An exploratory study into the productivity challenges experienced by manufacturing SMMEs during lockdown in South Africa’s Gauteng Province – Ekurhuleni Municipality

Abstract

The focus of this study was to examine productivity issues experienced by small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) in the manufacturing sector in Ekurhuleni Municipality during COVID-19 lockdown restrictions, in order to provide a framework to guide SMMEs, should similar disruptions arise in future. The research also sought to identify and investigate internal and external environmental variables that affected the productivity and sustainability of manufacturing SMMEs in Ekurhuleni Municipality. Based on a positivist research ethic, an exploratory investigation was conducted. A simple random sampling method was used to select the respondents. For a population with more than 4 000 manufacturing SMMEs registered in Ekurhuleni Municipality, a sample of 300 participants was deemed suitable. This quantitative study was conducted using a Google Forms-created online questionnaire. The questionnaire was used to determine manufacturing SMMEs’ perceptions of their companies’ access to technological production management equipment and their knowledge of the company’s internal and external elements. SPSS version 28.0 was used to analyse the responses to determine whether there was a gap between the level of importance assigned to the access to technological production management tools of the business, and to their knowledge of internal and external factors affecting productivity. This research determined the productivity challenges experienced by manufacturing SMMEs in Ekurhuleni Municipality during COVID-19 lockdown restrictions. The study found that the respondents were inconsistent in performing specialized tasks. The study showed a clear distinction between the importance that was placed on having access to technological production management tools, and knowledge of internal and external factors affecting productivity. In addition, this study confirmed that South African SMMEs confront significant difficulties in the context of small businesses. This research study could aid business managers and owners and even researchers to gain ideas which may be helpful in making decisions when confronted with challenges such as lockdown restrictions due to a global pandemic. It is recommended that a study be conducted to investigate the impact of manufacturing SMMEs’ productivity on their business performance, growth and sustainability.