Economic and Management Scienceshttp://hdl.handle.net/10394/264732024-03-29T09:26:20Z2024-03-29T09:26:20ZDie belangrikheid en betekenis van die analise en interpretasie van finansiele jaarstate en inligting vir kleinsakeondernemersDu Plessis, Thomas Edwardhttp://hdl.handle.net/10394/424422024-03-01T01:10:29Z1986-06-01T00:00:00ZDie belangrikheid en betekenis van die analise en interpretasie van finansiele jaarstate en inligting vir kleinsakeondernemers
Du Plessis, Thomas Edward
During the past fifteen years the important role that
the small business can play in a free South African
economy has been increasingly recognized by both the
government and the private sector. It is realised
that small business play an irrefutable economic and
social role in the economy of a country.
Small businesses in general suffer from a lack of the
necessary management expertise and this realisation has
led to the establishment of various institutions whose
aim is to provide assistance to the small business
sector.
One of the problem areas identified by the author as a
resul~ of his experience as a small business consultant,
is that annual financial statements are not correctly
applied and utilised as a source of management information.
This motivated the study aimed at increasing
the use of and improving the quality of information
obtained from this . valuable source.
After a brief overview of the problems experienced by
a small business, the information function of financial
statements, especially for the small business manager,
is considered in the opening chapter.
This is followed by an investigation into the use of a
balance sheet, income statement and funds statement in
chapters two to four. Specific attention is given to
available information as well as additional information
required for meaningful evaluation. Ratios that can
be used by small business management are highlighted.
Special attention is also given to the cash flow statement
as alternative source of management information.
Chapter five entails a case study in which the financial
statements of a small business are analysed and a ratio
analysis conducted. Derivations concerning the specific
business are made in respect of the balance sheet,
income statement and cash flow statement.
A summary, including a number of conclusions and
suggestions, is presented in chapter six.
Master of Business Administration, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus
1986-06-01T00:00:00ZSymmetric and asymmetric exchange rate pass through in South Africa: The role of nominal rigidities and exchange rate volatilityMagwiro, Amonhttp://hdl.handle.net/10394/424242024-02-13T01:08:55Z2023-10-01T00:00:00ZSymmetric and asymmetric exchange rate pass through in South Africa: The role of nominal rigidities and exchange rate volatility
Magwiro, Amon
The goal of attaining low inflation levels and price stability has led many countries to adopt inflation targeting policy frameworks. Through its monetary authorities, South Africa implemented an Inflation Targeting policy in 2000 to monitor and, where necessary, influence the factors affecting inflation using short-term monetary policy tools. The aim of this study was to (1) measure the degree of exchange rate
pass-through to both import and consumer prices, (2) examine the existence of asymmetric exchange rate
pass-through to import and consumer prices between appreciation and depreciation episodes, and (3)
examine the extend to which exchange rate volatility impact on inflation in South Africa. The study used
a multi-model approach. The auto-regressive distributed lag (ARDL) approach was used to analyse the
exchange rate pass-through (ERPT) to both import and consumer prices. The Vector Error Correction
Model (VECM) was employed to analyse the short and long-run pass-through effects of exchange rate
changes on domestic prices (import and consumer). Using Quarterly data from 1980Q1 to 2019Q4, the
study concluded that ERPT was incomplete in South Africa. The ARDL results show a significant positive
exchange rate pass-through to import prices of 42 percent and a positive but insignificant exchange rate
pass-through to inflation of 31 percent. This implies that firms absorb some of the exchange rate changes
to maintain market share. A Hybrid New Keynesian Phillips-Augmented Expectation (HNKPC) equation
showed that Inflation Inertia as well as inflation expectations significantly impacted on current inflation.
The study recommends continuation of the current policy of flexible exchange rate. However, there is
need to take measures to dampen inflation-expectations by economic agents through Inflation-Targeting
policy . The Asymmetry model showed that pass-through to import prices in South Africa was higher
during appreciation (47percent) than during depreciation (41 percent), indicating the existence of
asymmetric pass-through.
