediction techniques for non-Newtonian flow ii) characterise each material type using selected (commonly used) rheological models and iii) predict laminar, transitional and turbulent pipe flow characteristics for each material type using existing prediction techniques, for comparison with experimental results. Only time-independent, homogeneous, non-Newtonian fluids in pipe sizes from 13mm to 200mm were investigated. Rheological models and laminar flow predictions used only the power law, Bingham plastic, Herschel-Bulkley, Casson and Hallbom yield plastic models. The techniques used to predict transitional velocity were Ryan & Johnson, Metzner-Reed, Hedström intersection method, Slatter and Hallbom. For turbulent flow the Newtonian approximation, Dodge & Metzner, Wilson & Thomas, Slatter, Hallbom modified Wilson & Thomas and the Bowen correlation methods were used. The study documents the relevant theory and presents an assessment of the influence of rheology on pipe flow predictions, summarised in terms of the practical performance of the various rheological model/prediction method combinations for the different materials. In laminar flow at practical pseudo shear rates (8V/D; taken as 40s-1) the choice of rheological model does not significantly influence pressure drop predictions. For yield-pseudoplastic materials (eg. kaolin) the Hedström intersection and the Slatter Reynolds number method with Bingham plastic or Casson rheology predicted transitional velocity most accurately. For Bingham plastic materials (eg. bentonite) the best predictions were obtained using the Metzner & Reed Reynolds number with Bingham plastic rheology, although similar results were observed for this technique with all rheologies. The transitional velocity for pseudoplastic materials (eg. CMC) was best predicted by the Slatter and Metzner & Reed Reynolds number methods, using power law or Casson rheology. For turbulent flow of yield pseudoplastic materials the Slatter method using the Casson rheology gave the most accurate predictions overall. Turbulent flow of Bingham plastic materials was best predicted by the Slatter, Hallbom pseudo fluid Nikuradse and Dodge & Metzner methods, using Bingham plastic, Casson or yield plastic rheology. For pseudoplastic materials the Slatter and Wilson & Thomas methods were the most accurate, when used with yield plastic or power law rheology. Transitionalal velocity and turbulent flow predictions for materials with a yield stress vary significantly with rheological model. Laminar data should therefore be examined thoroughly and rheological models fitted with care. For pseudoplastic fluids there is little difference in predictions between the various techniques as long as power law rheology is used.

Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Magister Technologiae Electrical Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology Supervisor: Mr. J. Wheeler Co-supervisor: Dr. R.H. Wilkinson Cape Town October 2013 / This report presents the design and development of a five cell multicell inverter for driving a piezoelectric load. The multicell inverter was chosen for this application as it became evident that it would be more suitable for driving piezoelectric transducers due to its high apparent switching frequency. The multicell inverter was designed using DirectFET’s as this type of FET has a high current switching ability in a very small package. A positive and negative bootstrap power supply was incorporated in the design to reduce the number of supplies to power the gate drive circuits of the multicell inverter. Three compensation networks were designed and constructed to investigate which one would transfer the most energy to the piezoelectric transducer. It was also important to investigate whether these compensation networks were able to reduce the harmonic content produced by the multicell inverter. This is necessary in order to excite the transducer correctly. It was found that the Q-Matching compensation network reduced the harmonic content applied to the load the most. Experiments were also conducted to determine if the advantage of the apparent frequency of the multicell inverter would mean that the piezoelectric load could be driven directly with the multicell inverter without any damage to the transducer. It was however required to increase the applied apparent power to the transducer to compensate for the reactive component of the load in order to melt the plastic which was used as the load to the transducer. Experiments were conducted to determine if the charge on the cell capacitors of the multicell inverter would stay balanced while driving a non linear load such as a piezoelectric transducer. The results showed that the voltages stayed balanced when driving the piezoelectric transducer.

