Evaluating Factors that Impact Sme’s Npd Success in South African Retail Industry

Kailash Nath Sharma Devapriya — 2025-12-08

This study examines the determinants of new product development (NPD) performance and retailer engagement among South African small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It investigates how strategic orientation, NPD research, team collaboration, and retailer–supplier relationship quality shape innovation outcomes in a resource-constrained retail environment. A positivist quantitative research design was adopted, and data were collected from 74 SME owner–managers using a structured online questionnaire. Descriptive, correlation, and regression analyses were conducted in SPSS (v28.0). Findings show that NPD research is the only statistically significant predictor of retailer engagement (β = 0.61, p < 0.05). Structured customer validation, market testing, and evidence-based learning therefore play a decisive role in improving SMEs’ credibility with retail buyers. Although strategic alignment and cross-functional collaboration show positive associations with NPD outcomes, neither exerts a significant effect on retailer accessibility. The results highlight a persistent “intent–execution gap” in SMEs: while strategic awareness and innovation culture are strong, weak institutionalisation of research and collaboration limits NPD effectiveness. Retailer–supplier relationships remain characterised by information asymmetry, limited feedback, and procedural opacity, reflecting structural power imbalances in South Africa’s concentrated grocery sector. Strengthening research-driven NPD routines, shared market intelligence, and transparent supplier-development mechanisms can improve SME access to dominant retail channels. The study contributes to the Resource-Based View (RBV) and Dynamic Capabilities Theory (DCT) by demonstrating how research intensity and learning routines enhance SMEs’ market legitimacy within asymmetric value chains.

Efficacy of Group Work as Teaching Strategy in Developing Skills among Higher Learning Institution Students in Tanzania

Bryson Daudi Kinyaduka — 2025-12-08

The paper sought to establish the efficacy of group work teaching strategy in developing various skills/capabilities among higher learning institution students in Tanzania. The study adopted exploratory sequential design. The study employed Focus Group Discussion to collect qualitative data in phase one. It used questionnaire to gather quantitative data in phase two. The sample size was 381 of whom 24 were student participants obtained through maximum variation sampling technique and 357 were student respondents obtained through convenience sampling teachnique. Interview guide and questionnaire were used to collect data in phase one and phase two, respectively. Data analysis techniques used was content analysis and Yeh’s Index of Satisfaction. Content analysis was used to analyse qualitative data. Yeh’s Index of Satisfaction was used to analyse quantitative data. The study revealed group work had more capability of developing some skills, and less capability in developing others. Group work developed numerous skills/capabilities at different magnitude. As such, the efficacy in developing skills/capabilities was at 0.70 to 0.79 (High) and at 0.80 and above (very high) in higher learning institutions. Group work as a teaching strategy has the efficacy of developing numerous capabilities/skills from high to very high in higher learning institution. Therefore, higher learning institutions should continue to embrace the teaching strategy. It is indispensable to build capacity among instructors on how to apply the teaching strategy effectively.

Nurture

Evaluating Factors that Impact Sme’s Npd Success in South African Retail Industry

Efficacy of Group Work as Teaching Strategy in Developing Skills among Higher Learning Institution Students in Tanzania