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Knowledge-based businesses (KBBs) have the potential to make a significant contribution to peripheral regions with marginal economies, such as Newfoundland and Labrador. However, traditional lending approaches generally emphasize tangible collateral and historical performance. As a result, new knowledge-based firms, whose assets are primarily intangible, experience difficulty with access to financing. Financial institutions have responded by implementing specialized approaches to address the needs of KBBs. This exploratory study is designed to increase our understanding of institutional lending to KBBs, particularly at the start-up stage. Following a review of the literature a research framework was developed to explore the demand-side perspectives of entrepreneurs and the supply-side perspectives of lending institutions. A mail survey to entrepreneurs was employed to determine the roles played by chartered banks and government agencies in financing KBBs and to ascertain entrepreneurs' perceptions of financial institutions. Results indicate KBBs experience greater difficulty obtaining financing from chartered banks. Further, KBBs perceive banks to follow traditional risk assessment processes, emphasizing collateral. Findings suggest efforts by banks to cater to KBBs have been less than successful. Supply-side data were obtained from interviews with senior managers in banks and government agencies and from business plan reviews and follow-up interviews with account managers. Simultaneous verbal protocols were used to examine risk assessment processes in six banks and four government agencies. Hypothetical business proposals were presented to account mangers for initial review and subsequent due diligence. Data obtained at two stages of assessment were analyzed using consensus analysis, multidimensional scaling, hierarchical clustering, and standard multivariate techniques. Findings confirm chartered banks have establishcd specialized approaches to deal with KBBs. However, there is no evidence to indicate any differential effects on KBBs as a result of identified organizational variables. There is evidence among specialized account managers of differences in risk assessment of KBBs and of a common lending culture that reflects the needs of KBBs. Evidence of a common lending culture is also evident among traditional bankers and among government agencies that share an economic development mandate. Findings also confirm chartered banks are more concerned with financial aspects of the proposed ventures and perceived higher levels of risk than government account managers. Overall, findings provide important insights into institutional lending and have significant implications for theory, management practice and public policy. This study is one of very few to explore lending and borrowing from the perspective of KBBs and from the perspective of government agencies. Study validity is enhanced considerably by reviewing lending decisions in context and with reference to specific proposals. The use of cultural consensus theory to examine loan evaluation and risk assessment represents a significant contribution to understanding theory on lending to KBBs. Lending practices of chartered banks, while evolving to meet the needs of KBBs, have not met expectations and may need to be reexamined. Entrepreneurs in KBBs are advised to seek out KBB specialists to enhance the likelihood of obtaining financing. Government should take steps to ensure expertise is available to deal with KBBs and to encourage financial institutions, especially banks, to extend efforts to provide specialized assistance to the KBB sector. Finally, additional research is needed to confirm findings from this study and to increase their generalizability.

Thesis (M.B.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1997. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (MTech (Business Administration))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2017. / Introduction The research looked at the application of project management tools and techniques in ICT SME projects in the Western Cape. Problem Statement Previous literature revealed that small to medium enterprises (SMEs) are vital to developing economies as they provide employment and contribute to overall sustainable economic productivity. Literature further alludes that project management tools and techniques enhance SME’s ability to innovate, grow and compete in industry. However, it is unclear if ICT SMEs in Western Cape are applying project management tools and techniques in their projects. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate whether ICT SMEs in Western Cape applied these tools and techniques in their projects. Aims / Objectives The primary objective of the research was to determine the extent to which ICT SMEs in Western Cape were using project management tools and techniques. The secondary research objectives were: to determine the extent to which ICT SMEs in Western Cape knew about the project management tools and techniques and how to use them; to establish the extent to which the ICT SMEs knew the benefits of using project management tools and techniques; and to determine the extent to which project management tools and techniques were used by SMEs to achieve success. Methodology The research was non experimental. An electronic questionnaire was distributed using Survey Monkey and Mail Chimp to collect responses. Some questionnaires were hand delivered to ICT SMEs based in the Cape Town CBD areas accessible to the researcher. The results presented in the research were based on a survey of ICT SMEs, located in Western Cape. Out of the 341 responses targeted a total of 210 responses were obtained. The results obtained represent 60- 70% of the population interviewed. The sample was chosen using stratified random sampling that classified the respondents according to organisational hierarchy, and the amount per strata was noted. The respondents within each stratum were chosen using simple random sampling thus eliminating bias.

Thesis (MTech (Cost and Management Accounting))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2017. / Background: Research has shown that a high percentage of SMMEs in South Africa are not sustainable, most of them failing in their infancy stage. In order to make sound decisions and achieve desirable results, owners/managers need to make use of budgets in managing their businesses. Utilisation of budgets is the core of financial planning and decision-making in manufacturing enterprises. Lack of utilisation of budgets in managing businesses can lead to business failure. There is need to conduct a study on the utilisation of budgets by SMEs in the manufacturing industry. Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the extent to which SMEs in the manufacturing industry in the Cape Metropolis use budgets for managing their businesses. This was achieved by determining whether the SMEs in the manufacturing industry used budgets or not, what types of budgets were used, the purposes for which the budgets were used and what challenges if any were faced by these SMEs when using budgets. Methodology: Data was collected from 108 respondents by means of a questionnaire comprising closed-ended questions. Descriptive statistics were employed to analyse the data in SPSS version 24. Frequency tables and pie charts were used to present the findings. Findings: The findings of the study reveal that most SMEs in the manufacturing industry in the Cape Metropolis use budgets for managing their businesses. The SMEs prepare budgets which are used for various purposes. The SMEs however face challenges when utilising budgets. Recommendations: Future interventions by Department of Small Business Development on financial planning should focus more on micro and very small enterprises. Other categories of enterprises may apply this information and emulate the utilisation of budgets from the SMEs in the manufacturing industry as they strive to survive and grow.

