scholarly journals Small medium micro enterprise business goals and government support: A South African case study

2013 ◽  
Vol 44 (4) ◽  
pp. 13-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Peters ◽  
V. Naicker
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Business Strategy ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Government Support ◽  
The South ◽  
Distribution Of Wealth ◽  
Business Goals ◽  
New Business ◽  
The Government

Small and medium-scale enterprises (SMMEs) form the majority of the enterprises in the South African economy. The South African government has identified the SMME sector as one of the potential enablers to achieve its objectives of improving job creation opportunities, reducing poverty and creating a more equitable distribution of wealth. The aim of this article was to provide a perspective on the success government support initiatives has had on the SMME sector. To achieve this, the study sought to analyse the perceived strengths and weaknesses of government’s national strategy and its institutions tasked with creating an enabling environment for the sector. The study employed a survey research design methodology in which mixed methods were used. The national business strategy employed by government was critically analysed. Empirical data was collected from 282 respondents in order to answer the research question. The results show that the government’s approach has favoured ‘supply-side interventions’ including, providing access to training, credit, mentoring and information to existing and new business. Furthermore, this study has identified the lack of awareness as the primary reason for the under-delivery of the government support initiatives in SMME development. Respondents indicated that they frequently made use of the services of business consultants and external specialists from which they perceived added more value to their respective businesses.

The Influence of Government Support Interventions on the Growth of African Foreign-Owned SMMEs in South Africa

2020 ◽  
pp. 104-124
Author(s):  
Lusambya Lukendo Moise ◽  
Refiloe Khoase ◽  
Patrick Ndayizigamiye
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Direct Foreign Investment ◽  
Government Support ◽  
The South ◽  
Quantitative Research Methods ◽  
Training Support ◽  
African Context ◽  
Single Intervention ◽  
The Government

Foreign-owned SMMEs contribute positively to national economic growth. Foreign-owned SMMEs are sources of direct foreign investment and create employment opportunities for local citizens. Although the South African government has instituted several interventions to promote SMMEs growth, very little research has investigated the impact of such interventions on the growth of foreign-owned SMMEs. This study is an attempt to address this gap by investigating government-related support interventions that have an influence on the growth of African foreign-owned SMMEs. Using quantitative research methods and a sample of 60 African foreign SMMEs owners conveniently sampled from the Pietermaritzburg city, findings reveal that training support from the government is the only single intervention that significantly influences the growth of African foreign-owned SMMEs. Thus, this chapter proposes a regression model that depicts how receiving training support from the government influences the growth of African foreign-owned SMMEs in the South African context.

scholarly journals Gender Inequalities in the Workplace: Case Study of South Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Gender Equality ◽  
South African ◽  
Gender Inequalities ◽  
Equal Opportunities ◽  
The South ◽  
South Africans ◽  
Women In The Workplace ◽  
The Government

The South African government implemented different legislative mechanisms in an attempt to address gender equality in the workplace, discrimination, and empowering women. To review whether there has been any progress after implementing these legislative mechanisms, this paper empirically analyzes the advancement of gender equality in the South African workplace as of 2020. It also provides an overview of different legislative mechanisms implemented by the government of South Africa as an endeavor to achieve gender equality in the workplace and equal opportunities for all regardless of gender. The main objective of this paper is to review gender equality progress in the South African workplace and a qualitative research method has been used to analyze different gender inequalities. Lastly, the paper provides an overview of gender equality analysis in different occupational levels in the South African workplace. The research shows that regardless of the South African government’s different legislative mechanisms to address gender equality, progress is still gloomy as discrimination against women in the workplace continues and the men remain dominant. The data analyses conclude that progress in addressing gender equality has been inert, delaying equal opportunities for all South Africans.

