scholarly journals Investigating alternative access to start-up capital for Tshwane built environment SMMEs

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 561-572
Author(s):  
Louise van Scheers ◽  
Ernest Whitehead
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Built Environment ◽  
Sample Population ◽  
Alternative Funding ◽  
Start Up ◽  
Funding Institution

The aim of this study was to investigate alternative access to start-up capital for Built Environment SMMEs from established support and developmental institutions in South Africa. The aim and objectives of the study have been met. The study has shown that Built Environment SMMEs accessing start-up capital from alternative funding institutions and the perceived challenges associated with accessing the finance includes the following: 1) More than half of the sample population did not apply to commercial institution for start-up capital, which may indicate that the SMMEs did not meet the financial requirements of the commercial institution; 2) More than 80% of respondents did not apply to any alternative funding institution to access start-up capital; 3) Approximately 80% of respondents made use of savings and other sources of funding for start-up capital; 4) Most SMMEs are not aware of alternative funding institutions, and that alternative funding institutions are not easily accessible.

Spatial Clusters of Diabetes and Physical Inactivity: Do Neighborhood Characteristics in High and Low Clusters Differ?

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (7) ◽  
pp. 612-621
Author(s):  
Joanna Sara Valson ◽  
V. Raman Kutty ◽  
Biju Soman ◽  
V. T. Jissa
Keyword(s):  
Built Environment ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Physical Inactivity ◽  
Geographical Information Systems ◽  
Communicable Diseases ◽  
Geographical Information ◽  
Sample Population ◽  
Spatial Clusters ◽  
Non Communicable Diseases ◽  
Urban And Rural Areas

This study aims to find spatial clusters of diabetes and physical inactivity among a sample population in Kerala, India, and evaluate built environment characteristics within the high and low spatial clusters. Spatial clusters with a higher and lower likelihood of diabetes and physical inactivity were identified using spatial scan statistic at various radii. Built environment characteristics were captured at panchayat level and 1600 m buffer around participant location using Geographical Information Systems. Comparison of sociodemographic and built environment factors was carried out for participants within high and low spatial clusters using t tests. Ten high and 8 low spatial clusters of diabetes and 17 high and 23 low spatial clusters of physical inactivity were identified in urban and rural areas of Kerala. Significant differences in built environment characteristics were consistent for low spatial clusters of diabetes and physical inactivity in the urban scenario. Built environment characteristics were found to be relevant in both urban and rural areas of Kerala. There is an urgent call to explore spatial clustering of non-communicable diseases in Kerala and undo the one-size-fits-all approach for prevention and control of non-communicable diseases.

Gendered Lending Practices: Enabling South African Women Entrepreneurs to Access Start-Up Capital

2014 ◽  
Vol 22 (03) ◽  
pp. 313-330 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evelyn Derera ◽  
Pepukayi Chitakunye ◽  
Charles O'Neill ◽  
Amandeep Tarkhar-Lail
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Women Entrepreneurs ◽  
Financial Institution ◽  
African Women ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
Start Up ◽  
South African Women ◽  
Depth Interviews

This study explores gendered lending and marketing practices of start-up capital to women entrepreneurs in South Africa. A multi-method research design, comprising of 6 in-depth interviews with experts, and a survey of 50 women entrepreneurs was adopted using convenience and snowball sampling techniques, respectively. The findings revealed that women entrepreneurs are experiencing gendered discriminatory practices embedded in lending practices used by financial institutions, thereby discouraging them to venture into non-traditional industries. Whilst financial providers may know their products well, many emerging women entrepreneurs in South Africa may find it difficult and costly to obtain information on the thousands of financial products available. Hence, women entrepreneurs resort to taking greater risks than necessary in order to get their businesses off the ground. Educating women on financial matters is extremely important if South Africa is to benefit fully from the untapped entrepreneurial talent that women possess. The study adds voice to the discriminatory lending practices faced by women entrepreneurs in developing countries. Future research could explore the feasibility of establishing a financial institution which caters specifically for the needs of women.

