Stremmende faktore wat inwerk wat bestuursontwikkeling by vulstasies

Abstract

This summary is a synopsis of the main findings of the thesis. Recommendations are made to indicate how strategies can be implemented in order to counteract elements that hamper management development at filling stations.

The scope of the investigation of elements that counteract management development at filling stations was very wide because a large number of elements had to be singled out and described in detail. Specific areas were identified for further study after which perceptions about entrepreneurs had to be tested and analysed statistically. These statistics are part of the research for this thesis and intended researchers of this and other related areas should be able to utilise these fruitfully. Specific problem areas came to the fore. Such elements are singled out briefly and recommendations regarding improved circumstances are made. In South Africa, filling stations and especially small businesses are not only faced with a crisis but also with challenges as a result of the unique business environment in this country. On the one hand, entrepreneurs experience an extensive shortage of schooled and well-trained employees who are suitable for employment. On the other hand, there is extensive unemployment among unschooled, (untrained) employees. It is this researchers opinion that South Africa is being confronted with great challenges including the fact that, within the filling station enterprise, there should be serious attempts to increase productivity. In order to overcome this problem, employees should not only be trained and developed, but there is also an extensive shortage of properly schooled entrepreneurs and supervisors. Training and development are the responsibilities of the relevant business management. During the research phase of this study, entrepreneurs were questioned on which of the following problems filling stations experience most often. A few problem areas were named and were identified through questionnaires after which respondents reacted to a five-point scale. FINDINGS The most significant problems identified by the researcher are: • Low profit margins Low gross and net profit margins were also identified in this research as specific problems within the business enterprise. • Government regulations When considering the respondents, it was found that 38. 7% are of the opinion that government regulations are of little or no importance. In contrast, rural entrepreneurs feel strongly about this aspect as 75.0% feel that this aspect is of the greatest importance, thus requiring attention. Summary • Shortage of quality employees It was found that 11.8% of the respondents are of the opinion that the quality of the employees is of little or no importance. The question is thus how a filling station can continue existing with poor quality employees, particularly considering that a filling station is a business that provides a service. • Inadequate employee training Research has shown that 27.2% of the urban entrepreneurs as opposed to the 16. 7% of rural owners regard employee training as of little or no importance. From the above-mentioned statistics, it is clear that there is a significant shortage of training programmes within filling station enterprises. • Tax (income tax and VAT) A relevant question in this context is why tax should be paid. Experts stress the traditional role of the income tax assessment as means of generating sufficient money for the government coffers but the importance of alternative aims such as the stimulation of economic growth and job creation are also singled out. It has been found that 87.9% of the respondent's regard income tax as an obstacle. The payment and administration of tax within the business enterprise is of greatest importance to the entrepreneur. Particular reference has been made to the shortage of capital and other obstacles Summary such as access to financial sources, the high cost of the administration of tax laws and other government regulations within the filling station enterprise. Deficiencies within the South African system are: • a shortage of qualified employees; • inadequate use of modem technology; • inadequate attempts at policing the system; • more feedback to honest payers regarding the taxing of groups that are difficult to trace. • Business plan There is a shortage of knowledge regarding the composition and implementation of a business plan for the filling station enterprise. • Stock control Entrepreneurs agree that the low gross profit that is achieved is lowered even further by the high cost of the above-mentioned type of enterprise. • Shortage of schooled and well-trained entrepreneurs. As has been mentioned, research has revealed that there is a shortage of schooled and well-trained entrepreneurs. A related problem is that of inadequate managerial knowledge. More or less 51.5% of the respondents indicate that this is a very important aspect within the business and 60.6% of the respondents indicate that an inadequate managerial information system causes extensive problems. A group of Summary 67.9% mean that group training is essential for entrepreneurs. • Communication A significant reason for concern is the fact that only 16.1 % of the total number of entrepreneurs regard communication between the business and community as significant. Communication (one of the seven additional tasks of a manager) is regarded as one of the most important activities both within and outside of the business. In the absence of an effective communication system, no business can survive since contact with the consumer - the lifeline of the business - is severed. By means of extensive analysis of collected and determined statistics it was found that 19.3% of entrepreneurs held the viewpoint that communication between the business and community is of little or no importance. From this analysis it can be deducted that communication within and outside of the filling station enterprise is not of adequate standard and that conscious attempts must be made to improve this situation. Successful communication is one of the most serious problems confronting the entire South African population. In general people, especially business people, communicate poorly since reading skills have been neglected. • Competition Research done for this doctoral thesis has revealed clearly that competition is a very inhoudsopgawe important, yet simultaneously inhibiting and non-inhibiting factor, within the enterprise. There are a fair number of techniques and methods that can be utilised in order to counteract unhealthy competition. • Inflation In general, 87.9% of the respondents indicated that inflation has an extensive influence on the business enterprise. Subsequently, it is regarded as of great significance. Statistics show that there were no respondents in rural areas that were of the opinion that inflation is of no or little importance. In contrast, 19.1% of the urban entrepreneurs are of the opinion that inflation is unimportant. RECOMMENDATIONS Recommendations can be found in Chapter 6 (see Low profit margins, p 218, Government regulations, p 223, Shortage of quality employees, p 224, Inadequate employee training, p 227, Tax (income tax and VAT), p 227, Business plan, p 233, Stock control, p 234, Shortage of schooled and well-trained entrepreneurs, p 237, Communication, p 238, ompetition, p 239 and Inflation, p 243). CONCLUSION Additional significant inhibiting elements were identified. These can be researched and analysed further through follow-up studies. Within the context of this study, the above-mentioned elements are regarded as the most significant.