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A conceptual framework for the commercial readiness index : start-up enterprises
Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2020.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2020
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| _version_ | 1867614008761122816 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Moolman, Benjamin Stephanus |
| author2 | Van der Merwe, A. F. |
| author_browse | Moolman, Benjamin Stephanus Van der Merwe, A. F. |
| author_facet | Van der Merwe, A. F. Moolman, Benjamin Stephanus |
| author_sort | Moolman, Benjamin Stephanus |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2020. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/108058 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:45:13.015Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2020 |
| publishDateRange | 2020 |
| publishDateSort | 2020 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/108058 A conceptual framework for the commercial readiness index : start-up enterprises Moolman, Benjamin Stephanus Van der Merwe, A. F. Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Industrial Engineering. Dept. of Industrial Engineering. New business enterprises Entrepreneurship -- Research Commercial readiness index Conceptual framework Start-up ecosystem UCTD Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2020. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The unemployment rate in South Africa currently ranges from 27.5% to even higher when considering youth unemployment. It has become more imperative than ever before for new job opportunities to be created. The creation of a start-up enterprise is however not an easy task, with less than 30% of start-ups surviving longer than 42 months. Companies are finding it extremely hard to commercialise their products or services in a sustainable manner. The concept of commercial readiness was explored by ARENA (2014a) and Bezuidenhout (2017), and applied to the renewable-energy and additivemanufacturing sector respectively. This study looks at the potential of applying the commercial readiness index (CRI) to the start-up domain, and in particular the technology sector. This framework was adapted to incorporate existing tools and literature that monitor specific areas of a start-up enterprise’s progression. Through the consultation of 17 different experts the framework currently describing CRI was evaluated and deliberated. Through an iterative approach, a methodology was derived to determine the key concepts that need to be considered when trying to monitor the position of a start-up within the CRI framework. The purpose of the research revolved around deriving a framework that assists an enterprise from conception to commercialisation. By incorporating the operational and strategic aspects of various models and frameworks, and comparing them in a systematic method to various categories and indicators, a better understanding of the enterprise can be derived. The framework gives guidance to the various stakeholders of the enterprise, as to what questions need to be asked, where the development needs to be accelerated, and where the prioritisation of the enterprise should be taking place. In essence this looks at: Where the enterprise is now (As-Is status), where it needs to be (To-Be status), and how this will be achieved. The phases of the CRI framework were adapted to suit the start-up domain, and the methodology for determining the current As-Is state and potential To-Be state was derived. These three phases are the following: Phase 1 – Viable proposition and establishing enterprise, fundamentally considered a startup; Phase 2 – Strategically aligned enterprise, with established foundations; Phase 3 – Commercially scalable and competitive enterprise. These phases are guided by 11 indicators, encapsulating all the different pillars of an enterprise. These independent indicators were used in a comparative matrix with 12 categories to get an estimation of the current As-Is state. Three companies were surveyed in different case studies in an attempt to plot their current As-Is state, and test whether the tools derived within this study could monitor the current As-Is state of each start-up within the CRI. These case studies, along with the literature and experts, serves as validation for this study. Monitoring the progress of start-ups more accurately and in more depth could lead to a greater success rate for startups within South Africa and globally. This study concludes that the CRI can be expanded and elaborated on in the start-up domain. