This research identified the critical success factors in the growth of small businesses in South Africa against the theories of small business growth. The study applied both quantitative and qualitative research methodology to identify which factors contributed most to the growth of the sample of 131 small businesses in Gauteng province. This was done by (1) identifying the mean characteristics of small businesses that had experienced their first disruption to growth after establishment, (2) identifying the dominant reasons for the growth challenges, (3) identifying the tools and/or actions employed to transgress the first challenge to growth and (4) comparing these actions to small businesses that had not experienced challenges to their growth. Small businesses facing growth challenges were found to be between one and three years old, have 36 staff, have sales revenue of R13,5 million and sales growing at 25% per annum. The most common mitigation tools and/or actions were to hire more staff, hire competent professional management, source external professional assistance in the form of a mentor and restructure reporting lines. This research found that the focus of small business development should focus on these types of businesses because of their propensity to grow faster and employ more staff. This study also emphasised the growth aspirations of the owner/ manager. Lastly a management model for small businesses was presented. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

This body of research investigates the capability and propensity of a selection of inks and coatings manufacturing micro-, small- and medium enterprises, based in and around Cape Town in the Western Cape, to export product Academic literature reviewed emphasised the fact that the size of the organisation and the level of education resident in the organisation was an important enabler for the business to be export- ready. The evidence- based research conducted in this study found that networks linking businesses to concerns already involved in exporting was the greatest enabler. Previous export experience amongst the management certainly influenced the alacrity with which the business took to exporting (a matter of knowing the pitfalls and being able to mitigate risk beforehand). However, this was not a deterrent to entering the export market. A champion was needed to keep the export process on track The size of the business in now way impeded that business from exploiting the opportunities when they were presented. The academic literature reviewed also alluded to the poor skills available in the labour poor. The study found that businesses were able to work around these hindrances (not obstacles). The professional qualifications tended to be resident within the senior management team, which pulled the company through the exporting process. This has worked well in the short term. However it could prove a disabling factor in the long term if suitable qualified candidates could not be found to absorb and take on the running of the business after the incumbent management team leaves or retires. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

Businesses cluster to achieve agglomeration benefits. However, research in developing countries suggests that the economic environment limits small business’ propensity to benefit from agglomerations. The study examines the location, networking patterns, formal structures and owner characteristics of 1256 micro businesses from ten industries and thirteen sample areas in Toluca, Mexico. First, the thesis analyses whether clustering has a positive impact on the success rates of the surveyed enterprises, e.g. higher sales per employee. On an industry scale only Retail benefits from agglomerations economies. However, results of the neighborhood data show that specific areas benefit from urbanization economies. Overall, the study finds that businesses located within agglomerations, have higher levels of formalization, networking and professional training, hence constituting a more sophisticated base for economic development. Conclusions can be drawn for development policies and programs, arguing for a more differentiated approach of small business development depending on business location and cluster characteristics.

Syftet med denna uppsats är att undersöka förutsättningar för lärande för mikroföretagare(ägare/chefer i företag med färre än 10 anställda). En webbenkät används för att samla in svarfrån 52 mikroföretagare i Sverige. Datamaterialet analyseras med hjälp av ett teoretisktramverk bestående av fem punkter för förutsättningar för lärande. De fem punkterna ärhandlingsutrymme, interaktionsutrymme, utbildningsmöjligheter, organisationskultur samtindividens lust och engagemang att lära. Alla statistiska beräkningar och analyser görs medhjälp med av SPSS. Ur studiens resultat går det att utläsa att handlingsutrymmet är stort dåarbetstyper med stor lärpotential förekommer mest i mikroföretagarnas arbete.Interaktionsutrymmet är även stort då mikroföretagarna anser att de kan fråga om råd ochdiskutera problem med både medarbetare och andra professionella. Majoriteten avmikroföretagarna nätverkar i ganska stor till stor utsträckning. Utbildningsmöjligheterna ärtvetydiga då svaren är väldigt spridda och inte förmedlar en enhetlig bild.Organisationskulturen hos mikroföretagarna präglas av normer som uppmuntrar till att görakarriär horisontellt, ta initiativ, utrymme för risktagande och misstag samt kritisktifrågasättande av arbetsuppgifter. Individens lust och engagemang att lära är också stor dåmikroföretagarna känner trygghet inför förväntningar på utveckling samt har en positiv attitydtill utbildningsaktiviteter och teknik som verktyg för lärande. Mikroföretagarna tycker attlärande främst sker i det dagliga arbetet. Resultatet visar vidare att mikroföretagarna ärsplittrade när det gäller både om företagsklimatet i Sverige är gynnsamt för deras företag samtom de använder lärande och kompetensutveckling som en strategi. Slutsatserna som dras äratt förutsättningarna för lärande för mikroföretagare är goda när det gäller handlingsutrymme,interaktionsutrymme, organisationskultur samt individens lust och engagemang att lära.Utbildningsmöjligheter är däremot svårtolkad. Studien bör replikeras men med användandetav ett OSU samt ett större urval för att möjliggöra generalisering samt jämförelser mellangrupper.

