Download or read book Technology for South African Small Medium and Micro Enterprises written by Jim Mullin and published by . This book was released on 1993 with total page 28 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Towards a Mutually Sustainable Environmentally Friendly Information Technology Policy Framework for South African Small Medium and Micro Enterprises written by Janelle Wessels and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A number of problems have served as motivators for this study: Environmental deterioration as a risk to economic facilitation: missed organisational green competitive opportunities: South Africa's need as a developing country for the growth of small, medium and micro-enterprises (SMMEs): and information technologies as an aid for ecological and economical problems. Accordingly, this research has aimed to suggest environment-friendly information technology policies that can be implemented in South African SMMEs, engendering mutually beneficial sustainability for the three domains (or contextual study elements) Environment, Organisation and Information Technology . The methodology used involves an interpretive research approach, a literature survey based on document analyses, and an empirical study based on green information technology expert interviews. In collecting the data, the theory of three of the five Multiple Perspectives Approach perspective types was applied: for the data analysis, the Hierarchical and Signed components constituting the Directed Graphing Method where applied. The output of this study includes an explanation of the relationships that exist between the study elements and that lead to mutually beneficial sustainability. It also includes the identification of Key Sustainability Factors for each of the research elements, as high level critical goals to be achieved by green information technology policy developers in pursuing mutually beneficial sustainability. Furthermore, the output contains contextually consolidated Key Sustainability Factor Enablers, to serve as policy recommendations for implementation by green information technology practitioners toward ensuring mutually beneficial sustainability: and, finally, a sample integration of these Key Sustainability Factor Enablers, now referred to as Conceptual Policy Views, such as may have been produced by typical green information technology policy developers in selecting and prioritising views for organisational utilisations. In answering the main research question of this study, as well as providing its key outcome, a conceptual framework has been produced which comprises information technology policies that are supported to be feasible for implementation as well as of mutual benefit in terms of sustainability for the Environment, South African SMME Organisations' and Information Technology itself. This provides an ordered and related means of implementing information technology policies, while also relating these policies to their respective mutually beneficial Key Sustainability Factors. Strategic planning, toward incorporating the conceptual framework into organisational policy, is thus enabled. This study concludes with an evaluation of its findings and execution, together with future research recommendations.

Download or read book The Role of Communication Information Technologies in Supporting the Development of Small Medium and Micro Enterprises in Rural South Africa written by France Bourgouin and published by . This book was released on 2002 with total page 304 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Business Models and Innovative Technologies for SMEs written by Ignitia Motjolopane, Ephias Ruhode, Pius Adewale Owolawi and published by Bentham Science Publishers. This book was released on 2023-12-20 with total page 166 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Business Models and Innovative Technologies for SMEs focuses on technologies such as data analytics, artificial intelligence and data as a service. As these technologies offer new possibilities, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) often struggle to grasp their full potential within evolving business landscapes. Five reviews discuss the potential of these technologies to drive SME growth. The book also highlights the need for a strategic approach to overcoming challenges faced by SMEs to create innovative business models such as limited resources, infrastructure hurdles, and financial limitations. The chapters explore diverse facets of business model innovation, covering strategic models for mobile application development, the critical role of cybersecurity culture, readiness assessments, digital transformations leveraging artificial intelligence, expert systems' impact on competitiveness, and the adoption of data as services in SMEs. Each chapter is tailored to provide actionable insights drawn from theory and, where possible, real-life case studies, addressing questions related to technological benefits, innovative strategies, and challenges in implementing digital transformations for SMEs. This book caters to a wide audience of academics, researchers, policymakers, and business practitioners deeply invested in SME development, offering practical solutions and theoretical frameworks. The combination of scholarly and practical approaches towards developing and implementing innovative strategies, makes it a valuable resource for readers seeking to understand and support SME growth. Readership Academics, Entrepreneurs, Business consultants in the SME sector.

