scholarly journals The impact of innovative leadership on organisational culture within South African small and medium enterprises in the Western Cape, South Africa

2012 ◽  
Vol 6 (39) ◽  
pp. 10438-10444
Author(s):  
Rendani Maladzhi Wilson ◽  
Yan Bing wen ◽  
Daniel Makinde Oluwole
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Small And Medium Enterprises ◽  
Organisational Culture ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
Innovative Leadership ◽  
Medium Enterprises ◽  
The Impact

The impact of climate temperature on counts, recovery, and death rates due to SARS-CoV-2 in South Africa. (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neven Chetty ◽  
Bamise Adeleye ◽  
Abiola Olawale Ilori
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Death Rate ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
Warm Climate ◽  
The South ◽  
Recovery Rates ◽  
Death Rates ◽  
Online Resource ◽  
The Impact

BACKGROUND The impact of climate temperature on the counts (number of positive COVID-19 cases reported), recovery, and death rates of COVID-19 cases in South Africa's nine provinces was investigated. The data for confirmed cases of COVID-19 were collected for March 25 and June 30, 2020 (14 weeks) from South Africa's Government COVID-19 online resource, while the daily provincial climate temperatures were collected from the website of the South African Weather Service. Our result indicates that a higher or lower climate temperature does not prevent or delay the spread and death rates but shows significant positive impacts on the recovery rates of COVID-19 patients. Thus, it indicates that the climate temperature is unlikely to impose a strict limit on the spread of COVID-19. There is no correlation between the cases and death rates, an indicator that no particular temperature range is closely associated with a faster or slower death rate of COVID-19 patients. As evidence from our study, a warm climate temperature can only increase the recovery rate of COVID-19 patients, ultimately impacting the death and active case rates and freeing up resources quicker to enable health facilities to deal with those patients' climbing rates who need treatment. OBJECTIVE This study aims to investigate the impact of climate temperature variation on the counts, recovery, and death rates of COVID-19 cases in all South Africa's provinces. The findings were compared with those of countries with comparable climate temperature values. METHODS The data for confirmed cases of COVID-19 were collected for March 25 and June 30 (14 weeks) for South African provinces, including daily counts, death, and recovery rates. The dates were grouped into two, wherein weeks 1-5 represent the periods of total lockdown to contain the spread of COVID-19 in South Africa. Weeks 6-14 are periods where the lockdown was eased to various levels 4 and 3. The daily information of COVID-19 count, death, and recovery was obtained from South Africa's Government COVID-19 online resource (https://sacoronavirus.co.za). Daily provincial climate temperatures were collected from the website of the South African Weather Service (https://www.weathersa.co.za). The provinces of South Africa are Eastern Cape, Western Cape, Northern Cape, Limpopo, Northwest, Mpumalanga, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape, and Gauteng. Weekly consideration was given to the daily climate temperature (average minimum and maximum). The recorded values were considered, respectively, to be in the ratio of death-to-count (D/C) and recovery-to-count (R/C). Descriptive statistics were performed for all the data collected for this study. The analyses were performed using the Person’s bivariate correlation to analyze the association between climate temperature, death-to-count, and recovery-to-count ratios of COVID-19. RESULTS The results showed that higher climate temperatures aren't essential to avoid the COVID-19 from being spread. The present results conform to the reports that suggested that COVID-19 is unlike the seasonal flu, which does dissipate as the climate temperature rises [17]. Accordingly, the ratio of counts and death-to-count cannot be concluded to be influenced by variations in the climate temperatures within the study areas. CONCLUSIONS The study investigates the impact of climate temperature on the counts, recovery, and death rates of COVID-19 cases in all South Africa's provinces. The findings were compared with those of countries with comparable climate temperatures as South Africa. Our result indicates that a higher or lower climate temperature does not prevent or delay the spread and death rates but shows significant positive impacts on the recovery rates of COVID-19 patients. Warm climate temperatures seem not to restrict the spread of the COVID-19 as the count rate was substantial at every climate temperatures. Thus, it indicates that the climate temperature is unlikely to impose a strict limit on the spread of COVID-19. There is no correlation between the cases and death rates, an indicator that there is no particular temperature range of the climatic conditions closely associated with a faster or slower death rate of COVID-19 patients. However, other shortcomings in this study's process should not be ignored. Some other factors may have contributed to recovery rates, such as the South African government's timely intervention to announce a national lockout at the early stage of the outbreak, the availability of intensive medical care, and social distancing effects. Nevertheless, this study shows that a warm climate temperature can only help COVID-19 patients recover more quickly, thereby having huge impacts on the death and active case rates.