South Africa as a developing country experienced high levels of poverty and unemployment. These levels emanate from skills gap and low literacy rate in the townships populated by low income households. To an extent some households lacked access to participate in the economic sector, resulting from fragmented policies and apartheid regime. The lack of participation among the households placed pressure on government. These problems forced the state to provide social protection (grants). Such allowances are expensive especially where there are fewer opportunities for employment activities. The promotion of entrepreneurship and small business remains an important priority of the government of South Africa. The South African government is acknowledged for its commitments to ensure that small businesses progressively contribute to growth and performance of the South African economy. Globally, numerous policy legislative frameworks have been developed to support the SMMEs. This study aimed to discover the support given to the SMMEs by the South African government. In particular, the study is situated within the SMMEs in the SDM. The hypothesis for this study is premised on the fact that SMME`s can contribute immensely to job creation. The outcomes of this argument relies on the provisions based on a conducive environment which can enable the SMME`s to thrive. This statement was validated by means of literature review, interviews and site visits. This study found that the SMMEs are indeed the cornerstone of job creation and for sustainable livelihoods. LED programmes can create more jobs through the SMME sector. Literature worldwide confirms that the SMMEs are vital in creating employment opportunities. This research also confirmed that this is possible only if the environment in which SMMEs operate in is favourable for the SMMEs to prosper. In this regard many policy documents were developed to emphasize the stance of government to develop, grow and capacitate SMMEs in South Africa. It is indeed true that the LED can be used to grow and capacitate SMMEs in South Africa. Despite the progress being made on the development of the SMMEs, few issues need to be taken care off. The municipality indicated that there are no monitoring procedures in place which make it difficult to measure the infectiveness of their interventions and they further pointed out that they are working on the matter. The measurement of these milestones is not properly recorded to inform future generations. It is suggested that more research should be emphasised on the SMME sector, especially being the mandate of the municipality. / Thesis (M. Development and Management (Public Management and Government))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2013

Micro enterprises have become popularised globally as the favoured option for development and have played a key role in poverty alleviation. The main premise of using micro enterprises has been to build the capacity of the individual to be self- sustaining and to move away from the continued dependency on state welfare. Micro enterprises are also seen as a key tool to allow participation of the disempowered population. In South Africa micro enterprises have been hailed by government as playing a pivotal role in creating employment opportunities for the poor people. The study was conducted to gain a deeper understanding of how beneficiaries view the role played by micro enterprises in reducing poverty. This qualitative research was based on case studies of 12 female participants who were selected using convenience sampling based on their availability and participation in micro enterprise initiatives. An interview schedule was used and the interviews were tape recorded. The major findings that emerged were that beneficiaries perceive micro enterprises as meeting their basic needs like food and rates, to others they were a way of supplementing income. Most participants perceived micro enterprise rather as a hobby than an effective income generating activity. None of the beneficiaries had business skills, equipment or information and capital to grow their business beyond their residential areas. None of the micro enterprises were able to create employment for others. Various factors such as lack of capital, low literacy levels, poor business management skills and non-entrepreneurial mind-set amongst others have resulted in this failure. Beneficiaries of this study perceived the income from their micro enterprises not enough to qualify their micro enterprises as a poverty reduction tool. The main conclusion drawn from the study is that whilst profit generated through participating in micro enterprises meet the beneficiaries’ basic necessities, it is insufficient income to meaningfully reduce poverty.

South Africa as a developing country experienced high levels of poverty and unemployment. These levels emanate from skills gap and low literacy rate in the townships populated by low income households. To an extent some households lacked access to participate in the economic sector, resulting from fragmented policies and apartheid regime. The lack of participation among the households placed pressure on government. These problems forced the state to provide social protection (grants). Such allowances are expensive especially where there are fewer opportunities for employment activities. The promotion of entrepreneurship and small business remains an important priority of the government of South Africa. The South African government is acknowledged for its commitments to ensure that small businesses progressively contribute to growth and performance of the South African economy. Globally, numerous policy legislative frameworks have been developed to support the SMMEs. This study aimed to discover the support given to the SMMEs by the South African government. In particular, the study is situated within the SMMEs in the SDM. The hypothesis for this study is premised on the fact that SMME`s can contribute immensely to job creation. The outcomes of this argument relies on the provisions based on a conducive environment which can enable the SMME`s to thrive. This statement was validated by means of literature review, interviews and site visits. This study found that the SMMEs are indeed the cornerstone of job creation and for sustainable livelihoods. LED programmes can create more jobs through the SMME sector. Literature worldwide confirms that the SMMEs are vital in creating employment opportunities. This research also confirmed that this is possible only if the environment in which SMMEs operate in is favourable for the SMMEs to prosper. In this regard many policy documents were developed to emphasize the stance of government to develop, grow and capacitate SMMEs in South Africa. It is indeed true that the LED can be used to grow and capacitate SMMEs in South Africa. Despite the progress being made on the development of the SMMEs, few issues need to be taken care off. The municipality indicated that there are no monitoring procedures in place which make it difficult to measure the infectiveness of their interventions and they further pointed out that they are working on the matter. The measurement of these milestones is not properly recorded to inform future generations. It is suggested that more research should be emphasised on the SMME sector, especially being the mandate of the municipality. / Thesis (M. Development and Management (Public Management and Government))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2013

