Enterprise is often described as risk for reward, but it may be possible to reduce the risk while improving returns. According to SEDA, failure rates of SMMEs in South Africa range from 70 to 80 percent. The need for this study arose when it was found that most SMMEs did not have a formal system in place to mitigate their risks right from the outset in the feasibility study, the business plan design and the start–up of the business. This lack of mitigation controls could be a result of a lack of understanding of the enterprise risk management (ERM) methodology or an inappropriate ERM decision–making model to assist them in a way that would mitigate their risk and minimise financial losses. The ERM approach can anticipate unplanned occurrences and is a systematic way of foreseeing the future. Entrepreneurs and business owners take on risks to pursue new business objectives within their respective risk appetites. This study also evaluated several models of risk identification and the ERM methodology. In this study an ERM model, ISO 31000, was applied in a business case and a comparison was made between the risks identified in the business plan and the ERM approach. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

Previous research has generated a substantial body of knowledge regarding the exploration and exploitation of opportunities, two of the main manifest activities of entrepreneurship. This thesis does not primarily examine any of these activities; instead it investigates an important question regarding what happens between them. It seeks to answer why some of the identified opportunities are selected for exploitation. It does so by building on, and contributing to, a research stream that struggles with the link between the entrepreneurial activity of firms and theory about strategy. One of the main contributions of this thesis is the identification of a number of strategic motive dimensions that are associated with the pursuit of corporate ventures. It also demonstrates how these motives are related to significant venture differences, thereby connecting corporate entrepreneurship to strategy in a means-ends relationship. In other words, it provides insight into how strategy is the why of entrepreneurship, and entrepreneurship is the how of strategies (that involve business development). The analysis was based on quantitative data from 274 venture attempts in 222 firms, belonging to a population of 1737 small- and medium-sized manufacturing firms in Sweden. Target respondents were the CEO:s. The findings indicate that venture selection can be influenced by both offensive and defensive strategic motives. In addition, it turned out that ventures can be of both proactive and reactive nature. Together, these two dimensions describe how the venture relates to the firm’s strategic circumstances. To better understand top managers’ intentions, the two dimensions were complimented with measurements of what the firm tries to affect with the venture, i.e. to which facet of business the venture efforts are directed (economy, competition, or competence development). The three dimensions, identified through factor analysis, were labeled “posture”, “adaptive style”, and “orientation”. Alternative non-strategic motives, as well as items for validity evaluation, were included in the survey for comparison. Combinations of the motive dimensions were then presented as “motive profiles”, for four types of ventures identified through clustering techniques. Furthermore, another important contribution is the examination of Roberts & Berry’s hypothesis: That the extent and direction of business development determine the amount of uncertainty faced during venture execution, which in turn is proposed to influence the probability of a positive outcome. Regarding these issues, the study was able to refine the mixed findings in previous research, through the investigation of larger firm- and venture-level samples. The obtained results imply that the distance between the venture and the current business of the firm, in terms of products and technologies, is unimportant for venture outcome. However, a small negative effect of market uncertainty, in turn related to market development distance, was confirmed. / QC 20100820

Bakgrund: Sjuksköterskans kliniska arbete ska präglas av ett etiskt förhållningssätt som genomsyrar omvårdnadsarbetet i att skapa vårdrelationer och patientdelaktighet. God vård är allt mer jämställt med begreppet personcentrerad vård, att se människan och personen i patienten. Syfte: Att utforska hur personcentrerad vård kan utföras i sjuksköterskans kliniska arbete. Metod: En litteraturstudie av 20 artiklar har genomförts. Resultat: Analysen genererade ett antal strategier som presenterades i fem teman: Att se personen, Att lyssna, Att skapa relationer, Att visa respekt och empati, Att skapa stödjande miljö. Slutsats: Det är essentiellt att förstå att trots varierande strategier är det nödvändigt att flera strategier bör tillgås för att uppnå personcentrerad vård i alla situationer. Klinisk betydelse: Denna studie bidrar med kunskap om vad personcentrerad vård innebär och ger ökad insikt i hur det kan uppnås i det dagliga kliniska arbetet. / Background: The nurse work within an ethical framework that provides guidelines in the requirements of establishing nurse-patient relationships and in shared decision making. Good quality in nursing care depend on to what degree the nurse meet these requirements, which is equated to patient-centered care: to place the person of the patient in the center of care. Aim: To explore how patient-centered care may be performed in the nurse’s clinical setting. Methods: A literature review of 20 articles was performed. Results: The analysis resulted in various strategies. These strategies are presented in five main themes: To see the person, To listen, To create relationships, To show respect and empathy, To create healing environments. Conclusion: Despite the fact that there are various strategies, it is essential to understand that a combination of them is needed, in order to truly fulfil person-centered care. Clinical significance: This study may contribute to knowledge on how patient-centered care may be achieved in the everyday clinical setting.

