Exploring the relationship between the implementation of business strategies and business performance by immigrant entrepreneurs in Ekurhuleni, South Africa

Abstract

The emergence and perceived prominence of immigrant entrepreneurs in South Africa induced mixed feelings amongst members of the local communities because immigrant entrepreneurs are regarded as being opportunistic. This research seeks to explore and gain an in-depth understanding of the business strategies that immigrant entrepreneurs (both globally in general and in South Africa specifically) put into practice and how these tactics affect their business performance. The study seeks to conceptualise business strategies, business performance and entrepreneurship from the reviewed literature. The research was carried out in Germiston and Kempton Park areas within the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan, in Gauteng. A qualitative research approach was used which enables exploration of lived experiences. This study adopted two non-probability methods, convenience and snowball sampling. Data collection was achieved through the conducting of 12 in-depth face-to-face interviews. The interview transcriptions were saved as Microsoft Word documents and ATLAS.ti was used for data analysis. The research was handled ethically as guided by UNISA (University of South Africa)’s Research Policy on Research Ethics. The participants’ countenanced informed consent and confidentiality and anonymity were maintained. The research guidelines provided by the UNISA were adhered to throughout this study. The findings revealed that immigrant entrepreneurs utilise business strategies that were acknowledged as essential in succeeding which they combined and implemented concurrently. Furthermore, there was a positive correlation between the employment of these business strategies and favourable business performance

Die verskyning en skynbare prominensie van immigrantentrepreneurs in Suid-Afrika het gemengde gevoelens onder lede van die plaaslike gemeenskappe teweeggebring omdat hierdie entrepreneurs as opportunisties beskou word. Hierdie navorsing het ten doel om die besigheidstrategieë wat immigrantentrepreneurs (beide wêreldwyd in die algemeen en in Suid-Afrika in die besonder) toepas, asook die invloed wat sodanige strategieë op hulle besigheidsprestasie het, te ondersoek en diepgaande insig daaroor te verkry. Die studie het daarbenewens ten doel om besigheidstrategieë, besigheidsprestasie en entrepreneurskap aan die hand van die literatuuroorsig te konseptualiseer. Hierdie navorsing is in Germiston en Kemptonpark, wat onder die Metropolitaanse Munisipaliteit van Ekurhuleni in Gauteng val, gedoen. ’n Kwalitatiewe navorsingsbenadering is gevolg. So ’n benadering maak dit moontlik om beleefde ervarings te ondersoek. Twee niewaarskynlikheidsmetodes, naamlik gerieflikheidsteekproefneming en sneeubalsteekproefneming, is vir die studie gebruik. Data is met behulp van 12 indringende onderhoude ingesamel. Die onderhoude het van aangesig tot aangesig plaasgevind. Die onderoudtranskripsies is as Microsoft Word-dokumente gestoor. ATLAS.ti is vir dataontleding gebruik. Die navorsing is eties benader, ooreenkomstig die navorsingsbeleid oor navorsingetiek van die Universiteit van Suid-Afrika (Unisa). Die deelnemers het ingeligte toestemming verleen, en vertroulikheid en anonimiteit is gehandhaaf. Die navorsingsriglyne van Unisa is deurgaans in die studie nagevolg. Die bevindings het aangetoon dat immigrantentrepreneurs besigheidstrategieë wat as noodsaaklik vir sukses erken word, toepas. Hulle kombineer sodanige strategieë en pas dit gelyktydig toe. Daarbenewens is ’n positiewe korrelasie tussen die toepassing van hierdie besigheidstrategieë en gunstige besigheidsprestasie gevind.

Ukuvela nokugqama okubonwa kosomabhizinisi bokufika eNingizimu Afrika kwadala imizwa ehlukene phakathi kwamalungu emiphakathi yendawo ngoba labo somabhizinisi bathathwa njengabaxhaphazi bamathuba asheshayo. Lolu cwaningo luhlose ukuhlola nokuzuza ukuqonda okujulile ngamasu ebhizinisi asetshenziswa osomabhizinisi bokufika (emhlabeni jikelele kanye naseNingizimu Afrika ngokukhethekile) nokuthi lawo maqhinga anomthelela kanjani ekusebenzeni kwebhizinisi labo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ucwaningo luhlose ukuhlanganisa amasu ebhizinisi, ukusebenza kwebhizinisi kanye nosomabhizinisi ngokusekelwe emibhalweni ebuyekeziwe. Ucwaningo lwenziwa eGermiston naseKempton Park e-Ekurhuleni Metropolitan, eGauteng. Kusetshenziswe indlela yocwaningo egxile ekutholeni imininingwane ngokusebenzisa ukuxhumana okuvulekile nokuxoxisana, eyenza ukuhlola kokuhlangenwe nakho okuphiliwe. Lolu cwaningo lwamukele izindlela ezimbili ezisekelwe esahlulelweni esizimele, ukukhetha isampula ngokusekelwe ekubeni lula nokufinyeleleka kanye nesampula lapho abahlanganyeli bocwaningo benxenxa abanye ababambiqhaza ukuze benze ucwaningo. Ukuqoqwa kwemininingwane kwafinyelelwa ngokwenza inhlolokhono ejulile eyi-12 ubuso nobuso. Okulotshiweyo kwenhlolokhono kulondolozwe njengemibhalo ye-Microsoft Word futhi ne-ATLAS.ti yasetshenziselwa ukuhlaziya imininingwane. Ucwaningo lusingathwe ngendlela efanele njengoba luqondiswe yi-Unisa’s (Imfundo Ephakeme yaseNingizimu Afrika) Inqubomgomo Yocwaningo Ngezimiso Zokuziphatha Zocwaningo. Ababambiqhaza babhekane nokuvuma ukwaziswa kanye nokugcinwa kuyimfihlo nokungaziwa kwagcinwa. Imihlahlandlela yocwaningo ehlinzekwe yi-Unisa ilandelwe kulo lonke lolu cwaningo. Okutholakele kuveze ukuthi osomabhizinisi bokufika basebenzisa amasu ebhizinisi avunyiwe ukuthi abalulekile ekuphumeleleni, abawahlanganisa futhi bawasebenzisa kanyekanye. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kube nokuhlobana okuhle phakathi kokusetshenziswa kwala masu ebhizinisi kanye nokusebenza kahle kwebhizinisi