Download or read book Fostering Technology Absorption in Southern African Enterprises written by The World Bank and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2011-09-16 with total page 225 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: While economic theory considers technological progress to be a key factor for sustained long-term economic growth and job creation, technology absorption is particularly an important driver for 'catch-up growth.' This study seeks to identify channels of technology transfer and absorption for Southern African enterprises, constraints to greater technology absorption, and discuss policy options open to governments and the private sector in light of relevant international experience. It has been done based on sector and enterprise case studies carried in four countries: South Africa, Mauritius, Lesotho and Namibia. This study uses a combination of econometric and in depth case study analyses to investigate the presence of specific channels of absorption and the various constraints that the firms face to effectively absorb this technology. There is evidence of learning by exporting, and spillovers from FDI underscoring the importance of trade and FDI as important channels of absorption. The study finds that four countries while open to trade and FDI face a number of constraints that inhibit them from maximizing the economic benefits from technology absorption. These constraints include a major skills mismatch, insufficient research and development and ineffective industry-research linkages. While outlining broad policy directions in four areas namely increasing skills supply, fostering learning through trade, increasing domestic spillovers from FDI and incentivizing greater firm level research and development, it lays out some priority areas for each of the four countries. We hope that the issues discussed and the dialogue initiated during the course of this study would lend itself to policy design to foster technology absorption with a view to higher growth and job creation in this highly globalized world.

Download or read book Industrial Clusters and Micro and Small Enterprises in Africa written by World Bank and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2010-12-30 with total page 212 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The World Bank, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Research Institute, and the Foundation for Advanced Studies on International Development (FASID), in collaboration with researchers affiliated with the African Economic Research Consortium (AERC), recently conducted a study on Africa s domestic enterprises to improve the understanding of the constraints micro and small enterprises in Africa face in improving productivity and expanding their markets. In Africa, there are stark performance gaps between domestically owned enterprises and foreign-owned enterprises in terms of sales performance, productivity, and ability to reach distant markets. Among others, size appears to be a dominant factor in explaining the gap. Against this background, the study analyzes how naturally formed industrial clusters concentrations of enterprises engaged in same or closely related industrial activities in specific locations could potentially mitigate constraints Africa s micro and small enterprises face and enhance their business performance. The study is one of the first comprehensive quantitative inquiries on industrial clusters in Africa. The analysis specifically focuses on the role of spontaneously grown clusters of light manufacturing industries based on a set of original case studies of industrial clusters conducted for this research project. One of the key findings from the case studies was that cluster-based micro and small enterprises are performing better than similar micro and small enterprises outside of the clusters in terms of sales performance and ability to reach distant markets. Market access is a leading reason for cluster-based enterprises to choose their current locations. However, cluster-based enterprises face another set of unique growth constraints. By the very nature of spontaneous agglomera tion, new enterprises continue to flow to the clusters seeking the profit opportunities and better access to markets at such locations. The result can be intense competition in addition to increased congestion. Space constraints often impede growth within clusters. The lack of alternative locations available for industrial activities in the same cities, generic infrastructure bottlenecks, and unclear zoning policies and their unpredictable changes limit firms location choices and constrain their mobility. While competition should improve efficiency, lack of capacity among those competing cluster-based enterprises to invest and innovate does not generate growth out of the competition. The vast majority of naturally formed clusters of light manufacturing industries in Africa are still at a survival level, where agglomeration externalities are only limited to expand quantity but not quality as we observe in more advanced innovation-oriented clusters in elsewhere in the world. Existing studies on such natural industrial clusters in Africa have found that the lack of managerial skills among entrepreneurs running micro and small enterprises is a major constraint for innovation and growth in the clusters. As a part of this study, pilot managerial skills training programs were conducted in two industrial clusters on an experimental basis, where a group of randomly selected entrepreneurs within the clusters were given three-week long crush course of based management such as bookkeeping, marketing, business planning, and production management. The impact evaluation of the experiments showed significant positive impacts of the training programs on value added and gross profits of enterprises. Raising the current survival-type industrial clusters, which have been formed as a coping mechanism to weak investment climate, into more dynamic innovating clusters will be an important avenue for fostering growth of micro and small enterprises in Africa. While national efforts to improve investment climate and investments in human capital are undoubtedly important, there could be more targeted policies to be formulated, in complementing general policies, to support growth of micro and small domestic enterprises using existing industrial clusters as a natural springboard for their growth. In that context, the study discusses the merit of cluster-based managerial human capital development to build steps toward more innovation-oriented clusters, the importance of sound spatial planning policy, particularly at the local level in the context of urban planning, the need to expand market access and economic linkages for industrial clusters including regional integration and linkages with large enterprises.

