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The development of best practice guidelines that will assist small businesses planning

The research problem addressed in this study was to provide a planning guideline for Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMME’s) to assist them to plan more effectively and be sustainable in their businesses. A guideline for planning is needed, as planning is one of the most difficult activities a business owner needs to undertake. Yet it is essential to do because, before taking action, you must know where you are going and how to get there. Well-developed plans can assist the business owner to interest banks and/or investors to invest in the business, guide the owner in operating the business, give direction to and motivate employees, and provide an environment to attract customers and prospective employees. To become an effective business owner, one must look ahead. Planning, which is the process of setting objectives and devising actions to achieve those objectives are imperative to be sustainable in business. The findings of the literature survey clearly highlights the reasons why a business owner needs to plan and provide a guideline how to plan. It was found in the empirical study that Standard Bank rate the SMME market as a very valuable part of their business. The SMME market has a benefit to various departments within the bank, not only the SMME business market. The empirical study also found that not every entrepreneur that holds a business plan is successful. Many reasons for this exist. One aspect that was identified, is that the wrong idea was implemented. The empirical study revealed that in all respondents agreed that planning forms an integral part of the entrepreneurs business. The empirical study found that a business plan will assist the entrepreneur to be sustainable in their business, only if a thorough feasibility study was conducted. The respondents agreed that the feasibility study, will either support or contradict the assumptions made in the business plan, this will assist the entrepreneur to decide to either continue or end the business activity. It was found that the entrepreneur, with especially a financial expert should be involved when a business planning is undertaken. Other experts in the various business arenas should also be requested to assist with the setting up of the business plan.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:nmmu/vital:8799
Date January 2009
CreatorsKemp, John Morne
PublisherNelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis, Masters, MBA
Formatxiii, 137 leaves, pdf
RightsNelson Mandela Metropolitan University

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