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die werkloosheidsyfer in Suid-Afrika is in die omgewing van 27.5%, selfs hoër wanneer daar na werkloosheid onder die jeug verwys word. Dit is nou uiters belangrik om nuwe werksgeleenthede te skep. Dit moet egter uitgewys word dat dit nie ’n eenvoudige taak is nie. Maatskappye vind dit moeilik om hulle produk of diens op ’n volhoubare manier te kommersialiseer. Nuut gestigte besighede staan slegs ’n 30%-kans om langer as 42 maande te oorleef. Die konsep van kommersiële gereedheid is deur ARENA (2014a) en Bezuidenhout (2017) ondersoek, en is onderskeidelik op die hernubare-energie- en toevoegingvervaardigingindustrie toegepas. Hierdie studie kyk na die moontlikheid om die kommersiële gereedheidindeks (KGI) op nuut gestigte ondernemings binne die tegnologiese sektor te toets. Hierdie raamwerk word aangepas om bestaande hulpbronne en literatuur te inkorporeer wat spesifieke areas van ’n beginbesigheid se vordering monitor. Deur raadpleging van 17 verskillende kundiges is die raamwerk wat KGI huidig beskryf, geëvalueer en in oorweging gebring. Deur middel van ’n iteratiewe benadering is ’n metodiek afgelei om die sleutelkonsepte te bepaal wat oorweeg moet word wanneer daar probeer word om die posisie van ’n beginbesigheid binne die KGI-raamwerk te monitor. Die doel van die navorsing is daarop gerig om ’n raamwerk te ontwikkel wat entrepreneurs kan help om hul onderneming van konseptualisering tot kommersialisering te neem. Dit sluit die inkorporasie van operasionele en strategiese komponente van die verskeie raamwerke in. Deur hulle sistematies met mekaar teen verskeie kategorieë en aanwysers te vergelyk, kan die onderneming beter verstaan word. Die raamwerk gee leiding aan die verskeie belanghebbendes oor wat die prioriteite van die onderneming moet wees, help dat die regte vrae gevra word, en laat die ontwikkeling van ’n beter begrip van die maatskappy toe. Dit stel dus die volgende vrae: Waar is die onderneming nou? Waar moet dit wees? Hoe kom dit daar? Die fases van die KGI-raamwerk word aangepas om by die domein van die beginbesigheid te pas, en die metodiek word afgelei om die huidige toestand van die onderneming sowel as die potensi¨ele vooruitsigte daarvan te bepaal. Die drie fases is: fase 1 – Die operasionele aspekte en vestiging van ’n nuwe onderneming; fase 2 – Strategiese belyning van die maatskappy, met gevestigde fondasies; fase 3 – Kommersieel skaalbare en mededingende onderneming. Hierdie fases word gerig deur 11 indikators wat al die verskillende pilare van ’n onderneming uitmaak. Hierdie onafhanklike indikators word gebruik in ’n matriks met 12 kategorie¨e om ’n aanduiding te kry van hoe die onderneming op daardie betrokke tyd presteer. Drie maatskappye is in drie verskillende gevallestudies ondersoek in ’n poging om die huidige toestand van die maatskappy te bepaal, asook om te toets of die hulpbronne wat in hierdie studie afgelei is die huidige toestand van elke onderneming in die KGI kan monitor. Hierdie gevallestudies, tesame met die literatuur en kundiges, dien as bekragtiging van hierdie studie. Deur die vordering van beginbesighede noukeuriger en meer diepliggend te monitor, kan tot ’n groter sukses vir beginbesighede in Suid-Afrika en wêreldwyd lei. Hierdie studie kom tot die gevolgtrekking dat die KGI in die domein van die beginbesigheid uitgebrei kan word. Masters 2020-02-18T12:13:49Z 2020-04-28T12:16:53Z 2020-02-18T12:13:49Z 2020-04-28T12:16:53Z 2020-03 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/108058 en Stellenbosch University xvi, 158 leaves : illustrations (some color) application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | New business enterprises Entrepreneurship -- Research Commercial readiness index Conceptual framework Start-up ecosystem UCTD Moolman, Benjamin Stephanus A conceptual framework for the commercial readiness index : start-up enterprises |
| title | A conceptual framework for the commercial readiness index : start-up enterprises |
| title_full | A conceptual framework for the commercial readiness index : start-up enterprises |
| title_fullStr | A conceptual framework for the commercial readiness index : start-up enterprises |
| title_full_unstemmed | A conceptual framework for the commercial readiness index : start-up enterprises |
| title_short | A conceptual framework for the commercial readiness index : start-up enterprises |
| title_sort | conceptual framework for the commercial readiness index start up enterprises |
| topic | New business enterprises Entrepreneurship -- Research Commercial readiness index Conceptual framework Start-up ecosystem UCTD |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/108058 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT moolmanbenjaminstephanus aconceptualframeworkforthecommercialreadinessindexstartupenterprises AT moolmanbenjaminstephanus conceptualframeworkforthecommercialreadinessindexstartupenterprises |