Climate Change in the Built Environment

2020 ◽  
pp. 100-121
Author(s):  
Jeremy T. Gibberd
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Built Environment ◽  
Sierra Leone ◽  
Climate Changes ◽  
Cape Town ◽  
Built Environments ◽  
Water Shortages ◽  
La Paz

Despite a growing awareness of climate change, there is little evidence that this is being addressed in cities and built environments. Events such as flooding in Houston, USA; landslides in Free Town, Sierra Leone; and water shortages in La Paz, Bolivia and Cape Town in South Africa demonstrate that it is increasingly important that climate change is understood and addressed in built environments to ensure that they become more resilient. This chapter introduces climate change and outlines the implications of this for built environments. It describes measures that can be incorporated into built environments to enable them to adapt to projected climate changes. Understanding climate change and preparing for this by developing built environments that are more resilient will be an increasingly valuable and important skill. Reading this chapter will support the development and refinement of skills and knowledge in this area and it is an essential reference for built environment students and practitioners.

scholarly journals Hand-Print CARE: Towards Ethics-led Action Learning for ESD in School Subject Disciplines

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-60
Author(s):  
Rob O’Donoghue ◽  
Christa Henze ◽  
Chong Shimray ◽  
Kartikeya V. Sarabhai ◽  
Juan Carlos A. Sandoval Rivera
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Common Good ◽  
Action Learning ◽  
Mediation Process ◽  
Learning Progressions ◽  
National Council ◽  
School Subject ◽  
Start Up ◽  
Kwazulu Natal ◽  
Concern For Others

The Hand-Print concept emerged as a proposition for learner-led action learning in the Centre for Environment Education, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. Hand-Print CARE as an ethics-led action learning proposition was developed at a Local Culture for Understanding Mathematics and Science (LOCUMS) research group meeting with some educators in Alta, Norway. Here ‘CARE’ emerged as an acronym reflecting an ethic of inclusive respect through Concern for others, being Attentive to needs, showing Respect for each other and being Engaged in learning actions for the common good. Hand-Print CARE was thus activated as a co-engaged mediation process towards ‘Learning to look after others to best care for ourselves and the surroundings we all share’. Conceptual tools towards a Hand-Print CARE rationale were clarified in subsequent ESD workshops in Malaysia and Mexico and the challenge of developing a schema for ESD in school subject disciplines emerged at an ESD training workshop with National Council for Education Research and Training (NCERT) in Delhi, India. This article explores the emergence of Hand-Print CARE and the framing of an open-ended schema for mediating better-situated and ethics-led action learning in school subject disciplines. A formative perspective towards more locally situated and co-engaged processes for mediating learning was refined through an ESD Expert-Net collaboration to clarify ESD learning progressions in school subject disciplines. Some start-up materials were developed with partnering NGOs in the small town of Howick in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, and in an expanding collaboration involving partners in India, Mexico, Germany and South Africa. Each of us worked to refine Hand-Print CARE learning progressions for ESD processes of action learning in diverse subject discipline and school-in-community settings.

scholarly journals Private equity and venture capital in South Africa: A comparison of project financing decisions

2013 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 258-278 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Portmann ◽  
Chipo Mlambo
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Venture Capital ◽  
Private Equity ◽  
Venture Capitalists ◽  
Project Financing ◽  
Financing Decisions ◽  
Start Up ◽  
Risk Appetite ◽  
Investment Opportunities ◽  
Venture Capital Firms

This paper investigates the manner in which private equity and venture capital firms in South Africa assess investment opportunities. The analysis was facilitated using a survey containing both Likert-scale and open-ended questions. The key findings show that both private equity and venture capital firms rate the entrepreneur or management team higher than any other criterion or consideration. Private equity firms, however, emphasise financial criteria more than venture capitalists do. There is also an observable shift in the investment activities away from start-up funding, towards later-stage deals. Risk appetite has also declined post the financial crisis.

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