Die Professur für Innovationsforschung und Technologiemanagement der Technischen Universität Chemnitz freut sich die zweite Auflage des Posterbands zum Thema „Ökologische, ökonomische und soziale Nachhaltigkeit an der TU Chemnitz“ vorlegen zu können. Beteiligten sich 2015 elf Akteure an unserem Aufruf zur Einreichung eines Posters und Abstracts, sind es 2017 zehn Akteure, wobei zwei Akteure (Professur Innovationsforschung und Technologiemanagement sowie NATUC, das Referat für Ökologie und Nachhaltigkeit des StuRa der TU Chemnitz) aktualisierte Beiträge eingereicht haben. Somit können wir nun Aktivitäten im Bereich der Nachhaltigkeit von 19 Akteuren der TU Chemnitz in diesem aktualisierten Band präsentieren. Die vorgestellten Aktivitäten werden dabei von verschiedenen Professuren, Forschungsbereichen, administrativen Einheiten und studentischen Initiativen durchgeführt oder beziehen sich auf Forschungsprojekte und Bildungsveranstaltungen. Die Vorstellung der einzelnen Aktivitäten in diesem Band erfolgt alphabetisch nach den Akteuren. Unsere Intention für den ersten Band 2015 war die Erhebung und Analyse von nachhaltigen Aktivitäten verschiedener Akteure der TU Chemnitz im Rahmen eines studentischen Forschungsprojektes. Ziel der Analyse war es u.a. die mögliche Implementierung eines/einer Nachhaltigkeitsbeauftragten an der TU Chemnitz zu untersuchen und potentielle Tätigkeitsbereiche zu beschreiben. Neben dieser ersten Intention war aber auch die Kooperation mit der studentischen Initiative NATUC ein wichtiger Faktor, um zu zeigen, dass auch Akteure aus Lehre, Forschung und Administration der TU Chemnitz Engagement in Bezug auf Nachhaltigkeit zeigen. Die in diesem Band vorgestellten Poster von 2017 wurden im Rahmen des „Go Next!“ Tages der Nachhaltigkeit, eine Kooperation der NATUC sowie des Studentenwerkes Chemnitz-Zwickau, am 22. Juni 2017 in der Mensa der TU Chemnitz präsentiert. Leitfragen bei der Postererstellung waren wie auch schon 2015 „Welche Maßnahmen und Projekte setzen Sie als Akteur im Rahmen der ökologischen, ökonomischen und sozialen Nachhaltigkeit um?“ und „Welche Definition bzw. Konzept oder Leitbild von Nachhaltigkeit legen Sie diesen Maßnahmen und Projekten zugrunde?“. Ein Abstract bot den einzelnen Akteuren dann noch mal die Gelegenheit die einzelnen Aktivitäten detaillierter darzustellen. Der „Go Next!“ Tag der Nachhaltigkeit findet jährlich im Juni statt. Wir an der Professur für Innovationsforschung und Technologiemanagement haben uns entschieden in einem zweijährigen Rhythmus zur Einreichung von Postern und Abstracts zum „Go Next!“ Tag der Nachhaltigkeit aufzurufen, da wir hoffen dann auch vermehrt aktualisierte Beiträge präsentieren zu können. Was hat sich nun an der TU Chemnitz in Bezug auf Nachhaltigkeit getan seit 2015? Als ein erstes Ergebnis würden wir als Professur für Innovationsforschung und Technologiemanagement eine verbesserte Vernetzung in Bezug auf Nachhaltigkeit an der TU Chemnitz konstatieren. So sind wir als Professur mit anderen treibenden Kräften in Kontakt gekommen und konnten an einzelnen Initiativen partizipieren. Zu nennen wäre der von der Professur Politische Theorie und Ideengeschichte (vertreten durch Dr. Sebastian Liebold) und der Sächsischen Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Gesellschaft initiierte „Tag der Nachhaltigkeit“ am 2. Juni 2016 oder die von der NATUC 2015 gestartete Initiative, die TU Chemnitz als Fairtrade-University von TransFair, Verein zur Förderung des Fairen Handels mit der „Einen Welt“ e.V., auszeichnen zu lassen. Ebenfalls haben wir uns mit der NATUC, dem Netzwerk N sowie der Professur Politische Theorie und Ideengeschichte in einem Arbeitskreis getroffen um die Implementierung von Nachhaltigkeit als Institution an der TU Chemnitz voranzutreiben. In Bezug auf die Institutionalisierung ist seitdem leider nicht viel mehr geschehen. Hier offenbart sich wieder, dass das Thema Nachhaltigkeit viel (freiwilliges) Engagement verschiedener Akteure erfordert. Daher hoffen wir, dass die Akteure der TU Chemnitz weiterhin in Bezug auf Nachhaltigkeit aktiv bleiben und wir die Vernetzung weiter vorantreiben können. Wir wollen uns auch noch einmal bei allen Akteuren bedanken, die sich an unserem Band „Ökologische, ökonomische und soziale Nachhaltigkeit an der TU Chemnitz“ mit Beiträgen beteiligt haben. Besonderer Dank geht auch noch einmal an die NATUC, die uns zum einen bei der Initiierung des Posterbandes halfen und zum anderen durch Ihr Engagement die Möglichkeit boten, die Poster am „Go Next!“ Tag der Nachhaltigkeit zu präsentieren.

