Abstract
This research has developed a quality management (QM) framework that incubation
clusters can use to grow as well as establish review milestones for their progress. Quality
management systems (QMSs) can be used as a vehicle to lead incubators through the
various stages of growth. The adoption of a QMS can simplify complexity and ensure
success. Small businesses are failing to secure markets due to stringent demands for
quality products and compliance issues that can appear unachievable. However, by
applying the concepts of QMSs, these problems that restrict market access can be
addressed. There must be a progress monitoring tool enshrined in a system for it to
realize growth. This tool must be able to trigger the realization that a specific
development milestone has been attained.
The first two years of this research were spent on developing the framework and in the
third year the validation of the framework was the main activity. Data collected during
the research was used to validate the developed framework. The sample population
comprised incubators in the economic sectors of the South African economy that include
construction, mining and mineral processing, jewellers, information technology,
floriculture, the motor industry, agriculture, bio fuels, furniture and business
development.
South African small enterprises and incubators can adopt QMSs to increase
sustainability. The need for communities to participate in the economic performance of a
country has become urgent. This is as a result of job losses caused by the global
economic pressures. Companies are also increasingly being put under pressure to
participate in socio-economic development activities of the communities they operate in.
At the same time, there is a need to develop the next generation of manufacturing systems
in response to the emerging need for manufacturing to be rapidly responsive and
customized. Such manufacturing systems need to be able to take advantage of
opportunities in global supply chains, and create opportunities for local production,
independent of global supply chains. In this way, the economic development of South...
D.Eng. (Engineering Management)