Introduction to Special Issue: The University of the Western Cape Digital Inclusion and Women Entrepreneurship Series 2021. The data was obtained from a webinar series on lockdown stories organized by the University of the Western Cape's Faculty of Economics and Management Sciences.
Competition from ‘Big Business’
The lockdown therefore created conditions where everyone was afraid, although it was understandable why the farmers closed their gates. During the lockdown, all transport facilities to these places have been stopped and some have to walk five (5) kilometers to get there.
Competition from large retailers in the food industry
To date, no one on the list – on this farm or the thirty-two (32) farms in this area – has received a food package from the government.” This to me is a kind of exclusion of agricultural land that contains all our land, water; it has about 40% of our economy in the Western Cape; and yet we do not see this ability to inform women, to empower women and to create alternative economies in the region” (Ingrid Lestrade, August 20, 2020).
Response to the lockdown challenges
I have personally forwarded a list of all the people, together with their identity numbers and contact details, to the Western Cape Department of Social Development.
Support needed to sustain the business
Conclusion
INNOVATIONS
ENTREPRENEURS ARE SUPERHEROES OF SOCIETIES”
INSIGHTS ON HOW LAUNCHING AND OPERATING A PRESCHOOL DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
SNATCHED ALL MY SUPERPOWERS
Abstract
Introduction
I managed to set up a pre-school and employed three full-time teachers, one part-time substitute teacher and a full-time cook.
Challenges of operating the preschool during the lockdown
A month later, the spread of COVID-19 reached South African shores, and the country subsequently went into lockdown for a period of eight months, halting business operations and halting economic activities. What support is needed to continue kindergarten during and after the COVID-19 situation?
What kind of support is necessary to enable the preschool to continue during and post- COVID-19?
Conclusion and recommendations
Recommendations for the school to survive during this pandemic
Lead with Love: The world is still reeling from an ambush by a pandemic of the magnitude of Covid-19. This period requires empathetic and authentic leadership that will inspire a positive mindset among students, parents and teachers during these difficult times.
COVID-19 AND SOUTH AFRICA’S SMALL, MEDIUM AND MICRO ENTERPRISES: CHALLENGES AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
CHALLENGES FACED BY SMMES BECAUSE OF COVID-19
RECOMMENDATIONS TO MITIGATE THE EFFECT OF COVID-19 ON SMMES
Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and their role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Retrieved 8 August 2021 from https://sdgs.un.org/publications/micro-small-and-medium-sized-enterprises-msmes-and-their-role-achieving-sustainable.
OP-ED1: TOWARDS AN ENABLING ENVIRONMENT FOR A DIGITAL ECOSYSTEM : A FOUNDATION FOR
ENTREPRENEURIAL ACTIVITY
Digital Inequality is not just about infrastructure
Telecommunications Market failure
The Problem of Policy Implementation Lethargy
In South Africa, following the demise of the late minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri in 2008, the Ministry of Communications has had no less than eleven ministers, taking into account the ill-informed decision to split the department in 2014. As a result, we have had a deficit of the permanent and effective leadership that was needed to create the desperately needed synergy and collaboration between various stakeholders to ensure a digital ecosystem solution for the divide. Nevertheless, the good news is that there is a lot of effective research going on to address the problem and develop solutions.
The research we have undertaken shows that enabling conditions, in particular the affordability of data, support or guidance to use ICTS and resources (access to reliable networks), are determinants, among other things, of the entrepreneurial intention to use ICT for support business operations. It will need committed and unfettered leadership to take responsibility for implementation to ensure that this integrated and cohesive policy document is translated into meaningful programmatic action by government.
How To Build an Enabling Environment for a thriving Digital Ecosystem
Zenzeleni Networks: An example of Innovation to work around policy bottlenecks
Such findings help us a lot to design solutions to address the digital divide. Therefore, what we need is policy innovation to enable more Zenzeleni to thrive and thrive so that the digital ecosystem is realized in communities living below the poverty line. This will create a much greater chance of defeating the problem of digital inequality that I mentioned at the beginning.
Beyond access : towards effective use of ICT in micro and small business
THE UWC DIGITAL INCLUSION AND FEMALE ENTREPRENEURSHIP SERIES
The Importance of Education in Reducing the Digital Divide
The Power of partnerships
Ensuring Coordination
As a key policy objective, early exposure to key technology areas through education should continue to be a priority for South Africa. Here, schools, TVET colleges and higher education institutions can play a major role in reducing the digital divide, by providing girls with the necessary skills that will expose them to digital innovation from a very young age. Besides educational institutions, business and NGOs must continue to play a key role in entrepreneurship programs aimed at supporting women.