Submitted in fulfillment for the Requirements of the Degree of Master of Built Environment, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2018. / Finance is a critical aspect that needs to be closely monitored in a business and during the lifespan of a construction project. Emerging contractors need to develop and run sustainable businesses in the construction industry. The extent of expertise in funds management by emerging contractors directly relates to their development. Therefore, all efforts must be geared towards their expertise, development and sustenance. Emerging contractors need to manage their finances, be competitive, and deliver projects in the required quality, time and within the allocated budget. This study aims at determining challenges faced by emerging contractors, the root causes of challenges of emerging contractors in funds management, the impact of emerging contractor challenges on project delivery time. Further, the study aims to develop a flow chart that will mitigate emerging contractor challenges in funds management. The study was conducted in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa using a questionnaire. Questionnaires were distributed in two phases and respondents to the study included emerging contractors and industry stakeholders. Random and systematic sampling techniques were employed in the selection of samples. A total of 85 questionnaires were analysed for the study. Inferential statistics was employed for analysis of data. Findings include late payment for completed work which ultimately causes delays; interference with project performance; inadequate planning; unskilled site manpower; late delivery of material; late identification of errors and resolution of drawings, specification errors and omissions; community unrest, militancy and communal crises and interference by political leaders are some of the key factors that negatively affect emerging contractors’ funds management. When adequate attention is given to these factors, it results in project success. In addition, improvement of contractor performance and quality of work; involvement of tribal authorities, provision of finances for project by funders, securing finances and materials credit; successfully managing project finances from inception to completion leads to profits being made and projects are completed successfully and within budget when payment for work done is effected on time. Recommendations include ensuring that sufficient finances are secured, allocated and properly managed from inception to completion of a project; payments are prepared, submitted and paid on time. Planning is improved to combat project delays including ordering materials in advance, identifying design and specification errors early, engaging all project stakeholders to avoid disputes and attending formal training courses to acquire skills that will assist in running projects and managing successful and sustainable businesses. It is also recommended that the new proposed programme and flowchart be adopted to assist the South African construction industry in improving the financial management practices and develop skill of emerging contractors; its adoption will alleviate challenges facing emerging contractors in funds management. / M

abstract: Restaurants have a cumulative impact on the environment, economy, and society. The majority of restaurants are small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs). Review of sustainability and industry literature revealed that considering restaurants as businesses with sustainable development options is the most appropriate way to evaluate their sustainable practices or lack thereof. Sustainable development is the means by which a company progresses towards achieving an identified set of sustainability goals and harnesses competitive advantage. The purpose of this thesis is to identify barriers to implementing sustainable practices in restaurants, and explore ways that restaurateurs can incorporate sustainable business practices. Energy consumption, water use, waste production, and food throughput are the four sustainability indicators addressed in this thesis. Interviews were conducted with five Tempe, Arizona restaurants, two of which consider their operations to be sustainable, and three of which are traditional restaurants. Results show that for traditional restaurants, the primary barriers to implementing sustainable business practices are cost, lack of awareness, and space. For sustainability-marketed restaurants, the barriers included a lack of knowledge or legal concerns. The sustainability-marketed restaurants have energy-efficient equipment and locally source a majority of their food purchases. There is a marked difference between the two types of restaurants in perception of barriers to sustainable business practices. I created a matrix to identify whether each indicator metric was applicable and present at a particular restaurant, and the potential barriers to implementing sustainable practices in each of the four indicator areas. Restaurants can use the assessment matrix to compare their current practices with sustainable practices and find ways to implement new or enhance existing sustainable practices. Identifying the barriers from within restaurants increases our understanding of the reasons why sustainable practices are not automatically adopted by SMEs. The assessment matrix can help restaurants overcome barriers to achieving sustainability by highlighting how to incorporate sustainable business practices. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.S. Sustainability 2011