Generally, the incomplete and low exchange rate pass-through supported the Local Currency Pricing
(LCP) strategy by firms that import rather than the Producer Currency Pricing (PCP) strategy. In a
flexible exchange rate environment, the PCP strategy results in a complete exchange rate pass-through
since prices would reflect any exchange rate changes one-on-one. In the inflation model, the Inflation Targeting dummy revealed a low and insiginifcant exchange rate pass-through. This suggests that firms
engaging in Pricing-to-Market behaviour undermined the monetary policy. The Regime-Switching model
was used to evaluate how import price evolves as exchange rate regimes were increased using suitable
thresholds. The result was that as exchange rate bands increase, other factors like local cost of
production have a higher and more significant impact on import prices. This effectively means
progressive significance of local cost of production in the determination of import prices. Policy
recommendations include maintaining the current inflation-targeting policy as the econometric results
show its efficiency in reducing inflation in a significant way as shown by the HNKPC results. The
implementation of a managed float exchange rate regime with smaller bands to avoid large exchange
rate swings that have asymmetrical effects on import and consumer prices is also recommended.
Doctor of Philosophy in Economic and Management Sciences with Economics, North-West University, Mahikeng Campus
2023-10-01T00:00:00ZAdoption of Management Accounting Practices: Challenges and opportunities for small and medium-scale enterprises in ZimbabweDlamini, Banelehttp://hdl.handle.net/10394/424122024-01-20T01:07:46Z2022-06-01T00:00:00ZAdoption of Management Accounting Practices: Challenges and opportunities for small and medium-scale enterprises in Zimbabwe
Dlamini, Banele
Prolonged periods of economic recession and the resultant informalisation of the Zimbabwean economy have meant that Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are the new engines of economic growth. The Zimbabwean government's support mechanisms for SMEs and the decision to tax them are an implicit acknowledgement of the economic significance of the sector. However, the entrepreneurial beginnings of most SMEs often mean that their owners and staff lack the requisite business acumen needed to ensure the viability and sustainability of their businesses. SMEs are beset by a plethora of adversities, which lead to the closure of most SMEs. Scholars have advanced the view that the adoption of Management Accounting Practices (MAPs) by SMEs can mitigate the foregoing. MAPs have been shown to promote the efficiency, competitiveness, and viability of corporations. However, there is a paucity of literature that engages the use of MAPs by SMEs in Zimbabwe. Moreover, there is a lack of evidence of an existing management accounting framework that is tailored to the needs of Zimbabwean SMEs. It is against this backdrop that this study explored the use of MAPs by SMEs in Zimbabwe. The study also ascertained the benefits obtained through the use of MAPs among Zimbabwean SMEs. It further identified the factors influencing the adoption of MAPs among SMEs in Zimbabwe. Besides, the study established the role of the Zimbabwean government in the implementation of MAPs. Importantly, the study developed a management accounting framework for Zimbabwean SMEs. Data was gathered using focus group discussions and in-depth face-to-face interviews. This study used qualitative content analysis to interpret the data findings. The study revealed that there is a minimal adoption of MAPs, though there is a relatively high usage of traditional MAPs compared to contemporary MAPs among the SMEs under study. The study also discovered that there are diverse practices in the application of management accounting tools by entities within the same industry. In addition, the study found that among the five categories of MAPs, decision support systems and strategic management accounting are the least used, while budgeting systems and performance evaluation systems are moderately used, with costing systems being the most used of the five components of MAPs. The uneven and limited adoption of MAPs is attributable to an unconducive socio-economic environment, undercapitalisation, lack of knowledge of management accounting by SME owners and staff, organisation size, and the competence of accounting personnel. The study proposed a six-staged systematic implementation method that makes the application of MAPs less cumbersome and easy to implement. The proposed framework further systematises the application of MAPs in the SME sector. It can be applied to other similar contexts in the Global South. It is highly recommended that SMEs should apply management accounting as its use promotes competitive advantage and success for an entity. The study recommends that the Zimbabwean government should popularise MAPs by convening workshops, awareness campaigns, and formulating policies that encourage the use of management accounting
Doctor of Philosophy in Management Accountancy, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus
2022-06-01T00:00:00ZThe quality of employment of early childhood development practitioners in the South African context : applying the capability approachRagadu, Suzette Corahttp://hdl.handle.net/10394/424032023-11-30T01:07:40Z2023-01-01T00:00:00ZThe quality of employment of early childhood development practitioners in the South African context : applying the capability approach
Ragadu, Suzette Cora
This thesis explores the quality of employment of early childhood development practitioners
(ECDPs) in the South African context from the perspective of decent work and the capability
approach. Several aspects of employment quality are examined, including decent work, work
capabilities, job demands, resources, a living wage, well-being, pay satisfaction, and intention
to leave.