Download or read book Incorporating Technology Into South African Entrepreneurial Training written by Adriana Aletta Steyn and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 448 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book The Promise of Small and Medium Enterprises written by Ana Arroio and published by Taylor & Francis. This book was released on 2018-10-24 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This series of books brings together results of an extensive research programme on aspects of the national systems of innovation (NSI) in the five BRICS countries — Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. It provides a comprehensive and comparative examination of the challenges and opportunities faced by these dynamic and emerging economies. In discussing the impact of innovation with respect to economic, geopolitical, socio-cultural, institutional, and technological systems, it reveals the possibilities of new development paradigms for equitable and sustainable growth. This volume, third in the series, looks at the relationship between small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and the National Systems of Innovation in the BRICS countries. It brings to fore crucial issues in the evolution and future trends of industrial or innovation policies for small firms: their scope, applicability, co-ordination, and main results, as well as the influence of macroeconomic, legal and regulatory environments. Taking into account the specificities and complexities of SMEs’ production and innovation systems, it seeks to inform research, policy design and implementation in the field. Original and detailed data, together with expert analyses on wide-ranging issues, make this book an invaluable resource for researchers and scholars in economics, development studies and political science, in addition to policy makers and development practitioners interested in the BRICS countries.

Download or read book Technology Transfer from South African Technology Stations to Their SME Clients written by Leisl Joanne Neskakis and published by Logos Verlag Berlin GmbH. This book was released on 2012-03-15 with total page 199 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: It is widely held that technology transfer is closely linked to a nation's economic development. For this reason, the South African government assigned twelve technology stations to support small and medium sized enterprises (SME). The main aim of these stations is the transfer of technology from the universities, where they are housed, to the SMEs in scientific areas ranging from biotechnology to agriculture. This study delivers a detailed analysis of each technology station and offers an explanation as to why some technology stations are more successful than others. This study focuses on the influence of the organizational culture on technology transfer and employs Cultural Theory to analyze, categorize and thereby compare the culture types of the organizations being studied. A few other interesting discoveries are also made by this study: that Grid/Group Cultural Theory can be utilized in the methodology of a study to determine the organizational culture of any organization; that if the impact of organizational culture on technology transfer can be determined empirically, then the impact of organizational culture on other factors can also be determined empirically; and that if organizational culture can be used to determine the success of technology transfer, then it can probably determine the success of other organizations, irrespective of what service that organization provides.

Download or read book Essentials of Risk Management in Finance written by Anthony Tarantino and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2010-12-01 with total page 202 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A concise and and easy to follow introduction to financial risk management This basic survey text offers an accessible introduction to financial risk management, covered in its major components: credit, market, operational, liquidity, legal, and reputational, along with user-friendly processes and tools to conduct your own risk assessments and risk alignments. While there are some mathematical concepts included, these are kept at levels everyone will find easy to grasp. Provides a comprehensive overview of financial risk management, including credit, market, operational, liquidity, legal, and reputational risk areas Discusses the latest trends and next generation techniques emerging in financial risk management Provides risk assessment and risk alignment tools and examples This book offers a good basic understanding of the major areas of risk exposure that all organizations, both public and private, face in operating in today's complex global marketplace. It provides insights into best practices and next generation techniques for readers entering government, not-for-profit, business, and IT positions in which risk management will play an ever expanding role.

