The latest Small business survey conducted by SME Survey suggests that both ICT and BEE take a back seat when it comes small business needs.

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SME Survey says:

Small to medium businesses in South Africa view the availability and accessibility of finance as important factors which will enable them to compete effectively in this country, while the availability of information and communications technology is less important. Notably, black economic empowerment, while a factor, is not yet perceived to be an enabling factor.

Sponsored by Standard Bank and Oracle Corporation South Africa, SME Survey is a unique barometer tracking the needs of the SME market in South Africa. Researchers examine factors behind the competitiveness of small, medium and micro enterprises by polling some 6 000 companies across vertical markets countrywide.

According to principal researcher Arthur Goldstuck, the perception of the availability of finance as a key contributor to competitiveness may be indicative of the ambition of small businesses to take advantage of positive economic conditions. “Our research has shown that companies are looking for money and looking for skills. Companies need these fundamental resources in order to grow their operations – a likely scenario with the consumer boom that has swept the country this year,â€