The first study explored decent work, capabilities, and the flourishing of early childhood
development practitioners in a South African context. The researcher conducted a cross-
sectional study with a convenience sample (N = 436) of ECDPs in two South African provinces:
Gauteng and Northwest. Apart from the biographical questionnaire, three measurement scales
were administered: the Decent Work Scale, the Capability Set for Work Questionnaire, and the
Flourishing-at-Work Questionnaire. Four capability sets were identified using latent class
analysis: robust, relational, knowledge/skills, and weak capability sets. ECDPs with a robust capability set were more likely to report decent work conditions (psychologically safe working
conditions, sufficient access to health care, sufficient free time, and complementary values)
compared to those with knowledge/skills and weak capability sets. Furthermore, ECDPs with
a weak capability set were significantly less likely than the other three capability sets to
experience complementary values. In addition, the well-being levels of ECDPs with a robust
capability set were significantly higher than those with a relational, knowledge/skill, and weak
capability set. Furthermore, ECDPs with lower qualifications experienced a higher degree of
well-being than those with higher qualifications.
The second study examined the relationships between the job demands-resources profiles of ECDPs, their work capabilities, their level of work engagement, and their intentions to leave the profession. A cross-sectional survey was administered to a convenience sample of early
childhood development practitioners (N = 426) in two provinces of South Africa. The measurement tools administered were the Job Demands-Resources Scale, the Capability Set for Work Questionnaire, the Work Engagement Scale, and the Intention to Leave Scale. Latent profile analysis was conducted, and four job demands-resources profiles were established: rich job (characterised by moderate job demands, good supervisor-coworker relationships, role clarity, access to information, and job security), poor job, resourceful job, and demanding job. A high level of work engagement and a low intention to leave the profession was observed among early childhood practitioners who were in rich jobs (rather than poor or demanding jobs) and could demonstrate strong capabilities. ECDPs’ job demands-resource profiles indirectly affected their work engagement and intentions to leave via their capability set.
The third study examined demographic variables, decent work conditions, capabilities, and
well-being to determine the quality of employment of ECDPs in South Africa. It was conducted
using a cross-sectional survey among early childhood development practitioners in two
provinces of South Africa (N = 426). The study included a biographical questionnaire, the
Decent Work Scale, the Capability Set for Work Questionnaire, the Flourishing at Work Scale
- Short Form, and the Pay Satisfaction Questionnaire. The results showed that two dimensions
of decent work, namely a safe work environment and complementary values, predicted a large
percentage of the variance in the work capability set of ECDPs. A safe work environment and
the work capability set of staff predicted large percentages of the variance in emotional well-
being and negative affect, and a moderate percentage of the variance in psychological well- being. Both dimensions of pay satisfaction (level and structuring) were best predicted by
adequate compensation (a decent work dimension) and the work capability set.
A significant finding of the study was that decent work variable safe work environment relating
to interpersonal relations and physical safety in interactions together with the work capability
set came out as vital elements to the well-being of ECDPs in South Africa.
PhD (Industrial Psychology), North-West University, Vanderbijlpark Campus
2023-01-01T00:00:00Z