Download or read book Reshaping Entrepreneurship Education With Strategy and Innovation written by Ayandibu, Ayansola Olatunji and published by IGI Global. This book was released on 2020-10-02 with total page 422 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: New small business owners are constantly pressured to play a major role in the economic growth of their respected nation. However, revitalizing how individuals think, research, teach, and implement performance strategies to improve the operations of these small businesses is critical to entrepreneurial success. Reshaping Entrepreneurship Education With Strategy and Innovation is an essential reference source that discusses strategies to overcome performance barriers as well as implementation of effective entrepreneurial processes based on a wide range of global issues. Featuring research on topics such as authentic leadership, business ethics, and social entrepreneurship, this book is ideally designed for entrepreneurs, business professionals, scholars, researchers, students, and practitioners seeking coverage on innovative performance operations of small businesses.

Download or read book An Adaptive Maturity Model for Small Medium and Micro Information Technology Enterprises in South Africa written by David McGaughey Funchall and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page 640 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Emerging Technologies for Developing Countries written by Muthoni Masinde and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2023-07-05 with total page 231 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book constitutes the refereed conference proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Emerging Technologies for Developing Countries, AFRICATEK 2022, held in Bloemfontein, South Africa, in December 5-7, 2022. The 14 full papers included in this book were carefully reviewed and selected from 24 submissions. They were organized in topical sections as follows: answer set programming; Education in the 4IR Era, Opportunities for driving Efficiencies and Effectiveness, Key 4IR Baseline Architectures, Application of 4IR in Environment and Agriculture Monitoring.

Download or read book ICIE 2015 3rd International Conference on Innovation and Entrepreneurship written by Deresh Ramjugernath and published by Academic Conferences Limited. This book was released on 2015-02-24 with total page 273 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: These proceedings represent the work of researchers participating in the 3rd International Conference on Innovation and Entrepreneurship - ICIE 2015, which is being co-hosted by The University of KwaZulu Natal, Durban and the Ethekwini Municipality, Durban, South Africa on the 19-20 March 2015. The ICIE Conference constitutes a valuable platform for individuals to present their research findings, display their work in progress and discuss conceptual advances in many different branches of innovation and entrepreneurship in business and management. At the same time, it provides an important opportunity for researchers and managers to come together with peers, share knowledge and exchange ideas. ICIE builds on the now well established European Conference on Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and allows universities outside the European Boundaries the opportunity to host an academic conference on these important topics. In addition to the presentations of research the conference will feature a knowledge cafe, led by Dr Shawren Singh looking at this topic How can academics focus research efforts to better serve the business and public sector communities?. The second day will open with a panel discussion looking at Smart cities: Opportunities for Entrepreneurship and Economic growth. Following an initial submission of 85 abstracts that have undergone a double blind peer review process, 26 research papers, 3 PhD research papers, 2 work-in-progress papers are published in these Conference Proceedings, representing research results from the Czech Republic, Denmark, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Lithuania, Nigeria, Poland, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Sweden, The Netherlands, UK, USA and Zambia.

