The Impact of Quality Standards on the Business Performance of Small, Medium and Micro-Sized Enterprises in Kwazulu-Natal: Selected Cases in the Durban Metropolitan Area

In the last decade, scholars showed an interest in alluding to compliance as a necessity to support small business performance in the last decades. Over the years, organisations have been frequently criticised for failing to comply with the quality standards such as the South African National Standards (SANS) 9001/ISO 9001 require effective implementation of Quality Management Systems and SANS 342, which provides specifications for diesel fuel products. Quality standards matrix adopted by the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) is frequently used as a set of detailed specifications, requirements, various guidelines and characteristics to assure that the product, service or process is fit for purpose. Even though public and semi-autonomous institutions understand the value of subscribing and complying with quality standards, there is still a gap in the literature regarding the enforcement and compliance of quality standards in small business practices. There is a relationship between the adoption of quality standards and business excellence. Government can tap on the competitiveness of small, medium and micro-sized enterprises (SMMEs) and address their challenges and barriers that limit SMMEs to acquisition and compliance of statutory quality management systems.

The Influence of Digital Literacy and Entrepreneurial Behavior on Small Business Performance (Study on Culinary Business in Jeneponto Regency)

Using Jeneponto Regency's culinary businesses as a case study, this study tries to investigate whether digital literacy and entrepreneurial behavior have an impact on business performance. Business performance is the dependent variable in this study. The independent factors in this study include digital literacy and entrepreneurial behavior. Using quantitative descriptive research and correlational methods, this study examines the relationship between the two variables. 307 culinary enterprises registered with the Jeneponto Regency Department of Cooperatives and SMEs comprised the study's population, from which a sample of 39 culinary firms was selected. Observing, documenting, and distributing questionnaires were used to collect data (questionnaires). Descriptive statistical analysis and inferential statistics are employed in the analysis process. Digital Literacy (X1) and Entrepreneurial Behavior (X2) had a good and significant effect on the success of small enterprises (Y) in culinary businesses in Jeneponto Regency, according to the study results. Because of its greater regression coefficient value than digital literacy, entrepreneurial activity is the most influential variable in this study.

How market orientation induces small business performance: The role of strategic fits

The purpose of this study is to shed light on how strategic fits between market orientation and the prospector strategy leads to higher performance of small businesses in Vietnam. This study draws from the contingency theory of organization to propose that strategic fits in small businesses represent by prospector strategy's mediating effects on the link between market orientation and these small businesses' performance. Data collected from 161 small businesses in Vietnam was examined. PLS-SEM was used to assess the research framework. The results reveal that the fit between market orientation and the prospector strategy, represented by the full mediating effects of this strategy, is essential to determine the performance improvement of small businesses in Vietnam. For the findings, this study provides some practical implications for small business owners in Vietnam. This study also contributes to the strategic management literature by providing empirical evidence, which suggests the strategic fits between prospector strategy and market orientation induces performance. This study also overcomes the limitations relating to the proposals of the analytic framework to assess strategic fits. Lastly, this study extends to strategic management literature by examining the role of strategic fit in small businesses' contexts.