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Methodological issues in the evaluation of small business development policies and programmes

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Evaluating small business development policies and programmes is a methodologically
difficult task. A wide range of role players in the economy - government departments
and agencies, corporations, international donors, and non-governmental organisations -
invest resources of sizeable magnitude annually in promoting small business. This
investment is often justified on the basis of the importance of small business in
contributing to the attainment of a range of socio-economic objectives such as job
creation, addressing economic inequity among various population groups, stimulating
competition in the economy, and enhancing economic growth. With the increase in the
magnitude of public investment in small business development, and increasing
competition for the same resources from other worthwhile interventions, the pressure for
public accountability and the need to demonstrate effectiveness of policies and
programmes has increased. Programme sponsors are increasingly requiring that those
receiving public funds for small business development projects should ensure effective
monitoring and evaluation of their programmes in order to ensure that there is a sound
information base to provide the necessary policy and programme feedback.
The question, however, is to what extent small business policies and programmes are
successful in ensuring the attainment of their objectives. To what degree can any changes
at the level of the enterprise and its immediate environment be realistically attributed to
the effectiveness of policies and programmes?
Can ongoing investment In small business development be justified in the face of
competing demands for the same resources from other worthwhile and perhaps more
pressing causes? How efficient is a particular policy or programme in terms of its cost in
relation to other policy or programme alternatives? These and more are questions facing
evaluators of small business development policies and programmes. This thesis shows
that the task facing these evaluators is not an easy one, due to methodological
complexities encountered in attempting to answer these questions. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die evaluering van ontwikkelingsbeleidsrigtinge en -programme van
kleinsakeondernemings is metodologies geen maklike taak nie. 'n Groot verskeidenheid
rolspelers in die ekonomie, ingeslote regeringsdepartemente en -instansies, korporasies,
internasionale skenkers en nie-regeringsorganisasies, belĂȘ jaarliks aansienlike hulpbronne
in die bevordering van kleinsakeondernemings. Sodanige beleggings word dikwels
geregverdig aan die hand van die belangrikheid van kleinsakeondernemings se bydrae tot
die bereiking van verskeie sosio-ekonomiese doelwitte soos werkskepping, en om die
kwessie van ekonomiese ongelykheid tussen onderskeie bevolkingsgroepe aan te roer,
om mededinging binne die ekonomie aan te moedig en om ekonomiese groei te versterk.
Die toename in die omvang van openbare beleggings in kleinsakeontwikkeling asook
toenemende mededinging vir dieselfde hulpbronne deur ander verdienstelike partye gaan
gepaard met toenemende druk vir openbare aanspreeklikheid en noodsaak doeltreffende
beleidsrigtingr en -programme. Programborge vereis toenemend dat diegene wat
openbare fondse vir kleinsakeontwikkelingsprojekte ontvang, die doeltreffende
monitering en evaluering van hulle programme moet waarborg sodat daar 'n deeglike
inligtingsbasis bestaan om die nodige beleids- en programterugvoer te verskaf.
Die vraag is egter tot welke mate kleinsakebeleidsrigtinge en -programme daarin slaag
om te verseker dat hul doelwitte bereik word. Tot watter mate kan enige veranderinge op
ondernemingsvlak en sy onmiddellike omgewing, realisties gesproke, aan die
doeltreffendheid van beleidsrigtinge en -programme toegeskryfword?
Kan voortgesette beleggings in kleinsakeontwikkeling geregverdig word in die lig van
mededinging vir dieselfde hulpbronne deur ander verdienstelike, en moontlik selfs meer
dwingende, sake? Hoe doeltreffend is 'n bepaalde beleid of program in terme van sy
koste, gesien in verhouding tot ander beleids- of programkeuses? Diegene, wat
verantwoordelik is vir die beoordeling van kleinsakeontwikkelingsbeleidsrigtinge en -
programme word deur hierdie en vele ander vrae gekonfronteer. Hierdie tesis toon aan
dat sodanige beoordelaars, as gevolg van die metodologiese ingewikkeldhede waarvoor
hulle te staan kom in die poging om hierdie vrae te beantwoord, geen maklike taak het
me.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/50020
Date04 1900
CreatorsBukula, Mandulo Septi
ContributorsMouton, J., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Sociology and Social Anthropology.
PublisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
Languageen_ZA
Detected LanguageUnknown
TypeThesis
Formatvi, 59 p. : ill.
RightsStellenbosch University

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