The problem was to determine what are the current computer uses, and training practices for small businesses in the Portland area. Comparisons were made by industry type.

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The positive contribution of high growth small businesses to the economic growth of countries is derived from a body of knowledge in the entrepreneurship domain. Small business growth could be sustained by a better understanding of entrepreneurial orientation. This study is based on the evaluation of entrepreneurial orientation of small businesses in the formal sector with specific reference to businesses in the Gauteng Province. The objective of the study is to analyse entrepreneurial orientation and perceived business success in small and medium-sized enterprises in Gauteng, with the focus on providing recommendations to enhance entrepreneurial activity in small and medium-sized enterprises. A literature review was conducted to explore entrepreneurial orientation and its perceived business success in small enterprises. The five dimensions of entrepreneurial orientation and the two variables measuring perceived business success were explored. A questionnaire constructed by Lotz (2009) was used to measure entrepreneurial orientation variables and perceived business success variables. A target group of 60 business owners was identified and questionnaires were distributed to them. A total of 42 questionnaires were returned but only 38 were deemed usable for the study. The validity of each variable was individually determined by the calculation of the Cronbach Alpha coefficient. Conclusions and recommendations for possible action steps to enhance entrepreneurial orientation were made, based on the empirical data obtained. / MBA, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Thesis (D. Tech. (Business Administration )) - Central University of Technology, Free State / The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which certain selected factors serve as drivers of innovation in small accommodation businesses (SABs) in two developing economies in Southern Africa namely South Africa and Zimbabwe with the ultimate aim of assisting policy makers and support agencies in formulating innovation oriented strategies for the sector. Two samples were randomly selected from SABs in Zimbabwe and South Africa- two neighbouring Southern African countries. Parametric tests which include t-tests and one-way ANOVAs as well as Bonferonni tests as post-hoc measures were used to test whether SAB propensity to engage in different dimensions of innovation differs by gender; firm size, owner-managers’ years of experience and level of education respectively. Pearson Product Moment Correlations were employed to assess the relationships between market orientation, learning orientation and innovation while Chi-square tests were performed to establish the inter-relationships between independent demographic variables, namely age, gender, education and work experience. In order to investigate whether there are any significant interaction effects between the age of the respondents and their experience in the accommodation sector on each of the five innovation measures, a series of two-way ANOVA tests were performed. Lastly, regression analysis was used to determine the relative efficacy of market orientation (MO), learning orientation (LO) and country in predicting innovation in a business. The results demonstrate that unlike firm size, gender and level of education, which have no association with innovation, there is a strong association between market orientation, learning orientation, owner/managers age and experience and innovation in the two countries. This positive association implies that SABs that are committed to, listen attentively to and learn proactively about their customers’ needs and expectations are better inclined to engage in all the different dimensions of innovation (product/service, process, marketing and organisational) than their counterparts who do not engage in these activities. Among other drivers of innovation, market orientation emerged as the main predictor implying that SABs that invest more in marketing tend to be better innovators than those that invest in learning irrespective of their country of operation. The study also revealed that younger owner/managers of SABs tend to be more innovative than their older, experienced counterparts. The study makes an important contribution to literature on the drivers of innovation in small accommodation businesses in developing economies by dispelling firm size, gender and level of education which were regarded as drivers of innovation across industries previously. Practice and policy wise, the study led to the development of a conceptual framework for investigating how best to drive innovation in local SABs in order to make them more competitive, survive and grow in the face of competition from large accommodation businesses that often happen to be multinational.

The positive contribution of high growth small businesses to the economic growth of countries is derived from a body of knowledge in the entrepreneurship domain. Small business growth could be sustained by a better understanding of entrepreneurial orientation. This study is based on the evaluation of entrepreneurial orientation of small businesses in the formal sector with specific reference to businesses in the Gauteng Province. The objective of the study is to analyse entrepreneurial orientation and perceived business success in small and medium-sized enterprises in Gauteng, with the focus on providing recommendations to enhance entrepreneurial activity in small and medium-sized enterprises. A literature review was conducted to explore entrepreneurial orientation and its perceived business success in small enterprises. The five dimensions of entrepreneurial orientation and the two variables measuring perceived business success were explored. A questionnaire constructed by Lotz (2009) was used to measure entrepreneurial orientation variables and perceived business success variables. A target group of 60 business owners was identified and questionnaires were distributed to them. A total of 42 questionnaires were returned but only 38 were deemed usable for the study. The validity of each variable was individually determined by the calculation of the Cronbach Alpha coefficient. Conclusions and recommendations for possible action steps to enhance entrepreneurial orientation were made, based on the empirical data obtained. / MBA, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014