Gideon Nieman

Training entrepreneurs and small business enterprises in South Africa: a situational analysis

Gives an overview of the contents of entrepreneurship and small enterprise training in general as well as the specific objectives of these interventions in the South African situation. Briefly covers the problems found and highlighted by researchers in the 1990s and assesses whether the problems or deficiencies of the past are being addressed. Concludes that the training emphasis of small, medium and micro‐enterprise service providers in South Africa still seem to be more on conventional training than entrepreneurial training. Also concludes that entrepreneurship and business training are confused as being similar. It is recommended that training interventions should be monitored to determine those that are the most successful and appropriate for the South African situation.

Critical evaluation of two models for entrepreneurial education: An improved model through integration

Purpose – This paper focuses on the comparison of two models for entrepreneurial education with the aim of potential integration. At this juncture when entrepreneurial development is seen as the core contributor to enhance start‐ups of new ventures and hence facilitate economic growth and development, the best possible education model is required. The creation of more entrepreneurs is at least partially dependent on the creation and advancement of efficient educational models.Design/methodology/approach – First, this paper briefly describes the two independently developed models for entrepreneurial education. Second, an in‐depth qualitative analysis of the individual model constructs is presented to evaluate the contributions and limitations of each. Third, this paper proposes an integrated model that identifies certain weaknesses of each of its building‐blocks, which are eliminated by the integration.Findings – The paper concludes that the integrated model for entrepreneurial education enhances the body ...

Implementation of service profit chain initiatives in a franchise system

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the implementation of the service profit chain as an entrepreneurial marketing initiative within a defined franchise system. An objective is also to evaluate these initiatives against service quality dimensions. Despite recognition of the merits and advantages of service profit chain initiatives of retention, related sales and referrals, little research has empirically addressed the perceptions of franchisees regarding these initiatives.Design/methodology/approach – Methodology includes the empirical analysis of evaluating the effectiveness of service profit chain implementation, primarily based on initiatives of retention, related sales and referrals. Research methodology comprises the survey approach, using electronic media and Surveypro analysis. This is facilitated by descriptive and inferential statistical techniques using SPSS version 11.0 data analysis. Inferential significance tests include the ANOVA Kruskal‐Wallis hypothesis test; and the Cronbac...

Constraints facing tourism entrepreneurs in South Africa: a study in the Gauteng and Mpumalanga provinces, South Africa

The current study is an investigation into tourism entrepreneurship of small, medium and micro enterprises in Gauteng and Mpumalanga. Through Principal Factor Analysis, the paper identifies a three-factor instrument that could be used as a diagnostic tool to investigate how government policies and support, the tourism industrys products and services, and perceptions about South Africa could advance or constrain the development of small, medium and micro tourism in South Africa. Such a tool can be used to identify problematic areas in order to take remedial action to manage sustainable tourism in South Africa and prevent the leakage of profits.