Antalet företag som köper färdiga standardsystem istället för att utveckla ett eget har ökat de senaste åren. Det största problemet med standardsystem är att det inte är anpassat speci-fikt för kundens verksamhet vilket innebär att viss anpassning av både system och verk-samhet är nödvändig. Syftet med denna uppsats är att undersöka hur två systempaketsimplementatörer ser på verksamhetsutveckling. För att uppfylla vårt syfte, ämnar vi att besvara följande fyra frågor. Anser systempaketsimplementatörerna att det är företaget som ska anpassa sig till deras sy-stem eller ska systemet anpassas till företagets verksamhet? Ska ansvaret för att integrera systemet i verksamheten läggas på kunden eller implementatören eller ska det vara ett sam-spel? Anser de båda systempaketsimplementatörerna att det är bättre att få kunderna att jobba med mer standardiserade processer istället för att anpassa systemen? Hur bidrar de båda implementatörerna till kundens verksamhetsutvecklingsarbete? Eftersom vårt syfte går ut på att ta fram implementatörernas åsikter och attityder om verk-samhetsutveckling har vi valt att genomföra en kvalitativ undersökning baserad på intervju-er. Anledningen till att vi valde en kvalitativ metod är för att vi avser studera respondentens syn på sin egen roll i utvecklingsarbetet. Intervjuer valdes för att vi önskade få en naturlig kontakt med respondenten och därmed kunna tolka deras åsikter och attityder. För att analysera empirin jämförde vi den insamlade informationen från de två företagen med teorier om hur verksamhetsutveckling verkligen skall bedrivas. Vi jämförde även de båda företagens syn för att se om det fanns några signifikanta skillnader. Genom analysen kom vi fram till att de båda företagen dels inte skilde sig nämnvärt åt vad gäller deras syn på verksamhetsutveckling. Samt att de även använde sig av en metodik som stämmer relativt väl överens med de teorier vi har behandlat i uppsatsen. / The number of companies that buys standard systems instead of developing their own has increased over the past few years. The main problem with the standardised systems is that they are not adapted specifically to the customers business and thus some adaptation work is required for both the system as well as the business. The purpose of this report is to find the view of two system package implementers consid-ering business development. In order to find the answer to this we have asked the follow-ing four questions. Do the implementers consider that it is they who should adapt their systems to their cus-tomer or should their customers adapt to the system? Should the responsibility for the in-tegration of the system be put on the customer or implementer, or should it be a joined re-sponsibility? Do the implementers consider it to be better if the customer works with more standardised processes instead of adapting the system? In what way do the implementers contribute to their customers business development? Since our purpose is to find the implementers opinions and attitudes on business develop-ment we have chosen to conduct a qualitative study based on interviews. The reason we chose a qualitative method is because we intend to study the implementers view on their own role in the development work. Interviews where chosen since we wished to gain a natural contact with our responder and from that be able to interpret their views and atti-tudes. To analyze our empirical findings we compared the collected information from the two implementers with theories about how business development should be conducted. We also compared the view of the two implementers to see if there where any significant dif-ferences. Through the analysis we concluded that the two implementers did not differ significantly amongst each other. We could also see that they both worked relatively in line with the theories we have discussed in the report.

The subject of this thesis is to determine a business strategy, that will allow the company Farmet a.s. to increase its sales and to strengthen the position on the markets. The theoretical part describes methods and procedures that are further being referred to in the main part. The main part consists of the internal and the external environment analysis, as well as the SWOT analysis. Based on the actual accounting data and with regards to the current company position, there are several proposed strategies of possible business development. These strategic options are evaluated in terms of their individual profitability and risk. The final part of this thesis determines the optimum strategy and describes its implementation in more detail.

The diploma thesis is focused on the proposal of strategic development of the small family winery Stavek located in South Moravia. The theoretical part defines the fundamentals necessary for better understanding the issues of the development and growth of the company. The current situation of the company is evaluated in the analytical part by using selected analytical methods. This evaluation will serve as a basis for deciding on the next strategic directions. The most suitable development strategy is specified in the design part of this thesis and includes schedule of changes for the near future.

Master´s thesis is focused on a presentation of entrepreneurial intention of corporate information strategy. The corporate information strategy is based on the analysis of current situation of the company and its environment which uses modern trends in IT business. It is about a complex solution which should help to the growth of turnover, strengthen of mark of company and stabilize the market position.

The master’s thesis aim is a proposal of an improvement of the company marketing strategy. The analyzed company is involved in a providing of complex services which correlate with realm of internet presentations, web design, online shops and internet marketing. The theoretical part of the thesis is focused on explaining the problems of marketing, strategy and company business environment, online business and the way to improve company marketing strategy. The analytical part is engaged in analysis from a viewpoint of contemporary strategy, marketing, company operation, market research, business environment and currently offered services. The final part of the thesis includes proposals to improve the company marketing strategy and it mentions effects on current particular factors.