Research institutions can also play a key role in bringing together key players to support grassroots needs, and this would be particularly useful for young entrepreneurs working in emerging technology fields. Such partnerships can play a critical role in supporting women entrepreneurs in working toward the use of key technologies.
VOICES OF ENTREPRENEURS
A REVIEW OF ENTREPRENEURS’ PERCEPTIONS OF SME COVID-19 SUPPORT MEASURES IN SOUTH AFRICA
How universities like UWC, with their focus on community engagement, are addressing the challenges faced by small business owners. What advice can be given to small business owners about the entrepreneurial context after COVID.
Background
Role of UWC in providing support to Small Business
Role of ICT in Supporting Small Business
In particular, cloud-based services have become very important to start supporting all types of small businesses. One of the highlighted support measures available to SMEs is provided by the Department of Economic Development and Tourism in the Western Cape, which utilizes and implements this technology to support small businesses. Another example involves a national mentoring movement where a technology platform in the form of a mobile app is used to support small businesses (Pather, 2020).
Two key aspects or strategies related to this ecosystem and the effect of ICT on small businesses are noteworthy from an industry growth perspective. The first involves the mechanisms for developing and nurturing small businesses in the ICT sector. The second involves developing an enabling environment where ICT is used to support and promote small business operations and efficiency. As part of the strategy, an industrial growth value chain for small businesses has also been recognized.
Ecosystem challenges
The wide range of ICT-related services includes support for business growth, from ideation to launch and mentoring, as well as software to support business operations. UWC along with other universities and partners were involved in the early stages and they were part of the reference group for the project. Since then, a website as well as an app has been launched to support businesses from start-up to scale.
In general, a plethora of software applications are also available to support and enable marketing, customer sales, service, accounting, finance and other applications. Although much support is available, the average small business is generally unable to harness the effective use of ICT for its operational use and to support its growth needs. The National Department of Telecommunications and Digital Strategies is the custodian of the strategy and responsible for the elaboration and implementation of the overarching strategy as well as its implementation (Pather, 2020).
Initiatives to increase SMME adoption of ICT
The purpose of the program is to provide advisory services to small businesses, with the help of student volunteers who sit on the advisory panel. In summary, a variety of open source software is freely available to the average small and micro entrepreneur. Insufficient social appropriation of ICT is therefore a major concern in the South African small business context (Pather, 2020).
The key findings emerging from this research are that most SMEs involved in the studies encountered difficulties in integrating technology into their businesses and did not know how to appropriate it. In summary, the research conducted reflects a lack of awareness and marketing of ICT services available to SMEs. Helping budding entrepreneurs, start-ups and established SMEs develop their ideas, for example through mentoring and coaching in a way that is integrated with skills development and supported by an understanding of how ICT can be used as an enabler to support these businesses will play a major role. play an important role in overcoming some of the numerous challenges faced by small and medium-sized enterprises (Pather, 2020).
Role of the Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA)
University pricing research is another area where universities can help by using data available from their research to lobby government and industry organizations to lower the cost of data. Secondly, Skills development initiatives involving ICT literacy as well as other business training programs supported by mentoring and coaching are required. Although ICT literacy has been found to build the self-confidence of SMEs, it is only the starting point.
This was one of the most important areas of impact on local communities in South Africa. This is especially true in terms of development efforts, including education, training and skills development, to support small and micro enterprises in the townships and to equip the future generation of business owners with skills to earn a living and not not to be dependent on government handouts (Madikane, 2020).
Regulations and the need for information sharing
Interventions to increase access to finance and overcome financial challenges
Role of the Private and Third Sector
Role of Universities
Also, what interventions can be put in place to help level the playing field between smaller and larger businesses and reduce the inequalities in opportunity and income inherent in South African procurement markets. However, Business South Africa can be a winner when companies large and small – especially larger companies – embrace more inclusive, cooperative relationships with their suppliers and increase the distribution of value. The vision of achieving more sustainable – both economic and social business ventures and strategic partnerships between small and large suppliers of all forms of capital, financial and non-financial – must include critical elements of human capital development, upskilling and retraining of South African workers. growing unemployed youth into a new generation of entrepreneurs who manage micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, incubators of large enterprises.
Available online at: https://businesstech.co.za/news/finance/457256/grocery-prices-in-south-africa- spiked-during-lockdown-but-still-havent-returned-to-normal/ [Accessed 12 January 2021]. Lockdown forced almost half of small businesses in South Africa to close: study, (2020), Businesstech, 7 Dec. Available online at: https://businesstech.co.za/news/business/455100/lockdown-forced-nearly- half-of-small-businesses-in-south-africa-til-nær-studie/ [Accessed.
ENTREPRENEURIAL