Download or read book The Rise of Africa S Small Medium Size Enterprises written by Dr. Robin Renee Sanders and published by Xlibris Corporation. This book was released on 2017-02-08 with total page 266 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ambassador (Dr.) Robin Renee Sanders new book on The Rise of Africas Small & Medium Size Enterprises (SMEs) is an insightful examination of the dramatic shift in the development paradigm for Sub Saharan Africa driven in large part by the imaginative, innovative, and insta-impact leadership of the regions small businesses or SMEs. SMEs have helped drive economic development, growth and aided in increasing the size of the Continents middle class, Sanders says. With the Introduction to the book by renown civil rights leader Ambassador Andrew Young, and the Foreword by Sub Saharan Africas leading businessman, Mr. Aliko Dangote, Sanders book credits the determination of Africa SMEs and entrepreneurs (which includes African nationals, immigrants and African Americans) for stepping into the void left by 40-years of post-independence development approaches that had little impact on reducing overall poverty and creating jobs in the region. Africas dynamic entrepreneurial spirit of Generation-Xers and Millennials are and have formed SMEs and social enterprises that today are responsible for conceiving and inventing many of the new apps, and answers to address the regions age-old poverty issues, Sanders emphasizes. Africa SMEs are not only a key driver for jobs, but serve as an additional catalyst to grow the middle class. Sanders argues that it was the Rise of the Africa SME converging with technology and its mobility that has changed, over the last decade, the focus and direction of development in Sub Saharan Africa. The book has a few vignettes from Sanders diplomatic life and work as CEO of the FEEEDS Advocacy Initiative with Africa SMEs over the years, as well as regional examples of some of innovative things Africa entrepreneurs are doing in sectors ranging from agriculture and food security to energy and climate change. The book also walks readers through what donors, foundations and African stock markets are doing today to help in the SME space. Sanders ends with recommendations of what more can be done by donors, African governments, and the new U.S. administration to further assist Africa SMEs, particularly the group she calls the critical mass, and those at the fragile end of Africas middle class.

Download or read book Proceedings of the International Conference on Business and Management Dynamics 2016 Sustainable economies in the information economy written by Joy E. Akahome and published by AOSIS. This book was released on 2016-12-31 with total page 115 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Cape Town, South Africa, 7 Sept. 2016 – 8 Sept. 2016. Theme: Sustainable economies in the information economy. Purpose: To share the quality academic papers presented at the International Conference on Business and Management Dynamics (ICBMD) held from 7 to 8 September 2016 at African Pride Crystal Hotel and Spa in Cape Town. As grey literature, the proceedings are the contributions made by researchers at the conference and are considered the written record of the work that was presented to fellow conference delegates. Methodology: The methodology used varies from researcher to researcher but are suitable for the studies conducted. Thus, on the one hand, studies that were subjective in nature used the interpretive paradigm, where the qualitative approach adopted made used of the interview method to collect data. On the other hand, studies that were objectively inclined adopted the positivist philosophy and used survey questionnaires to collect data. However, there were some academic papers which used mixed methodology because of the nature of the study. Whatever methodology used adhered to the ethos of the philosophies underpinning the methodology. Contribution made to scholarship: The articles come from individual researchers and each article in the proceedings is unique. Mostly, there is no general argument leading from one contribution to the next. However, it is interesting to note that in the area of economic performance it was evident that real exchange rate and net foreign direct investment contribute more towards innovations in economic growth. With regard to human capital development, papers presented evidence that there exists a definite need to explore the phenomenon of personal branding as limited scientific academic research has been done within the field of personal branding or on elements of the topic. Thus, the outcome argues that personal branding has an influence on leadership style which in turn impacts on organisational performance and related hygiene factors. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that current methods or strategies for enforcing institutionalisation of knowledge sharing within an organisation have not been successful, and, as such, new strategies are needed to reinforce efforts to nurture and invigorate the institutionalisation of knowledge sharing within an organisation. With regard to technology and big data impact on organisational performance, it was evident that system performance, memory consumption and CPU utilisation can be used as criteria to compare and evaluate big data technologies to improve organisational performance. Most of the articles’ contribution reemphasised technology education and training as a means of digitising business and improving effectiveness. Target audience: The target readership is academic researchers and business leaders who require access to the latest developments in the fields of economics, information management, business, education, development studies, social sciences and technology. It is also for policymakers and other stakeholders who need a better understanding of the impact of new developments on existing policies and regulations for their review or amendment.

Download or read book Higher Education in Regional and City Development The Free State South Africa 2012 written by OECD and published by OECD Publishing. This book was released on 2012-02-14 with total page 227 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This publication explores a range of helpful policy measures and institutional reforms to mobilise higher education for regional development in the Free State of South Africa.