Assessing the innovation capability of South African SMEs in pursuing export opportunities
- Authors: Mbele, Lindokuhle Peter
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: New business enterprises -- Management Technological innovations Economic aspects
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/44443 , vital:37811
- Description: Innovation is broadly perceived as an important competitive enabler for any business that needs to survive, stay ahead and prosper. In turbulently and unpredictable global environments, the capability of the organisation to continuously innovate is a key contributor to sustained competitiveness. Innovation capability focuses on making certain that the organisation possess appropriate strategies, structures, culture, leadership techniques and resourcing strategies to bolster effective execution of innovation activities. Innovation can only occur if the organisation has developed innovation capabilities. A number of South African SMEs continue to be reluctant to innovate and trade beyond the borders of their inherent country due to the risks which this involves. SMEs with sound innovation capabilities can make a significant contribution to a nation's competitiveness. Therefore investment in understanding an organisations innovation capabilities and the factors that contribute to successful innovation is necessary. This study assessed the innovation capabilities of South Africa SMEs and their ability to pursue export opportunities. The intention was to gain understanding on how innovation can be used by South African SMEs to improve exports opportunities. The findings revealed that only two thirds of the South African SMEs possess innovative capabilities. The observation was made that some SMEs believe that they are innovative even though they do not have innovative capabilities. Factors that contribute to improved export includes the ability to negotiate export transaction with international partners, the ability to adapt to changing export markets and the ability to meet export demands. These findings present an opportunity for SMEs to continuously assess their innovation capabilities and put measures in place to improve their innovation output and frequency. Globalisation threatens the former safe markets for local businesses, therefore for SMEs to be sustainable, grow and be competitive they should focus on creating innovative products that are marketable globally and continuously seek new markets.
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- Date Issued: 2017
Present state of macrophytes and responses to management scenarios at the St. Lucia and Mfolozi estuaries
- Authors: Rautenbach, Kelly
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Aquatic plants -- South Africa , Estuaries -- South Africa , Marine plants -- Ecology -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/3195 , vital:20410
- Description: The St. Lucia Estuary, the largest estuary in South Africa, has been subject to many natural (a decade long drought) and anthropogenic impacts. A particular mouth manipulation activity, the artificial separation of the Mfolozi River and the St Lucia Estuary in 1952, was done to stop the perceived “silting up” of the estuary, but resulted in a decrease in freshwater supply. The changes in inflows (both fresh and marine) are controlled by management decisions and affect other system parameters such as salinity, water level and turbidity, which influence the distribution of biota. Therefore knowledge on the physico-chemical environment and eco-physiological tolerances of macrophytes will lead to informed future management decisions. The first of the three objectives carried out for this study determined the present state and distribution of the macrophytes of the St. Lucia and Mfolozi estuaries. The macrophyte habitats mapped in 2008 and 2013 were the submerged macrophytes, reeds and sedges, mangroves, grass and shrubs, salt marsh (succulent) and swamp forest. Results indicated that low salinity in the lakes and high water level in 2013 caused die-back or expansion of particular habitats. Submerged macrophytes, in particular Stuckenia pectinata, grows well in water with salinity <15 ppt, therefore this habitat increased by 412 ha (96%) in cover since 2008. Salt marsh decreased by 553 ha (57%) due to inundation. Since 2008 the reeds and sedges increased by 390 ha (in North Lake and the Narrows) due to the salinity decrease. In the Narrows the mangroves decreased by 28 ha (9%) in area cover. This was due to the drought that persisted for so many years, which caused low water levels and non-tidal conditions. The second objective was to determine the present state / health of the mangroves at four sites along the Narrows by assessing sediment condition and population structure of the trees. These results were compared to those obtained in 2010. The total density of Avicennia marina increased since 2010, however this was due to the large increase in seedlings at Site 1, the back channel site. The highest sediment salinity (26 ppt) and porewater salinity (29 ppt) was recorded for this site and these results show that this back channel site was strongly influenced by the open Mfolozi Estuary (increase in marine waters) and tidal conditions at the time of sampling in 2013. The total density of Bruguiera gymnorrhiza decreased, but an increase in adults was recorded at Site 2, the freshwater site. The soil collected from the Bruguiera quadrats was fresher and drier than that of the Avicennia quadrats of Site 2. Lack of seedlings (of both species) was due to the dense stands of Acrostichum aureum (mangrove fern) and Phragmites australis (common reed) and a thick, impenetrable mat of Avicennia pneumatophores. At Sites 3 and 4, the drier sites (where sediment moisture contents were the lowest for all sites at 43 and 42% respectively), seedling and sapling density was low, but adults increased in density since 2010. Recruitment and survival were impacted by the harsh environmental conditions that prevailed prior to 2013 (low water level and non-tidal influence), but adults survived. The results of the test that determined the percentage of aerenchyma of the pneumatophores indicated that waterlogging stress did not affect the aerenchyma of the pneumatophores. However the period of inundation was probably not significant enough to have affected the production of aerenchyma. The third objective formed part of an ongoing study by the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) on the feasibility of linking the Mfolozi River back to the St Lucia Estuary and the responses of these systems to different management scenarios: 1) the “do nothing” scenario; 2) maintain separate Mfolozi and St Lucia mouths representing an open mouth condition; and 3) actively facilitate a single mouth (therefore linking the Mfolozi and St Lucia mouths). Data gathered on the eco-physiological tolerances of the dominant macrophyte species was used to predict the response of the different habitats to these various management scenarios and the results indicated that the best management scenario would be to actively facilitate a single mouth (Scenario 3) as the estuary habitats would increase significantly because of preferred tidal and saline conditions, as this would represent more natural conditions. The results of the study will provide input to recommendations for future “adaptive management” strategies for the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) Project.
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- Date Issued: 2015
Implementing lean principles to improve processes at NMMU Business School
- Authors: Malange, Nandipha
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Lean manufacturing -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , College applications -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Universities and colleges -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth -- Admission
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8801 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1017028
- Description: This time of great change, of shifting paradigms, provides a great platform for universities to rethink their processes (Duderstadt, 2000). Thanks to the pioneering success of the Toyota Motor Company for the invention of lean manufacturing. This operating system has been implemented in many manufacturing companies, with recent successes reported in the service industry. With its focus on quality improvement, cost reduction, efficiency and excellency, lean has been recognised as one of the mechanisms for process improvement and organisational change. In terms of fully embracing lean principles, the service industry still lags far behind the manufacturing, with institutions of higher learning still quite far. Numerous authors have confirmed that institutions of learning are not an easy environment to change. Universities are still characterised by bureaucratic systems based on conventional processes that are not necessarily relevant to today‘s world. The old saying that change in the universities occur one grave at a time is not farfetched (Hines and Lethbridge, 2008 and Paul and Brindley, 1996). The impact of globalisation on business education and how to respond to this phenomenon is a challenge. This necessitates a need for more streamlined and efficient organisations; hence lean has been promoted as a strategy to achieve competitive advantage (Simmons and Masson, 2003). The research study aims to identify areas where lean principles can be implemented to improve the NMMU MBA application process. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with employees directly involved in the process in order to understand it better. The results of the respondents were reported in a process chart diagram and spaghetti diagram. The interviews also revealed five themes that emerged during the analysis of responses. These themes formed the basis for development of recommendations in Chapter 6 of the study.
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- Date Issued: 2012