Schriftenreihe hrsg. von den Professoren des Instituts für Psychologie I, Arbeitsgruppe 'Wissen - Denken - Handeln' an der TU Dresden

Thesis (M. Sc. (Statistics)) -- University of Limpopo, 2021 / The ever increasing number of students who drop out of university remains a challenge for Higher Education administrators. In response to this, different studies have been conducted globally in order to identify student retention strategies to fix the problem. However, the challenge continues to prevail year in and year out. Most of the studies conducted in South Africa used statistical methods that ignore the temporal nature of the process of student dropout. This study uses discrete-time survival techniques to model the occurrence and timing of undergraduate engineering student dropout at Tshwane University of Technology (TUT). Discrete-time survival analysis techniques allow for a more appropriate utilisation of the longitudinal nature of institutional data, where the time dependence of the data, time-varying factors and time-invariant factors can all be accommodated in the analysis. The temporal nature of the process of student dropout was analysed for the cohort of students registered in engineering programmes for the first time in 2010 at Tshwane University of Technology using discrete-time survival analysis methods. The cohort was followed for five years from 2010 through 2014, inclusive. Of particular interest was the incidence of dropout, the determinants of dropout, comparison of the single risk discrete-time model with a competing risk discrete-time model, as well as testing for the effects of unobserved heterogeneity. The study used administrative data obtained from the ITS. The logit model was used to estimate the effects of race, gender, Matric performance, performance in Matric Mathematics, residence type, English language status and time on time to dropout with time measured in academic years. A discretetime competing risk model in the form of a multinomial logit model was also estimated to account for the possible correlation between graduation and dropout. A frailty model assuming a Gaussian distribution for the frailty term was also estimated to account for unobserved heterogeneity. The study established that the risk of dropout for nonwhite students is significantly higher than that of white students. Furthermore, it was found that the effects of residence type varied with time. For instance, in the first year students with private based accommodation were more likely to dropout compared to those residing onvi Abstract campus. On the other hand, in the third year students accommodated in private residences were less likely to dropout than those residing on-campus. The findings also indicate that the effect of having English as a first language as opposed to as a second language on the risk of dropout was only significant in the fourth year such that first language English students were more at risk of dropout compared to second language students. The findings also revealed inconsistencies between the estimates from the single risk and the competing risk model. Moreover, the effect of unobserved heterogeneity was found to be insignificant. Recommendations from this study are that discrete-time survival analysis model is more efficient than traditional methods used for analysis of student dropout and should therefore be used for analysis of academic outcomes such as dropout. The model can account for the temporal nature of the process of dropout. Both time-varying and time-invariant explanatory variables can be included in the model.The effects of time-invariant explanatory variables that might have time-varying effects can also be investigated.

This study examines the efficacy of collection development and management practices, policies, guidelines and standards in universities of technology to meet the information needs of academics and researchers at such institutions. In South Africa, as in Australasia, technikons or polytechnics have been upgraded first into degree granting institutions and then, at the beginning of the 21st century, into universities of technology. The researcher was concerned that library collections in South African universities of technology have not grown to meet the research and teaching needs of academics at the level of universities offering instruction up to a doctoral level. As research funding, government grants and the general prestige of the institutions depend on the research output of the institutions, it is essential that academics and researchers find the information resources they require in their institutional libraries. Case studies of universities of technology in New Zealand and South Africa reveal that, while Auckland University of Technology has been successful in extending its collection to meet the increasing demands placed on it, the collection development policies, standards and guidelines in a South African university of technology need to be upgraded in order to meet the information needs and information behaviour of their researchers and academics. Current levels of funding for the acquisition of information resources in South Africa lag behind those found at the New Zealand university of technology. The university of technology that was the object of the South African case study needs to bring its collection in line with that of similar institutions worldwide. This entails adapting goals and objectives stating how the collection is to develop, evaluating the collection and the needs of users, changing the Collection Development Policy to reflect the direction collection development will take and ensuring that the institution and the government back this project financially. To this end, a model Collection Development Policy has been drawn up that can be adapted to the local requirements of South African universities of technology to assist with the process of developing and managing library collections that will be worthy of such an institution. / Information Science / D. Litt. et Phil. (Information Science)

