Title: Environmental conditions and their impact on small businesses in South Africa: implications for managers

Authors: Kofi Poku Quan-Baffour, Akwasi Arko-Achemfuor

Addresses: Institute for Adult Basic Education and Training, University of South Africa, P.O. Box 392, Pretoria 0003, South Africa. ' Department of Economics and Management Sciences, Tiger Kloof College, P.O. Box 441, Vryburg 8600, South Africa

Abstract: Prior to April 1994 the apartheid regime discriminated against blacks of South Africa. The best education went to whites while blacks received an inferior education. This resulted in high unemployment rate among blacks due to lack of skills and knowledge. To reduce unemployment and its socio-economic consequences a policy on local economic development was enacted to encourage the unemployed to start their own businesses. In spite of the policy environmental conditions might impact on businesses. This paper investigates the impact of environmental conditions on the growth of the small businesses which are emerging to reduce unemployment among the youth.

Keywords: small, medium and micro-sized enterprises; SMMEs; small and medium-sized enterprises; SMEs; small firms; micro firms; business environment; unemployment reduction; South Africa; survivalist; local economic development; economic growth; emerging markets; youth unemployment; black unemployment.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBEM.2009.023924

International Journal of Business and Emerging Markets, 2009 Vol.1 No.4, pp.405 - 419

Published online: 18 Mar 2009 *

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