RETHINKING (RELUCTANT) CAPTURE: SOUTH AFRICAN TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND THE IMPACT OF REGULATION

2003 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-87 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tracy Cohen
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Government Policy ◽  
Small And Medium Enterprises ◽  
Universal Service ◽  
Economic Empowerment ◽  
Second Phase ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Fixed Line ◽  
Medium Enterprises ◽  
The Impact

The South African telecommunications sector has recently been the subject of renewed interest as it commences its second phase of liberalization and opens up its fixed line market to competition. With democracy in place since 1994, the challenge of economic and social development created by the ravages of apartheid required detailed government policy in every sector. Telecommunications was no exception. Since the promulgation of the 1996 Telecommunications Act, developmental objectives, particularly universal service, the advancement of small and medium enterprises (SMMEs) and the economic empowerment of historically disadvantaged individuals have rivalled more pedestrian sectoral reform goals often given priority in other countries, such as the promotion of innovation and competition.

scholarly journals The Relationship between Learning Orientation and the Performance of Small and Medium Enterprises in South Africa

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (3(J)) ◽  
pp. 232-240
Author(s):  
Evelyn Motsepe ◽  
Olawale Fatoki
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Small And Medium Enterprises ◽  
Learning Orientation ◽  
Mpumalanga Province ◽  
Performance Variables ◽  
Data Collection Process ◽  
Local Municipality ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Medium Enterprises ◽  
The Impact

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are an important vehicle in income re-distribution, poverty alleviation, employment creation and contribute to the gross domestic product of South Africa. However, SMEs in South Africa suffer from a weak level of performance and a high failure rate. The main objective of this study was to investigate the impact of learning orientation on the performance of SMEs. A quantitative approach was used, while a self-administered questionnaire was also employed during data collection process. A three- section questionnaire covering demographic information, learning orientation variables and performance variables was prepared and distributed randomly to a selected sample of 390 SME owners in Msukaligwa Local Municipality in Mpumalanga Province of South Africa. A total of 181 questionnaires were returned. Descriptive statistics, factor analysis, correlation and regression analysis were used for data analysis. The Cronbach’s alpha was used to measure reliability. The results of the study revealed a significant positive relationship between learning orientation and the performance of SMEs. Recommendations to improve the learning orientation of SMEs are suggested.

scholarly journals The Impact of Leadership Styles on the Entrepreneurial Orientation of Small and Medium Enterprises in South Africa

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (2(J)) ◽  
pp. 104-113
Author(s):  
Obey Dzomonda ◽  
Olawale Fatoki ◽  
Olabanji Oni
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Leadership Styles ◽  
Leadership Style ◽  
Entrepreneurial Orientation ◽  
Small And Medium Enterprises ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Active Role ◽  
Medium Enterprises ◽  
The Impact

The critical role Small and Medium Enterprises play in the economic prosperity of nations cannot be understated. SMEs actively contribute towards economic growth and development through their active role as innovators and agents for change. The authors of this paper believe that leadership styles exercised by SME owners have a bearing on the innovative ability of SMEs. Hence, this paper aimed at investigating the impact of leadership styles on the entrepreneurial orientation of SMEs in Polokwane Municipality. A quantitative research method was used and 103 SMEs participated in the survey. The random sampling technique was used. Self-administered questionnaires were utilised to collect data in a survey. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation and regression analysis. Reliability of the data collection instruments was measured using the Cronbach’s alpha. The results indicated that the SMEs display average levels of entrepreneurial orientation. In addition, the results showed that SMEs display average levels of leadership styles inclined towards transformational leadership style. Furthermore, the results showed a significant positive relationship between the independent variables: leadership styles with the dependent variable (EO) of SMEs. SMEs were recommended to provide flexible leadership styles that will make EO to flourish in their businesses. Furthermore, the policy makers and relevant authorities were recommended to devise and implement a consortium of strategies and policies that can increase the level of entrepreneurial orientation among SMEs in South Africa.

