An analysis of business intelligence of small, medium and micro enterprises and their effect on corporate governance in the eThekwini Municipal area

Abstract

This study was initiated on intelligence because firms nowadays are developing at a faster pace. Business intelligence is projected to play a critical part in assisting policymakers at every point of their activities to ease making decisions. This expresses why business intelligence has become one of the key areas of interest to workplace management which without the right implementation to governance, it would not be feasible to realize the likely gains that the implement can offer. Consequently, it is apposite to procure a business intelligence governance structure, which represents a subsection of corporate governance. Because intelligence is needed for improvements not only in business but all organizations this study aims to explore the extent to which SMMEs operators recognizes it as a tool that guarantees successful corporate governance. The study also examined the skill of the SMME managers and operators on how they can impart business intelligence into their business to ensure effective corporate governance in their area of operation. In the study, the issues that dampen the use of intelligence in business for the development and operations of SMMEs were investigated. The inherent basis under which this research was taken on was that of human behavior of SMME managers and their underlings expressly how they can use their intelligence to contribute to humanity and subsist the competitive market. Simple random sampling was employed to accumulate data from entrepreneurs in the eThekwini Municipal Area. An aggregate of 200 entrepreneurs responded to the survey, which has made the sample of the study. The elicited data was obtained and evaluated on SPSS (version 25) and generated both descriptive and inferential statistics. The basic conclusions of the study were that the entrepreneurs stated that planning, organizing, coordination, controlling, creativity, team spirit and decision making were highly noteworthy in determining and operating a thriving business. A contest emanating from respondents was that they were unable to adapt themselves to the environment where they can seize opportunities. However, some of them have the interest of their environment at heart to invest their effort for the growth and its development. The main recommendation that is made here is that entrepreneurs must learn how to familiarize themselves to realise business opportunities amid nothing to form something reasonable in the environment. The entrepreneurs must keep their actions, activities, conduct and performance in check where they can use the communicative elements of knowledge, skills, attitude, values, and competence to the advantage of mitigating social problems and making gains.