Abstract
D.Phil. (Business Management)
Sustainable development suggests that there are restrictions to the obtainability of ecological resources and the planet to engage human activities. Accordingly, sustainable development must bring about a process of transformation, in which utilisation of resources, the direction of investments, the direction of technological developments, and institutional change are all made compatible with future and current needs. Limited South African research exists in the field of sustainable development in adventure tourism SMMEs. Given the brief background on sustainability and the low levels of implementation in South Africa, this study sought to determine the level of impact of environmental, social, political and economic variables on the implementation of sustainable development in adventure tourism SMMEs in South Africa. The study also investigated whether the adoption of the concept of sustainable development by SMMEs would contribute to enhanced business performance in SMMEs in South Africa. The drivers of and barriers to implementation of the concept of sustainable development in adventure tourism SMMEs in South Africa were also identified.
Based on secondary sources, a hypothetical model was constructed and then subjected to empirical testing. A structured questionnaire was administered via email and hard copies, and 105 usable responses were received. The validity of the measuring instrument was confirmed using confirmatory factor analysis, while Cronbach’s alpha coefficients confirmed the inter-item reliability of the identified variables. Structural equation modelling (SEM) confirmatory statistical techniques were used to analyse the model fit and to determine statistically significant relationships. Two methods were used to collect data: structured questionnaires were emailed to businesses that were deemed to be potential respondents, and self-administered questionnaires were physical distributed to respondents that were within reach of the researcher.
The data collected from 105 usable questionnaires were subjected to statistical analysis. Using SPSS Version 22 and the Amos 22 software programme, structural equation modelling (SEM) was performed to analyse the data set. It was evident from the statistical analysis (the Cronbach’s alpha values, and confirmatory factor analysis) that the variables and items (statements) in the hypothetical model can be regarded as reliable and valid. A hypothetical...