SMMEs can make a critical and positive economic contribution to South Africa, and small-to medium-sized furniture manufacturers (SM/FMs) have the potential to contribute to economic growth, job creation, and GDP. However, the furniture industry has not stayed abreast of technological advances. To survive in an environment of increasing competition and imports, competitive strategies must be devised. One such strategy is for technology adoption and implementation that can provide solutions for the furniture industry to improve speed, quality, variety, flexibility, and productivity, resulting in improved competitiveness. However, the adoption of technology means that its acquisition and application must be managed strategically, as the use of technology involves far more than simply taking it into account during the business-planning process.This paper investigates the impact of business strategy and selected technology-related variables on the competitiveness of SM/FM.
OPSOMMINGSMMEs het die potensiaal om 'n kritiese en positiewe bydrae te maak tot Suid-Afrika se ekonomiese groei en SM/FMs, tot die skepping van werksgeleenthede, en tot die BNP. SM/FMs het egter nie op die hoogte gebly met tegnologiese ontwikkelings en die aanwending daarvan nie. Om in 'n omgewing van toenemende mededingendheid en invoere te wedywer moet effektiewe strategieë ontwikkel word. Een strategie wat moontlik sal lei tot verhoogde mededingendheid is die aanwending van tegnologie wat oplossings kan bied in terme van spoed, kwaliteit, verskeidenheid, aanpasbaarheid, en produktiwiteit. Die aanwending van tegnologie moet egter op 'n strategiese manier bestuur word, want dit behels veel meer as bloot om tegnologie in ag te neem gedurende die strategiese beplanningsproses.Hierdie artikel ondersoek die invloed van besigheidstrategieë en sekere tegnologieverwante veranderlikes op die mededingendheid van SM/FMs.