Establishing an abalone venture in South Africa : a critical review of Aquamart

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This report begins with a look at the ever increasing world population and the effect
this is having on the world's food production. While the demand is increasing with
the rise in population, the supply side is finding it difficult to produce enough food due
to a number of pressures. The report then goes further by suggesting a source of
food that holds great potential for the future which, if it reaches its full potential, could
go a long way in providing a sustainable source of food for the next generation. This
source is Aquaculture, which is discussed through a look at both the advantages it
provides and the challenges involved within this industry.
Furthermore, the report takes an in depth look at a sub-section of the aquaculture
industry, namely the farming of abalone, firstly in general, but then also more
specifically the farming of abalone in South Africa. Abalone are mostly sold in Asia
as a high priced delicacy and occurs naturally off the coast of South Africa, however,
due to over fishing and poaching over the past three decades, the South African
government has now introduced a total ban on the diving and selling of wild abalone,
or as it is commonly known in South Africa, Perlemoen. It is therefore now up to the
small number of abalone farms on South Africa's coast to fill the void left in the
international abalone market for Haliotis midae.
The second half of this report looks at one company in particular, Aquamart, which
was a company established in 2003 by 5 MBA students with an ambitious plan of
setting up an abalone farming facility. All of Aquamart's aspects are discussed,
including its business plan, financials, senior management and its strategy. These
areas are then critically reviewed in order to try and establish what Aquamart
succeeded in, but also what went wrong, and why the company ultimately had to be
closed down in 2005. This report aims to identify some of the barriers within this
industry and also for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in general, which can
hopefully be used by future entrepreneurs in order not to repeat the mistakes made
by Aquamart. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die verslag begin deur te kyk na die al groeiende wereldbevolking en die druk wat dit
plaas op die wereld se voedselvervaardiging. Saam met die druk van die groeiende
vraag, is daar ook verskeie eksterne vorme van druk op die aanbod van voedsel. Die
verslag gaan verder deur een moontlike bron van voedsel voor te stel wat sal kan
help om aan die vraag te voldoen, maar slegs indien dit korrek aangewend word.
Die bron is akwakultuur, en die verslag kyk na die industrie se voordele asook na van
die uitdagings wat die sukses van die industrie kan beinvloed.
Verder ondersoek die verslag oak een van akwakultuur se sub-industriee, naamlik
die boer met perlemoen, eers op 'n globale skaal, en dan spesifiek in Suid-Afrika.
Die perlemoen wat grotendeels as 'n luukse voedsel op die Asiatiese mark verkoop
word kom natuurlik op die kus van Suid-Afrika voor, maar as gevolg van die swak
bestuur van die natuurlike hulpbron, gepaard met die onwettige smokkeling van
perlemoen, is die natuurlike perlemoen nou 'n bedreigde spesie in Suid-Afrika, en het
die land se regering 'n verbod geplaas op die uithaal en verkoop van wilde
perlemoen. Dit is dus in die hande van die Suid Afrikaanse perlemoenplase om in
die wereld se vraag na H. midae te voorsien.
Die tweede helfte van die verslag doen 'n gedetailleerde ondersoek op die
maatskappy Aquamart, wat in 2003 gestig was deur 5 MBA studente met die oog om
'n perlemoenplaas in Suid-Afrika op te rig. Die vernaamste aktiwiteite van Aquamart
word in die gedeelte bespreek, insluitende, onder andere, die besigheidsplan,
finansies, algemene bestuur en Aquamart se besigheidstrategie. Die verslag doen
dan 'n kritiese ondersoek op Aquamart om te probeer vasstel hoekom die bestuur in
2005 geforseer was om Aquamart se deure te sluit. Die hoop is om lesse te leer uit
Aquamart se mislukking wat kan dien as 'n riglyn vir toekomstige perlemoenboere,
asook klein en medium-besighede in die algemeen.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/5546
Date12 1900
CreatorsNorval, Alex
ContributorsWolfgang, Thomas, Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Graduate School of Business.
PublisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
Languageen_ZA
Detected LanguageUnknown
TypeThesis
RightsStellenbosch University

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