AbstractsBusiness Management & Administration

Abstract

The study evaluated the management of the Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) in Zimbabwe. The study was prompted by the often perceived closing shop of these enterprises, disturbing entrepreneurship in the country and in Masvingo Urban in particular. From global perspectives on the role and contribution of the MSEs in leading the countries to meet some of their objectives of unemployment reduction, poverty reduction and economic growth and development, the MSEs are regarded as the veritable vehicles. Many countries of the world today rely on a vibrant MSEs sector. The manufacturing MSEs sector is viewed as the fulcrum for the general development of the economy.The study was a qualitative rooted in the interpretivist paradigm and was conducted in Zimbabwean manufacturing MSEs in Masvingo Urban in particular. A case study design was employed to allow for naturalistic methods of data generation. A sample of 10 managers and 10 owners of the manufacturing MSEs were selected to participate in the study. A multi-stage maximum variation sampling technique was used to cater for the various products that are manufactured by the MSEs in Masvingo Urban. These were purposively sampled to select information rich informants to be included in the research. The participants were either responding to open ended questionnaire or semi-structured interviews.The major findings of the research were that the managers and owners of the manufacturing MSEs in Masvingo Urban lacked management practices that are critical for success and survival of the enterprise in the contemporary and turbulent business environment. The management practices that lacked were capital management, marketing, accounting, purchasing, networking and training and education in business management. Another important outcome of the study was that the MSEs lacked awareness about principled business management. The major issues related to awareness about principled business management were the four fundamental business management principles of planning, organising, leading and control (POLC). It also emerged that the managers and owners of the manufacturing MSEs were affected by the business environmental factors in the category of regulations and policy issues, competition, social, political and technological. Related to these factors were lack of adequate infrastructure, access to justice, discrimination and lack of power to protect intellectual property rights as issues of concern to the performance and management of the MSEs.The study recommends that attempts be made by the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development to make sure that the owners and managers of the manufacturing MSEs access training and education in the area of business management. In fact the ability of these firms to become renowned entrepreneurs relies upon the relevant education and Vocational Education systems to provide and equip the entrepreneurs. Manufacturing MSEs must form alliances to safe guard against discrimination access to justice and protection of intellectual property…