Zeleke Worku

A survey was conducted (2012 to 2014) in the City of Tshwane in order to assess and evaluate determinants of adequate municipal services that are routinely provided to operators of start-up business enterprises. Data used in the report come from 1.058 small businesses. The aim of research is to assess and evaluate the relationship between the quality of services and sustained viability in small business enterprises. The study was conducted against the background of a high failure rate among newly established small businesses in the City of Tshwane. The study showed that there was a significant association between positive perception of business operators on the quality of municipal services provided to them and viability of businesses. The percentage of viable business enterprises that were satisfied with the quality of services provided to them was 87%. The percentage of non-viable business enterprises that were satisfied with the quality of services provided to them was only 13%. Profitability in business enterprises was significantly affected by lack of capacity for fulfilling the business and entrepreneurial needs of newly established businesses [hazard ratio = 3.58; P = 0.000; 95% C. I. = (1.45, 5.46)], inappropriate policy [hazard ratio = 3.19; P = 0.000; 95% C. I. = (1.39, 5.28)], and lack of tailor made training programs directed at newly established small businesses [hazard ratio = 2.89; P = 0.000; 95% C. I. = (1.24, 4.77)]. In-depth interviews conducted with business operators led to similar findings.

Keywords: city of Tshwane, small businesses, municipal services, perception, hazard ratio.
JEL Classification: L26, H7, L8

A survey was conducted in local municipalities in the Tshwane region of Gauteng Province in South Africa in order to assess and evaluate the efficiency with which municipal waste is collected, disposed of, processed and recycled by local municipalities in Tshwane based on data gathered from 1,035 businesses. Efficiency in waste management was assessed by using a structural time-based model designed for evaluating efficiency as a function of the length of time required to manage and process municipal waste. Adherence to municipal bylaws and procedures recommended for solid waste management by businesses by the City of Tshwane was graded based on ISO 14000 and ISO 14031 standards and guidelines. The study found that efficiency in waste management was adversely influenced by lack of adherence to municipal bylaws and regulations, wrong perception on the benefits of proper waste management, and failure to provide customers with waste disposal bins, in a decreasing order of importance.

Keywords: Tshwane municipalities, waste management, efficiency, logit analysis.
JEL Classification: Q53, C25

This study attempts to identify and quantify factors that adversely affect the growth and development of emerging contractors in the construction industry of Limpopo Province in South Africa. The study is based on a stratified random sample of 229 emerging contractors who operate in the construction industry of Limpopo Province. The degree of entrepreneurial skills in emerging contractors was assessed by using a composite index defined by Beck and Demirguc-Kunt (2012). Quantitative and qualitative research methods were used for data collection and analysis. The study found that 139 of the 229 emerging contractors selected for the study (60.70%) lacked entrepreneurial skills by the standards of Beck and Demirguc-Kunt (2012), whereas 90 of them (40.18%) had adequate entrepreneurial skills by the same standards. The study also showed that 141 of the 229 emerging contractors in the study (61.57%) lacked basic skills in construction engineering. More than half of the contractors in the study had disadvantaged backgrounds in terms of technical and entrepreneurial skills as well as capital and access to finance. The study found that 122 of the 229 emerging contractors (53.28%) were viable financially while the remaining 107 emerging contractors (46.72%) were not viable financially. Results obtained from the study showed that viability in emerging contractors was significantly influenced by barriers such as lack of construction engineering skills, lack of entrepreneurial skills, lack of access to finance, inability to network with well-established contractors, inability to draw up business plans, and delay in payment for services rendered, in a decreasing order of strength.

Keywords: construction industry, emerging contractors, Limpopo Province.
JEL Classification: C5, M21

A study was conducted at the South African Department of Health (DOH) in order to assess the perception held by employees of the DOH at national and provincial levels about the suitability of the Performance Management System (PMS) tool that was being used in the DOH for the assessment and evaluation of the performance of employees working for the DOH at national and provincial level based on their Key Performance Areas (KPAs) and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). The study was based on a stratified random sample of size n=120 employees of the DOH working at national and provincial levels. The study was quantitative, and used methods of data analyses such as frequency tables, cross-tab analysis and binary logistic regression analysis. The degree of productivity of employees at work was measured by using a composite index defined by Le Brasseur, Zannibbi & Zinger (2013). Results obtained from the study showed that about 74% of employees held a favorable view of the PMS tool that was used for the assessment and evaluation of employees. The percentage of respondents who viewed the PMS tool as unhelpful was about 26%. The study showed that the view held by employees working in the DOH about the relevance and objectivity of the PMS tool used for the assessment of employee performance in the DOH was significantly and adversely affected by the perception that the PMS policy was incapable of promoting the effectiveness of the DOH as an organization, the perception that the PMS policy was incapable of rewarding deserving employees, and the perception that there were not enough training opportunities in the PMS, in a decreasing order of strength.

