No abstract

Expansion, diversification, greater choice, market share, profits and increased competition are the overarching forces that drive organisations to embrace marketing concepts such as market orientation. Various researchers assert that market orientation is a vital marketing concept for the performance of businesses and for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) there are no exceptions. The study examines the relationship of the determinants and barriers to market orientation and the influence of market orientation on business performance among SMEs in a developing country. This cross-sectional study made of a quantitative survey design. The target population comprised 273 owners/managers of SMEs in the Vaal Triangle, South Africa. The results revealed that the determinants of market orientation exhibited a strong influence in market orientation. Market orientation in turn showed strong positive relationship with business performance. Barriers to market orientation showed strong negative relationship with market orientation. The study identified the constructs that foster or discourage market orientation, and the contribution that market orientation can have on business performance for SMEs. SMEs owner/mangers are encouraged to consider the market orientation constructs that positively influences the performance of their businesses.

This article examines the implementation of activity-based costing (ABC) in the SMEs sector in a developing country. The consequences of ABC on the evolution of management accounting and its impact on the accounting processes, particular as it relates to organizational cost performance has been a subject of discourse in the past two decades. This study provides some insight into the conspicuous paradox that in spite of the theoretical benefits of ABC, very few SMEs in South Africa adopt it and that a material number of those that employ ABC do not actually implement it. It is a preliminary study which begins by describing the differences between the traditional and the ABC cost systems; particularly examining the impact of employee training and managerial commitment to ABC implementation. An overview of some literature on ABC and the value of ABC implementation in SMEs sector is provided, reporting some experiences of South African SMEs in implementing ABC. A framework for the implementation of ABC in SMEs and impact on their performance is presented. Using survey data collected from SMEs (n = 149), the results and discussions indicate the prominence of both employee training and managerial commitment as precursors to effective implementation of ABC and that its implementation impacts on SME performance. Implementation of ABC precedes the creation of a costing system that provides management with reliable cost information. The paper concludes by providing, managerial implications, limitations and proposed future research.

The purpose of the study is to examine the determinants and barriers of market orientation by SMEs in South Africa. Methodology: Data was collected using the personal face-to-face interviews with the use of a structured questionnaire. A total of 350 SMES were selected randomly and visited within the various municipal areas in Vaal Triangle. These were obtained from Gauteng Enterprise Propeller (GEP) and Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA). Seventy-seven SMEs refused to participate resulting in 273 usable questionnaires. Exploratory factor analysis was used to identify the dimensions using the principal component analysis. Findings: A four-factor structure accounting for over 62,14% of total variance was established and discussed. The reliability analysis, reflected coefficient values ranging from 0.743 to 0.893 indicating satisfactory internal consistency amongst variables within each dimension. Implications: By analysing the determinants the adoption of market orientation among SMEs, managers and marketers are presented with recommended strategies and implications on how to manipulate market orientation for effective business performance. Marketing capacities of SMEs may be strengthened through implementing market orientation. Originality: SMEs are vital for socio-economic progress for developing economies. Effective implementation of market orientation can assist SMEs' growth and development.

The research approach is to appraise the impact of electronic customer relationship management (e-CRM) on customer profitability as mediated by customer loyalty and customer retention within the hotel industry sector of South Africa, and specifically for those hoteliers along the Vaal Meander. A sample of 341 middle to senior managers at various hotels was interviewed as respondents in this study. The objective of the study was to find the impact relationship between effective e-CRM implementation, customer loyalty, customer retention and customer profitability. The findings of the study add value to hotels in South Africa, and provide some invaluable statistical results essential for hotel managers and owners to successfully enhance customer loyalty, customer retention and customer profitability. By applying both confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modelling (SEM), the results of our study identified and provide path analysis of the significant factors; and enumerated among the factors, those critical inter-component relationships within this highly competitive industry. This study's findings add to the body of knowledge and enable the managers of this sector to implement e-CRM in the best shape possible, to match it with South African market-needs thereby creating more loyal and repeat clientele. The future proposed further studies are also provided