Abstract
M.B.A.
Due to the high unemployment rate of twenty-five and a half percent in South Africa it is critical to create jobs. Economies throughout the world have benefited through the job creation resulting from successful small and medium enterprises (SME’s). What is also apparent is the high prevalent rate of failure in start-up of SME’s. It is therefore important to guide entrepreneurs that enter into business by starting a SME and to ensure sustainability and success with the new venture. In order to be sustainable and successful, research is in agreement that market orientation is a prerequisite for the business performance of a company in that the successful implementation of market orientation as a management philosophy will result in sustainable competitive advantage. A SME’s is successful if and when the company have realised business performance.
This study has determined the relationship between market orientation and businesses performance in the Mining Communication Industry of South Africa. In addition the study contributed by proposing a measurement tool for business performance.
Considerations of the findings in this study will benefit entrepreneurs within the start-up phase as well as aspirant entrepreneurs. The benefit of these finding will become obvious in that the risk of failure will be reduced through the implementation of market orientation and the aspects of the financial perspective. Subsequently the enormous potential of job creation through successful and sustainable SME’s can become a reality.