Abstract
This paper reports on a survey of the definition of small business as perceived by various organizations involved in small business training and development. Participants were requested to define small business in terms of quantitative as well as qualitative criteria. The definitions provided by the survey respondents were compared with published definitions of small business as formulated by the Small Business Development Corporation (SBDC), the National Manpower Commission (NMC), J.G. Smith (one of the first authors who attempted to define small business), and the Small Business Advisory Bureau (SBAB). The definitions suggested by respondents indicate a lack of definitional consensus. Although no specific definition is suggested here, it is hoped that the information provided and the interpretation thereof may stimulate and encourage efforts to formulate a simple, useful, and widely accepted definition of small business in southern Africa.
Highlights
A new era in the promotion of small business in southern Africa was heralded by the so-called Carlton Conference in Johannesburg in 1979 and the Good Hope Conference in 1981
In attempting to assess the importance of modern small business in any country, and the informal business sector in southern Africa, the problem of definition is of paramount importance, where a major component of the population has a high potential for small business development
In the absence of a formal generally accepted definition of a small business in southern Africa, it appears as if institutions involved in training and advisory services to the small business sector have developed their own definitions
Summary
A new era in the promotion of small business in southern Africa was heralded by the so-called Carlton Conference in Johannesburg in 1979 and the Good Hope Conference in 1981. These Conferences demonstrated a new spirit concerning small business. In attempting to assess the importance of modern small business in any country, and the informal business sector in southern Africa, the problem of definition is of paramount importance, where a major component of the population has a high potential for small business development. Opinions differ on the exact definition of a small business. Differences in interpretation of the concept 'small business' are encountered between countries, and within the same country (Moolman, 1987)
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