An exploratory survey was undertaken in order to explore the underlying causes of bankruptcy in junior mining companies operating in the Witbank region of Mpumalanga Province based on data gathered from 120 highly experienced employees of junior mining companies operating at Witbank. Perception on barriers to productivity in junior mines was measured based on a scale introduced by Henisz, Dorobantu and Nartey (2014). Data was gathered on 24 socioeconomic variables. Data was analysed by performing logit analysis. The key finding of study was that 74.17% of respondents believed that their mines were profitable and productive. Productivity of mines was found to be undermined high cost of transport [OR = 4.51; P = 0.003; 95% CI = (2.26, 7.58)], low demand for mine products [OR = 2.65; P = 0.009; 95% CI = (1.86, 6.14)] and inability to improve the public images of junior mining companies [OR = 2.53; P = 0.015; 95% CI = (1.80, 5.76)].

The objective of study was to assess and evaluate factors that affect entrepreneurial activities carried out by formal and informal migrant entrepreneurs from Ethiopia who conduct business operations in the nine provinces of South Africa. The study was descriptive and exploratory in nature. The design of the study was descriptive and cross-sectional. Data were collected from a stratified random sample of 3,045 migrant entrepreneurs from Ethiopia who conduct business in the nine provinces of South Africa. Stratified random sampling was used for the selection of eligible entrepreneurs. The study found that about 76% of businesses operated by migrant entrepreneurs from Ethiopia were profitable, whereas the remaining 24% of businesses were not profitable. About 32% of entrepreneurs were attracted to South Africa due to better infrastructural facilities. About 25% of entrepreneurs were attracted to South Africa due to better socioeconomic conditions. About 78% of migrant entrepreneurs had conducted business in South Africa for five years or more at the time of data collection. About 34% of businesses paid tax to the South African Revenue Service (SARS) on a regular basis. About 38% of businesses employed at least one South African in their businesses. About 85% of entrepreneurs stated that they had good working relationships with members of the various local communities in South Africa.

The study was conducted by collecting the data from 608 customers of migrant retailers working in the retail industry of Pretoria West in South Africa in order to identify socioeconomic factors that affect customer loyalty. Data was collected from eligible respondents by using a pre-tested, validated and standardised questionnaire of study that was self-administered by respondents. The study found that about 69% of customers were loyal to their retailers. About 68% of customers had a favorable attitude towards their retailers. About 68% of retailers used appropriate promotional measures for marketing their goods to potential customers. About 69% of retailers provided their customers with satisfactory quality of services. About 67% of customers were loyal to their retailers’ brands. Factor analysis was used for extracting 3 influential predictors of customer loyalty. These factors were entrepreneurial skills, marketing skills, and selling price. The percentage of variance explained by the 3 extracted factors was equal to 92.58%.

The researchers intended to explore organizational culture at a state-owned enterprise (SOE) in South Africa. The reviewed literature showed very few similar studies where job satisfaction was tested as a mediator between organizational citizenship behavior and organizational culture. Furthermore, the reviewed literature revealed that Martins’ organizational culture model, which was used to give theoretical grounding to the study, did not have job satisfaction as a mediator. The research design was exploratory, correlational, and cross-sectional. A total of 204 respondents were selected using a stratified sampling technique. The major finding was that the respondents perceived the organizational culture as a hostile, bellicose culture, rife with politics. The unexpected result was a significant positive relationship between organizational citizenship behavior and organizational culture. This means that even when the organization’s culture was hostile, employees did not abuse and leave and went beyond the call of duty. It was found that job satisfaction did not mediate the relationship between organizational citizenship behavior and organizational culture.