This study examines the efficacy of collection development and management practices, policies, guidelines and standards in universities of technology to meet the information needs of academics and researchers at such institutions. In South Africa, as in Australasia, technikons or polytechnics have been upgraded first into degree granting institutions and then, at the beginning of the 21st century, into universities of technology. The researcher was concerned that library collections in South African universities of technology have not grown to meet the research and teaching needs of academics at the level of universities offering instruction up to a doctoral level. As research funding, government grants and the general prestige of the institutions depend on the research output of the institutions, it is essential that academics and researchers find the information resources they require in their institutional libraries. Case studies of universities of technology in New Zealand and South Africa reveal that, while Auckland University of Technology has been successful in extending its collection to meet the increasing demands placed on it, the collection development policies, standards and guidelines in a South African university of technology need to be upgraded in order to meet the information needs and information behaviour of their researchers and academics. Current levels of funding for the acquisition of information resources in South Africa lag behind those found at the New Zealand university of technology. The university of technology that was the object of the South African case study needs to bring its collection in line with that of similar institutions worldwide. This entails adapting goals and objectives stating how the collection is to develop, evaluating the collection and the needs of users, changing the Collection Development Policy to reflect the direction collection development will take and ensuring that the institution and the government back this project financially. To this end, a model Collection Development Policy has been drawn up that can be adapted to the local requirements of South African universities of technology to assist with the process of developing and managing library collections that will be worthy of such an institution. / Information Science / D. Litt. et Phil. (Information Science)

Thesis (Ph. D.) - Central University of Technology, Free State, 2007 / This academic study was conducted as a critical scientific enquiry on the positionality of service learning at selected South African higher education institutions. The study critically and scientifically reflects on the positionality of the concept of service learning as practised at higher education institutions. It elucidates the different levels of conceptualisation and operationalisation of service learning by universities in relation to their catchment areas. In so doing, the study probes the positionality of power relations between higher education institutions and their catchment areas and/or local communities in the practice of service leaning. Given the traditional and historical domineering and ‘ivory tower’ positioning and conduct of higher education institutions in relation to their catchment areas, the study explores the fundamental nature and spirit of power relations in the operationalisation of service learning. It probes whether the relationship between service learning policy development and societal development initiatives is still shaped and influenced by historical legacies of the apartheid logic, such as academic domineering and institutional hegemony. The study also investigates whether these feature in the pursuit of service learning, curriculum development and transformative efforts as practised by selected universities. In order to draw parallels with studies of a similar nature, the study interrogates related literature. This enabled reflection on progressive conceptualisations of service learning, as opposed to retrogressive and/or technicist and, perhaps hegemonic and categorising concepts of service learning. In so doing, the study moves from the premise that, despite high levels of interest in civic matters within and among institutions of higher learning in South Africa, service learning as a vehicle for social transformation and progressive teaching and learning, seems to be largely neglected, under-theorised and, at times, disguised as a tool for the reproduction of inequalities. As a means of collecting data for the purpose of analysis and interpretation, the study uses a purely qualitative methodology. A Textually Oriented Discourse Analysis (TODA) was selected as a first choice and preferred methodology for the study of this nature because of its propensity to thematise issues of power relations. Furthermore, qualitative methodology is predisposed to recognising the subjectivity of the researcher in being intimately involved in the research process. This subjectivity, as encouraged by qualitative methodology, has guided everything in this research study, beginning with the choice of the topic, proceeding to developing objectives for the study, to the selection of the methodology itself and ultimately to the interpretation of data. Through this methodology, the researcher was encouraged to reflect on the values and objectives of the study and how these could be used to problematise issues of power relations. Although the study presents some quantitative data from other sources, there were a number of research problems that, for one reason or the other, did not lend themselves to a quantitative/ positivistic approach. Claims and pronouncements of quantitative researchers about the principles of objectivity, quantification and absolutism are not appropriate for thematising about issues of power relations, especially in instances of hegemony, domination, exclusivity, ideological inclination, discursion, justice and emancipatory praxis. To contextualise and narrow the focus area for research purposes, two South African higher education institutions (the universities of the Free State and of the Witwatersrand) were selected for the study. The choice of the two institutions was influenced by their history of involvement in service learning and curriculum repositioning processes. They have also been consistently portrayed by the South African academic world as strong campaigners in the operationalisation of first-rate service learning models, in the Free State and Gauteng provinces respectively (refer to chapter three for a detailed justification for such a choice). The findings of this study indicate that the selected universities have responded to calls to reposition themselves in the area of synchronising their academic offerings with the reconstruction and development imperatives of the country. The research established that the two institutions have produced strategic service learning policy documents as a means of responding more appropriately to the needs of communities. The implementation of such documents was intended to enable the two institutions to develop service learning policy positions, thus making an institutional commitment to operationalising service learning. The study has, however, determined that there are gaps and inconsistencies in terms of policy commitments and the operationalisation of service learning by the two institutions. In line with the themes developed in this study, it was established that the two institutions have limited the extent of their commitment to paper (policy documentation) and heartfelt pronouncements. The study furthermore reveals that despite the paper and heartfelt commitments of the two institutions on the concept of service learning, they are still restfully positioned as expert-oriented entities. By their nature and continuous domineering roles, they remain sites for the transmission of an effective dominant and domineering culture which limits the possibilities of their unleashing an emancipatory praxis that is so critical in the context of a transforming South Africa.

