Microsoft South Africa has announced it will sponsor the SME Survey 2005. The survey is aimed at researching the role played by government, information technology and financial services in small and medium business in SA in relation to the sector`s growth and success.
Small, Medium Solution and Partner Director at Microsoft South Africa, Bradley Hopkinson, says: "Microsoft`s sponsorship of the SME Survey 2005 is a demonstration of the value and potential we see in the SME sector. It is also an opportunity to understand of how technology is helping small businesses be successful and globally competitive."
"In the past three years we have gained crucial knowledge about just what it is that makes SMEs tick," says Arthur Goldstuck, principal researcher for the SME Survey.
"We know that IT plays a major role in keeping small business competitive, and we know that government efforts in this direction have had limited impact on small and medium enterprises. The question that now arises is whether the South African business environment in general makes it easier for small business to get off the ground, to grow and to transform themselves when needed. Does SA provide a welcoming environment for the entrepreneur?"
SME Survey 2005 will explore, among other topics, the role played by black economic empowerment, the importance of access to expertise, finances and resources, and the role played by information technology such as the Internet, networking and business software in the competitiveness of small, medium and micro enterprises.
"With the 2005 survey being the largest research survey yet of SMEs in SA, with decision-makers at 6 000 companies to be interviewed over a two-month period, we have a unique opportunity to understand SMEs better and an opportunity see how we can facilitate technology adoption within small businesses," adds Hopkinson.
"The decision to double the response base in 2005 means that it will be possible to drill down meaningfully into the differences between respondents in different sectors, different regions and of different sizes," says Goldstuck.
Members of the public or business community who want further information on SME Survey 2005 or the results can visit the SME Survey Web site at http://www.smesurvey.co.za.
The survey is backed by Standard Bank, M-Web Business and Microsoft, which all see small and medium enterprises as being among the keys to economic growth in SA.
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