An investigation of the factors influencing the sustainability of small- and medium-scale electrical contracting enterprises (SMECEs) in the Cape Peninsula
type: CreativeWork
description: This study focuses on small- to medium-scale electrical enterprises (SMECEs) in the Cape Peninsula, and specifically on electrical contractors with fewer than 25 employees. The objectives of this study are threefold: Firstly, the study reviews the position of current SMECEs, their economic contribution to the economy, their origin and establishment, the lifespan of the business, as well as the level of education of the individuals involved in the business. Secondly, it determines the constraints and limitations that may lead to the failure of these businesses. And, thirdly, it identifies the factors that may enable SMECEs to become sustainable or successful enterprises. A two-phased research method was used to collect information from owners of electrical contracting firms. This method involved the use of a pilot survey questionnaire and a main survey questionnaire. The pilot and main questionnaires were used to obtain data pertaining to the electrical contracting industry and owners of such firms. More specifically, this data includes information on the background of the company and its owner, the establishment of the business and its employment structure, as well as its work history, current operations and future objectives. It also looked at the constraints and limitations faced by these SMECEs, and identified specific factors that may enhance their sustainability. These questionnaires revealed that the constraining factors could be placed into two main categories, viz. management and labour. Management problems, for instance, included poor cash flow because of slow payment by clients, a lack of management skills on the part of business owners, and an inability to calculate project costs accurately. Labour problems, on the other hand, included an unreliable work force with no proper or effective work ethic, a lack of skilled and trained labour, and a work force that was inadequately skilled as either electricians or assistants. Among the factors that are necessar…
abstract: This study focuses on small- to medium-scale electrical enterprises (SMECEs) in the Cape Peninsula, and specifically on electrical contractors with fewer than 25 employees. The objectives of this study are threefold: Firstly, the study reviews the position of current SMECEs, their economic contribution to the economy, their origin and establishment, the lifespan of the business, as well as the level of education of the individuals involved in the business. Secondly, it determines the constraints and limitations that may lead to the failure of these businesses. And, thirdly, it identifies the factors that may enable SMECEs to become sustainable or successful enterprises. A two-phased research method was used to collect information from owners of electrical contracting firms. This method involved the use of a pilot survey questionnaire and a main survey questionnaire. The pilot and main questionnaires were used to obtain data pertaining to the electrical contracting industry and owners of such firms. More specifically, this data includes information on the background of the company and its owner, the establishment of the business and its employment structure, as well as its work history, current operations and future objectives. It also looked at the constraints and limitations faced by these SMECEs, and identified specific factors that may enhance their sustainability. These questionnaires revealed that the constraining factors could be placed into two main categories, viz. management and labour. Management problems, for instance, included poor cash flow because of slow payment by clients, a lack of management skills on the part of business owners, and an inability to calculate project costs accurately. Labour problems, on the other hand, included an unreliable work force with no proper or effective work ethic, a lack of skilled and trained labour, and a work force that was inadequately skilled as either electricians or assistants. Among the factors that are necessar…
author: Visser, Charl
language: eng
date published: 2004
date modified: 2026-07-22T22:22:49Z
provider: University of Cape Town
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Department of Mechanical Engineering

PropertyValue
property ID: Handle
value: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/6735