Browsing by Author "Schutte, Cornelius S. L."

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
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    An engineering approach to an integrated value proposition design framework
    (SAIIE, 2015) Van der Merwe, Carmen; Van Rensburg, Antonie; Schutte, Cornelius S. L.
    Numerous problems with product quality and time-to-market launches can be traced back to how the product lifecycle process is managed within the organisation. This article provides insight into how an integrated value proposition design framework shifts product lifecycle management from a product-centric view to a customer-centric view, through the use of good engineering practices as found in the systems engineering discipline. Combining this with methods and tools such as the Refined Kano model, Blue Ocean strategy, and the Generalised Bass model enables the organisation to enhance product and service quality while reducing the time-to-market for new value proposition launches.
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    A framework of key growth factors for small enterprises operating at the base of the pyramid
    (MDPI, 2020-11-10) Van der Merwe, Michael D.; Grobbelaar, Sara S.; Meyer, Isabel A.; Schutte, Cornelius S. L.; Von Leipzig, Konrad H.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Enterprises operating at the Base of the Pyramid (BoP) find it difficult to simultaneously achieve economic (profitable growth) and social (poverty alleviation) outcomes. This study builds on a previously published systematic literature review that identified the key growth-promoting factors of the Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) operating in this space. A Grounded Theory Approach was followed to identify six core focus areas, which form the basis of a practical framework to evaluate SMMEs at the BoP, namely: Business modelling; business strategy; innovation; marketing; strategic alliances; and sustainable development. Expert screening interviews were conducted to evaluate the framework for credibility and confirmability. Thereafter, 57 for-profit South African enterprises were surveyed to empirically explore how SMMEs view and implement these framework components. The outcome of the study is a validated high growth-promoting BoP portfolio framework against which SMME owners can evaluate their enterprises to identify areas of growth and development.
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    The status and challenges of industrial engineering in South Africa
    (SAIIE, 2016-05) Schutte, Cornelius S. L.; Kennon, Denzil; Bam, Wouter
    The industrial engineering discipline in South Africa is examined by introducing the context of the discipline and by revisiting its history. The drivers influencing the context and future of industrial engineering in South Africa are also considered, and the discipline is analysed in terms of the following aspects: university qualifications, employment in industry sectors, race and gender profiles, use and competence in industry, and income profiles. The analysis is based on a recent survey sent to practising industrial engineers, on membership data from the Southern African Institute for Industrial Engineering (SAIIE), and on two internal SAIIE investigations. The study concludes that the success of transformation, particularly in terms of race, has been limited. The results also indicate that there are an almost equal number of black and white industrial engineers, yet the majority of black industrial engineers have technical qualifications, while the majority of white industrial engineers have academic qualifications. The results indicate that this limits the use of black industrial engineers in industry and, consequently, the success of their careers. This in turn means that there are fewer black role models to attract young black students to the discipline. Some preliminary opportunities to unlock the increased transformation of the profession are identified.
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    A strategic framework to utilise venture capital funding to develop manufacturing SMEs in South Africa
    (Southern African Institute for Industrial Engineering, 2014-08) Snyman, Hendrik Andries; Kennon, Denzil; Schutte, Cornelius S. L.; Von Leipzig, Konrad
    SMEs contribute considerably to the national GDP and to private sector employment, but they struggle to gain access to the funding needed to support business sustainability and growth. Venture capital provides the necessary funding, but SMEs lack understanding of the business value curve utilised by financiers to gauge the risk-reward characteristics of an investment. Strategies need to convey how the business model will evolve in order to deliver on the strategic intent. A framework is proposed through which SMEs can develop a strategy aligned with investor requirements. As a case study, the framework is applied to the local tooling sector.