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A critical analysis of entrepreneurial and business skills in SMEs in the textile and clothing industry in Johannesburg, South Africa
Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2009.
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University of Pretoria
2013
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| _version_ | 1867613596703260672 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author2 | Van Vuuren, Jurie Jansen |
| author_browse | Van Vuuren, Jurie Jansen |
| author_facet | Van Vuuren, Jurie Jansen |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | © University of Pretoria 2008 |
| description | Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2009. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/24173 |
| institution | University of Pretoria (South Africa) |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:38:39.945Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository |
| publishDate | 2013 |
| publishDateRange | 2013 |
| publishDateSort | 2013 |
| publisher | University of Pretoria |
| publisherStr | University of Pretoria |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository |
| spelling | oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/24173 A critical analysis of entrepreneurial and business skills in SMEs in the textile and clothing industry in Johannesburg, South Africa Van Vuuren, Jurie Jansen upetd@up.ac.za Kunene, Thandeka Ruth Entrepreneurial skills Business skills Clothing industry UCTD Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2009. South Africa has abandoned apartheid and re-entered the global economy where factors like the lack of global competitiveness and global recession, amoung other factors, are contributing to poor performance of South African firms. This poor performance has resulted in many firms restructuring, shrinking, closing down and losing hundreds of thousands of jobs. The South African government is promoting SMEs as alternative employment source. The problem is the high rate of SMEs closure. To sustain jobs, SMEs must survive and grow. Critical to aiding SME growth is the understanding of various internal and external factors which determine success or failure. This study investigates “skills” as one of the significant internal factors. The literature reviews eight models by authors Glancey (1998), van Vuuren&Nieman (1999), Erikson (2002), Wickham (1998), Man et al (2002), Ucbasaran et al (2004), Darroch&Clover (2005) and Perks&Struwig (2005) to present the integrated model for entrepreneurial performance as “integrated ↑E/P = f(key skills) x [1 + h.(supporting skills)] ”. The key skills are represented as multiplicative, symbolising the fact that the absence of any one key skill will lead to zero performance. Based on this model, several propositions are put forward. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the key set of competencies identified by the eight models reviewed (as presented in the detailed model) can be applied to a specific industry (the textile and clothing industry) at a specific geographic location (Johannesburg). The cross-sectional, ex post facto, formal empirical study involved interviewed 570 manufacturing SMEs (197 successful and 373 less successful SMEs). The study ascertained which skills the SME owner/managers perceived as important for success; how they rated their competencies in the said skills; and whether they had been trained in those skills. The instrument used was a structured questionnaire. The statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, frequencies, factor analysis, Cronbach alpha coefficient, Chi-square; t-test and one-way ANOVA tests. The analysis was concluded with a Scheffe’s multiple comparison procedure. The main findings of the study are: 1. Key skills that enhance SME success include the ability to gather resources, marketing, motivation, legal, financial and operational management skills. 2. Successful SMEs considered key skills to be more important and rated themselves more competent in most of the key skills than did less successful SMEs. 3. Successful SMEs had been trained in more skills categories than less successful SMEs, with most of the successful SMEs having received training in all the key skills identified. This study recommends that the training of SMEs should focus on developing those skills identified as key internal factors influencing SME success by following the training model “Training for ↑E/P = training in key skills x [1 + training in supporting skills] ”. The study concludes by listing limitations and suggesting further research. Business Management unrestricted 2013-09-06T16:49:32Z 2009-04-28 2013-09-06T16:49:32Z 2009-04-21 2009-04-28 2009-04-27 Thesis Kunene, TR 2008, A critical analysis of entrepreneurial and business skills in SMEs in the textile and clothing industry in Johannesburg, South Africa, PhD thesis, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd < http://hdl.handle.net/2263/24173 > D607/ag http://hdl.handle.net/2263/24173 http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-04272009-101339/ © University of Pretoria 2008 application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf University of Pretoria |
| spellingShingle | Entrepreneurial skills Business skills Clothing industry UCTD A critical analysis of entrepreneurial and business skills in SMEs in the textile and clothing industry in Johannesburg, South Africa |
| title | A critical analysis of entrepreneurial and business skills in SMEs in the textile and clothing industry in Johannesburg, South Africa |
| title_full | A critical analysis of entrepreneurial and business skills in SMEs in the textile and clothing industry in Johannesburg, South Africa |
| title_fullStr | A critical analysis of entrepreneurial and business skills in SMEs in the textile and clothing industry in Johannesburg, South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | A critical analysis of entrepreneurial and business skills in SMEs in the textile and clothing industry in Johannesburg, South Africa |
| title_short | A critical analysis of entrepreneurial and business skills in SMEs in the textile and clothing industry in Johannesburg, South Africa |
| title_sort | critical analysis of entrepreneurial and business skills in smes in the textile and clothing industry in johannesburg south africa |
| topic | Entrepreneurial skills Business skills Clothing industry UCTD |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/2263/24173 http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-04272009-101339/ |