scholarly journals Performance implications of financial capital availability on the financial literacy – performance nexus in South Africa

2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 354-362 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neneh Brownhilder Ngek
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Financial Literacy ◽  
Small And Medium Enterprises ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Financial Capital ◽  
Financial Decisions ◽  
Literacy Performance ◽  
Entrepreneurial Activities ◽  
Medium Enterprises ◽  
The Impact

The need for making optimal financial decisions is very important in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) especially as most SMEs are always financially constrained. Consequently, there has been an increasing interest from researchers to determine how well financial literacy skills can enable entrepreneurs to make decisions that result in optimal financial outcomes and possible enhance the performance and growth of their businesses. This study had as objectives to find out the impact of financial literacy on firm performance, as well as to examine the moderating effect of financial capital availability on the financial literacy – performance relationship, amongst SME in the Free State province of South Africa. The results showed that on average SME have low levels of financial literacy and financial capital availability. It was also observed that financial literacy positively influenced SME performance, and that the relationship is positively moderated by financial capital availability. It is, therefore, necessary for SME owners to develop financial literacy skills as an essential part of entrepreneurial activities. Likewise, since businesses rely on financial capital to invest, develop and grow, policy makers should put in place measures on how to bridge the access to finance gap, and, thus, ensure that entrepreneurs are relieved from financing constraints

scholarly journals A generic balanced scorecard for small and medium manufacturing enterprises in South Africa

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Arthur Reynolds ◽  
Houdini Fourie ◽  
Lourens Erasmus
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Balanced Scorecard ◽  
Delphi Study ◽  
Small And Medium Enterprises ◽  
Manufacturing Sector ◽  
Local Economy ◽  
The Balanced Scorecard ◽  
Manufacturing Enterprises ◽  
Medium Enterprises

Background: Prior research confirmed that the balanced scorecard (BSC) can be used successfully at manufacturing small and medium enterprises (SMEs), to assist with sustainability. South African SMEs have a low survival rate despite being a significant contributor to the local economy with the manufacturing sector in particular hampered by negative growth.Aim: The objective of this study was to develop a BSC for manufacturing SMEs in South Africa with measurable key performance indicators (KPIs).Setting: We conducted a Delphi study with cost accounting specialists in different industries.Methods: The development of the generic BSC was facilitated with a Delphi survey and analytical hierarchy process (AHP).Results: The research presents a generic yet flexible BSC for manufacturing SMEs. A total number of 12 generic and 104 specific KPIs were identified. The results revealed a greater emphasis on the financial and customer perspectives that may be conducive to SME sustainability and success.Conclusion: A generic BSC that can be adapted to specific organisational and industry requirements has the potential to enhance SME sustainability and success.

The impact of electricity crises on the consumption behaviour of small and medium enterprises

2008 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Von Ketelholdt ◽  
A. Wöcke
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
Small And Medium Enterprises ◽  
Electricity Consumption ◽  
Cape Town ◽  
Social Strategies ◽  
Information Campaigns ◽  
Consumption Behaviour ◽  
Medium Enterprises ◽  
The Impact

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) will play a key role in future economic and social strategies in South Africa. However, we find that SMEs are par-ticularly vulnerable to shocks in their external envi-ronment due to a general lack of skills and resources. This is critical as the future demand for electricity in South Africa is likely to outstrip supply and electricity will become increasingly unreliable and expensive. We surveyed 250 SMEs in Cape Town and found that the prevailing policy methods of changing electricity consumption behaviour: information campaigns, increasing prices, and pro-viding rebates for energy savings, have had limited results and are unsustainable when applied to SMEs.

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