abstract: The key chanllenge for Small and Micro Enterprises (SMEs) to get credit or loans is the fact that traditional financing business model in commercial banks cannot meet SMEs’ financial needs. Through extensive theoretical research, market analysis especially on SMEs’ behavioral characteristics and demands, serveral case studies on market-leading banks such as Wells Fargo and KASIKORN BANK, and the actual implementation experiences in China Minsheng Bank and Pingan Bank, this article proposes a new business model for servicing SMEs for commercial banks in China, which includes the principle and rationale of the business model, the technical foundation, business process and organizational structure, as well as the future transition of the model. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Business Administration 2015

This study dealt with the issue of sustainability of ICT4D initiatives being a problem with few success stories (Heeks, 2002, Toyama, 2010). Many of these initiatives were planned and executed in a top-down fashion by large funders and governments, and these failures have stimulated the search for new strategies to achieve long-term sustainability. One possible approach is to consider the different levels of systems that are involved. The reasons for failure lie inside the scope of a project, within the community itself, and outside the community in the larger socio-economic system which includes the economy. A systems approach with respect to the analysis of the sustainability (or lack thereof) of development initiatives was therefore adopted. The Choice Framework of Dorothea Kleine (2010) was used since it is a systemic approach, developed in the study of ICT4D initiatives, that embraces the complexity of engaging with development paradigms, societal structures and personal agency. The research was done on a large South African government initiative, the Broadband-for-All (BB4All), community-based wireless mesh network project which aimed to provide a cost-effective way of enabling reliable broadband connectivity in rural areas. The project had two key aspects, the provision of a large-scale demonstrator of a wireless mesh network (WMN) as a broadband solution and the establishment of a Village Operator (VO) model to support access to and increase the use of the technology. The teachers and learners in more than 170 schools were the primary customers. Young people from local communities were trained as VOs to become local entrepreneurs (micro-enterprises) responsible for operating and supporting the BB4All service in their assigned cluster of schools and respective communities. The research focus was the sustainability of the VOs. The Choice Framework was used to provide a context for the research regarding the role played by social resources (social capital) in contributing to the sustainability of the VO micro-enterprises. In-depth interviews were held with all but one of the 15 VOs in order to develop an understanding of their social capital and the influence thereof on them as entrepreneurs. The importance and usefulness of social capital in supporting sustainability at VO and initiative level was analysed. Three major themes emerged that were analysed in detail, namely, the role of social capital, community service and social entrepreneurship, as well as the development of networks of innovation. At a theoretical level, the research reflected on implications of the findings for the role of social capital in the Choice Framework. At a practical level, considerations for using a social capital perspective in order to improve the conceptualisation, design, implementation and transfer of ICT4D initiatives for sustainability were developed. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2016. / Informatics / PhD / Unrestricted

MCom (Business Management) / Department of Business Management / The spaza-shop sector is an integral part of the Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) in the South African economy. The industry is made up of more than 100 000 enterprises with a collective annual turnover of R7 billion. Spaza shops also contribute about 4% (about 100 000 jobs) of employment in the informal sector. Spaza shops usually have a short lifespan and rarely grow; the failure rate of spaza shops, including those owned by immigrants is very high in South Africa. It is estimated that the failure rate of small businesses (including spaza shops) in South Africa is between 70% and 80%. It is also noted that about 50% of small businesses fail within the first five years of commencement of business, irrespective of the country. Despite severe competitive pressures faced by SMMEs, immigrants (especially Somalis and Ethiopians) have established a strong foothold in the spaza-shop sector. The main objective of the study was to investigate the success factors of immigrant-owned spaza shops in Thulamela Local Municipality. To address the research question, which focuses on the lived experiences and perceptions of participants, the interpretivist paradigm was used. A qualitative approach was adopted with a sample of 25 participants; purposive sampling was used to select participants with the required characteristics. Structured interview questions administered through face-to-face interviews were used to collect data and content analysis was used to analyse data. The data collected revealed that there are a plethora of success factors that are enhancing the continuance and sustenance of immigrant spaza shops in Thulamela Local Municipality. Of these, the most frequently given ones include - human capital, networks, culture, superior customer service, long operating hours and business location. The researcher recommended that immigrant spaza-shop entrepreneurs should establish a mentorship program that will assist in training other local spaza-owners to successfully manage their enterprises, in a bid to create harmony within the sector and to promote job creation. / NRF