Opera and the South African Political

2019 ◽  
pp. 289-311
Author(s):  
Christopher Ballantine
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Singing Voice ◽  
The South ◽  
Sociopolitical Context ◽  
Creating Meaning ◽  
Empirical Means

Christopher Ballantine’s focus is on timbre, in particular the timbre of the singing voice, and how this combines with the imagination to create meaning. His investigation is largely philosophical; but the growth in popularity of opera in post-apartheid South Africa provides empirical means for Ballantine to indicate this powerful but analytically neglected way of creating meaning in the performance of music. His case study shows how timbre can produce musical experiences that have a particular, and often surprising, resonance. Through interviews with leading figures in South African opera, Ballantine demonstrates that timbre is a vital wellspring of imagined meaning; it should especially be seen thus if we seek to understand the singing voice in a sociopolitical context such as that of South Africa during and after apartheid.

scholarly journals Kerk en owerheid binne ’n regstaat. Die profetiese roeping van die kerk met betrekking tot die Suid-Afrikaanse owerheid

2000 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Vorster ◽  
J.H. Van Wyk
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Fundamental Rights ◽  
Theoretical Argument ◽  
The South ◽  
African Government ◽  
Constitutional State ◽  
African Context ◽  
The Government ◽  
Just Society ◽  
The Church

Church and government within a constitutional state. The prophetic calling of the church towards the South-African government With the transition to a new political dispensation in South Africa, a constitutional state has been established. A typical characteristic of this new dispensation is that the government remains neutral while the executive powers are subject to the Bill of Human Rights. The question of how the church can realize its prophetic task towards the government within the context of a constitutional state is highlighted in this article. The central theoretical argument is that a constitutional state that acknowledges fundamental rights provides an excellent opportunity for the church to fulfil its prophetic calling within the South African context. The church can contribute to a just society by prophetic testimony within the perspective of the kingdom of God.

scholarly journals Investigating temperature breaks in the summer fruit export cold chain: A case study

2013 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Heinri W. Freiboth ◽  
Leila Goedhals-Gerber ◽  
F. Esbeth Van Dyk ◽  
Malcolm C. Dodd
Keyword(s):  
Temperature Variation ◽  
South African ◽  
Temperature Data ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Cold Chain ◽  
The South ◽  
Export Supply ◽  
Cold Store ◽  
Summer Fruit

There is concern in the South African fruit industry that a large amount of fruit and money is lost every season due to breaks in the fruit export cold chain. The possibility of a large percentage of losses in a significant sector of the economy warranted further investigation. This article attempted to highlight some of the possible problem areas in the cold chain, from the cold store to the port, by analysing historic temperature data from different fruit export supply chains of apples, pears and grapes. In addition, a trial shipment of apples was used to investigate temperature variation between different pallets in the same container. This research has added value to the South African fruit industry by identifying the need to improve operational procedures in the cold chain.

The South African public service wage bill deadlock in 2021: living on the edge

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Marianne Matthee ◽  
Albert Wöcke
Keyword(s):  
Fiscal Policy ◽  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
South African ◽  
Public Service ◽  
Subject Area ◽  
The South ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Academic Level ◽  
Finance Minister ◽  
The Government

Subject area Macro-Economics. Study level/applicability Undergraduate and MBA. Case overview The COVID 19 pandemic-related restrictions devastated South Africa’s economy in 2020 and although the restrictions were generally less damaging than in 2020, the government had to budget for vaccinations and rebuild the economy. Public service unions had just announced that they were demanding an increase of 4% above inflation for their members and that they were preparing for a strike. They were bitter about the fact that the South African Government had withdrawn from the last year of a three-year wage agreement in February 2020 and their members had not received an increase for the two years. These demands and Finance Minister Mboweni’s response to them had to consider the structural and cyclical impact on the fiscus and economy. Expected learning outcomes The learning outcomes are as follows: understand the general objectives of fiscal policy and stakeholders’ interests; understand the tradeoffs in fiscal policy and the implications of taking a position; and make recommendations based on reasoned judgements about those recommendations. Complexity academic level Undergraduate and MBA level courses on Macro Economics. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available for educators only. Subject code CSS 10: Public Sector Management.