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.

Thesis (M. Tech. Marketing) -- Central University of Technology, Free state, 2011 / In this study, the researcher employed literature review and an empirical study to: * Establish the effect of consumer behaviour on the expansion of the small, medium and micro manufacturing enterprises (SMMEs) in Welkom. * Determine the marketing strategies adopted by the manufacturing SMMEs in Welkom. The Government of South Africa (SA) enacted the Small Business Act to assist small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) to contribute to job creation in SA (Lotter, 2009: 53). Furthermore, the government established the Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA) in an effort to relate more closely to the SMMEs, so that they could contribute more meaningfully to the economy of the country by creating employment. In addition, the Umsobomvu Youth Fund and Youth Commission were established by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to assist young entrepreneurs financially and non-financially to start and run sustainable small enterprises (South Africa. National Small Business Act 102, 1996: 3). However, significant research done on SMMEs in SA found that they had made no meaningful contribution to job creation. This problem was in fact so serious that most SMMEs were shutting down, a problem which included SMMEs situated in Welkom (Lotter, 2009: 53). This research project therefore sought to investigate the possible sources of this shutdown of manufacturing SMMEs in Welkom. Many other researchers had investigated possible causes such as the effect of the lack of business management skills, the closure of local gold mines, etc. However, the effect of consumer behaviour (CB) as the possible source of this shutdown problem had not been investigated; hence, this researcher chose to investigate the effect of CB on the development of the manufacturing SMMEs in Welkom. The research design firstly identified the manufacturing SMMEs as the population for the study and the sample subjects as their top managers and supervisors. The mixed method was employed. The researcher used literature studies, the qualitative approach and the quantitative approach as the mixed method. Data collecting instruments were the personal interview and self administered questionnaires. The researcher employed the random sampling method and, in particular the systematic sampling method, to select the respondents. A letter of permission was obtained from the Matjhabeng municipality to conduct this research project and the subjects were given letters of assurance for ethical consideration. The aim of using literature studies was to determine the relevant model for this research study and to determine the findings of earlier researchers on this topic. The model was the theoretical foundation on which the research project was based. The model determined from the literature studies indicated that CB was influenced by internal and external factors. Examples of internal factors included perception, attitudes, learning, personality, and beliefs etc., while examples of external factors included family, marketing communication, friends, economic factors, etc. This model underpinned the empirical research conducted, and the interview and questionnaire items were based on the influencing factors outlined by this model. The empirical research was conducted to relevant collect data that could assist to answers the following research questions: * What are the effects of CB on the expansion of the manufacturing SMMEs in Welkom? * What are the growth strategies adopted by the manufacturing SMMEs in Welkom? Interviews with top managers were recorded on voice recorder and supervisors completed questionnaires. Qualitative data were transcribed from the voice recordings, themes were developed from the transcripts and descriptive statistics were used to analyse the themes. Data from the quantitative method were analysed through the social package for social sciences (SPSS), employing descriptive statistics to determine the findings. The analysis for quantitative data was represented by cumulative frequency distribution tables for each option of the questionnaire items, while the analysis for qualitative data was represented on a template for data coding and also compressed into frequency tables. The study‟s findings both from literature studies and from empirical research revealed that negative attitude, economic situation, cultural changes and improved education level of consumers resulted in non development of the manufacturing SMMEs in Welkom. The interview with the top managers further revealed that there was lack of specific marketing strategies adopted by the managers. Therefore, it was shown in this study that the effect of CB on the development of the manufacturing SMMEs in Welkom was non development.