An exploratory case study on the barriers, challenges and benefits of sustainability reporting by small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in South Africa
- Authors: Mhlope, Veliswa
- Date: 2021
- Subjects: Small business -- South Africa -- Case studies , Sustainable development reporting -- South Africa -- Case studies , Social responsibility of business , Environmental responsibility -- South Africa , Environmental reporting -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/172018 , vital:42149
- Description: SMEs in South Africa and other developing countries have been slow to take up sustainability reporting. This qualitative study is aimed to study the challenges and barriers faced by SMEs, together with the potential benefits for SMEs participating in this type of reporting. It also makes recommendations about how SMEs can participate in and benefit from sustainability reporting. The study shows that indeed there are several challenges in terms of getting involved in sustainability reporting for SMEs. On the other hand, the research finds that the SMEs who are already participating in sustainability reporting can show the benefits of engaging in sustainability reporting and that these benefits far outweigh the challenges. The participating SMEs are also able to show that they have attained a competitive advantage as a result of engaging in sustainability reporting. If, however, sustainability reporting is to become entrenched into SMEs, a few changes need to take place to address challenges such as lack of information about sustainability reporting and its benefits, lack of regulations and more importantly, lack of awareness about sustainable development. As the South African government begins to respond to issues such as climate change, skills development and good governance, it will become necessary for them to introduce regulations to manage this risk. It is also highly possible that in the next few years, reporting will become a regulatory requirement that SMEs will be forced to comply with to continue to do business. The SMEs who are already practising sustainability practices will benefit from being first movers. Those SMEs who start sooner rather than later will already have the internal resources and capabilities to take advantage of the legislative environment. They will have a head start over their rivals in terms of gaining competitive advantage.
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- Date Issued: 2021
A critical analysis of social enterprise in Slovenia
- Authors: Malila, Brett
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Social entrepreneurship -- Slovenia , Social entrepreneurship -- Slovenia -- Case studies , Social entrepreneurship -- Law and legilstion-- Slovenia , Business enterprises -- Law and legilstion-- Slovenia
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/166436 , vital:41364
- Description: This research presents a case study on the nature of social enterprise in Slovenia. From a resource-based view (RBV), the case study has been used to show what some of the intangible resources are that can be used to promote sustainable social enterprise (SE). The purpose of this research study is to analyse social enterprises in Slovenia in order to establish a framework which other social entrepreneurs can use as the basis from which to operate and achieve competitive advantage. It is an important piece of research for both the process of social enterprise development in Slovenia, as well as to provide ideas and thoughts as to the way forward in this sector for other developing societies. Social enterprise is a developing field and it has been be important to develop cases to begin to explore the concept with real life actualities. The goal is to provide a clearer conceptualisation from which other social entrepreneurs can use as the basis to analyse, plan and improve social enterprise in their own specific contexts. The primary purpose of the study is thus to unpack the core elements that identify social enterprise in Slovenia using the resource-based view. The research aims to understand social enterprise within Slovenia in relation to where it occurs, which are the main industries concerned, and what are the unique resources used to promote sustainable growth. To achieve this, the research was guided by the resource-based view for social enterprise as highlighted by Day and Jean-Denis (2016) as well as that proposed by Bacq and Eddleston (2018). A mind map for a possible route towards improved implementation and understanding of social enterprise in Slovenia, was done through accessing registered social enterprises. This database was from the Ministry of Economic Development in Slovenia. An analysis of 2591 social enterprise, a desktop review of the Slovenian legislation on social enterprise and the unpacking of unique resources available to Slovenian social enterprise was done. This provided a perfect test case to show how the provision of legislation, supportive structures; financial targets, a regional vision and government mentoring social enterprise enhance a contested terrain in Slovenia. Findings highlighted that there have been sustainable successes, but not at the levels expected. It is clear that the government has created various unique resources to build and develop the social enterprise (SE) sector. From an RBV analysis of the social enterprise environment in Slovenia, it is essential to have resources such as legislation, mind-set, in migration (labour) and youth skills be created, monitored and supported. However, there is a need for improved monitoring and tighter implementation of the legislation for social enterprise to provide the solution to destructive social ills.
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- Date Issued: 2020
Airline revenue management performance measurement of South African Airways origin-destination revenue management
- Authors: Githiri, Duncan Wanjau
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Revenue management , Airlines Finance , Performance Measurement , Airlines Rates Mathematical models , South African Airways
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/59188 , vital:27455
- Description: Revenue Management (RM) in the airline industry is the practise of selling fixed capacity as a service over a finite time horizon. The market is characterised by the customers’ willingness to pay different prices for the service. This creates the opportunity to target different customer segments and use price differential to attain the optimal passenger fare mix to maximise revenue. The aim is to maximise revenue and an airline can expect revenue increase of between 3 to 7 percent with the successful implementation of a Revenue Management system. The question of whether the revenue increase can be attributed to the RMS is crucial in determining its level of success and validating the optimisation strategy applied (Rannou and Melli, 2003). South African Airways (SAA) migration from Leg-based optimisation to Origin-Destination (O&D) network based revenue management optimisation created the opportunity for this study to measure and evaluate the RMS performance. Revenue performance measuring tools using inventory systems data to measure RMS performance, ASK (Available Seat Kilometre), RASK (Revenue per Available Seat Kilometre), CASK (Cost per Available Seat Kilometre), RPK (Revenue Passenger Kilometre) and cabin factor yield. The limitations relating to the performance measuring tools utilising inventory system data, is the inability for continuous measurement and the isolation of the impact to revenue due to the RMS on its own. In seeking to gauge the performance of the O&D optimisation, the Revenue Opportunity Model (ROM) is applied. ROM is a post departure measuring tool utilised to continuously measure and isolate the contribution of the RMS on SAA’s O&D network. The revenue opportunity achieved versus the potential revenue was assessed. A revenue comparison of the airlines 2014 and 2015 financial year is performed. The results of the analysis showed the O&D optimisation yielded positive revenue capture on routes that applied the correct optimisation strategy. Recommendations on the optimisation strategy to be applied on routes having average or low revenues captured are presented. The aim is to provide the SAA revenue management department with tangible solutions that would result in increased revenue for the SAA network.
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- Date Issued: 2017