'Papieren' voor de toekomst

1970 ◽  
Vol 60 ◽  
pp. 43-52
Author(s):  
Gustaaf Janssens
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Truth And Reconciliation Commission ◽  
The South ◽  
Reconciliation Commission ◽  
Cultural Perception ◽  
Truth And Reconciliation ◽  
Close Relationship ◽  
Archival Documents ◽  
The Government

A purely cultural perception of records and archives is one-sided andincomplete. Records and archival documents are necessary to confirm therights and the obligations of both the government and the citizens. "Therecords are crucial to hold us accountable", says archbishop D. Tutu, formerpresident of the South African 'Truth and Reconciliation Commission'. Forthis reason, the government should organize the archives in such a way thatarchival services can fulfil their task as guardians of society's memorie.Citizens' rights and archives have a close relationship.

scholarly journals Innovation Management to Sustain Competitive Advantage: A Qualitative Multi-Case Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 107
Author(s):  
Ghayth Tahat
Keyword(s):  
Product Development ◽  
New Product Development ◽  
Business Strategy ◽  
Innovation Management ◽  
Research Question ◽  
New Product ◽  
Shared Knowledge ◽  
Organisational Capabilities ◽  
Innovative Capabilities

The significance of innovative capabilities and new product development (NPD) in marketing and business strategy innovation has been recognised by researchers and management. Researchers and practitioners have explored and evaluated the organisational capabilities and knowledge management, too. This current paper, however, represents inadequacy of connection between organisational capabilities, innovative capabilities, new product development and integrated shared knowledge. Furthermore, there is insufficient knowledge and data on the effect and the involvement of organisational capabilities and integrated shared knowledge to company's success, performance, and sustainability. This paper aimed at determining whether there is a connection between organisational capabilities, innovative capabilities, new product development and integrated shared knowledge. The purpose of this paper is to investigate and explore how organisational capabilities and shared knowledge impact and contribute to innovative capabilities, new product development and innovative management. This paper has empolyed a qualitative multiple-site case study through conducting one-on-one (personal) interviews as well as conducting in-depth interviews with key decision makers from innovative and technology companies located in Texas State in the USA. This paper attempts to answer the following key research question, namely: How do organisational capabilities and shared knowledge that influence innovative capability and new product development contribute to the company’s performance, success, and sustainability? NVivo 11 Qualitative Data Analysis Software was used to import and analyse the respondent interviews. The software (NVivo 11) was also used to determine the study findings through theme analysis. The paper key finding is that organisational capabilities and shared knowledge are linked and crucial for the success of innovative capabilities and new product development. A set of recommendations for future researchers is proposed.

scholarly journals A pilot survey of the current scope of the practice of South African physiotherapists in the intensive care units

2005 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Van Aswegen ◽  
J. Patterson
Keyword(s):  
Intensive Care ◽  
Private Sector ◽  
South African ◽  
Intensive Care Units ◽  
The South ◽  
Pilot Survey ◽  
Private Practitioners ◽  
European Survey ◽  
The Government

Objective: A pilot study was conducted to determine the currentscope of practice of South African physiotherapists working in intensive care units in the government and the private sectors. These findings were compared to the findings from a European survey with regard to the role of the physiotherapist in European intensive care units.Methodology: Ninety questionnaires were distributed nationwide to secondary and tertiary government hospitals as well as to private practitioners involved in cardiopulmonary physiotherapy. The private practitioners included in this survey were listed in the Private Practitioners Association Official Members Directory. Junior and senior physiotherapists working in the intensive care units of their respective hospitals participated in completing the questionnaire. Comparisons between government and private sector data and between the South African survey and the European survey were carried out using the 2test for non-parametric data. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant.Results: Fifty-four questionnaires were analyzed and represented 60% of questionnaires sent out. Respondents to the South African survey reported 28% percent of all ICUs had between 9 - 12 beds; 83% physiotherapists indicated the availability of an on-call service during the night and 96% physiotherapists had a weekend physiotherapy service. Ninety-two percent of physiotherapists working in the government sector supervised students compared to 44% of physiotherapists in the private sector. Between 9% and 27% of physiotherapists in government and private hospitalsactively participated in research in ICU. There were no statistically significant differences in the use of respiratory physiotherapy, mobilization and positioning between respondents to the European survey and those of the South African survey respectively.Conclusion: The response rate to this questionnaire was good. It was evident from this pilot survey that the scope of practice of physiotherapy in ICU didn’t differ significantly between the government and private sector in South Africa. The role of the intensive care physiotherapist in South Africa was similar to that of the European physiotherapist  working in ICU.

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