The enterprise ecology of towns in the Karoo, South Africa
Two concepts, (1) companies are 'living' entities and (2) 'company ecology', stimulated our hypothesis that towns are 'enterprise ecosystems'. This hypothesis cannot be tested directly. However, if it is correct, application of clustering and ordination techniques used...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Academy of Science of South Africa
2010-06-01
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| Series: | South African Journal of Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.sajs.co.za/article/view/10145 |
| _version_ | 1828969530220609536 |
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| author | Daan Toerien Maitland Seaman |
| author_facet | Daan Toerien Maitland Seaman |
| author_sort | Daan Toerien |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Two concepts, (1) companies are 'living' entities and (2) 'company ecology', stimulated our hypothesis that towns are 'enterprise ecosystems'. This hypothesis cannot be tested directly. However, if it is correct, application of clustering and ordination techniques used frequently in studies of natural ecosystems, should reveal clusters of towns that are statistically significantly different (p < 0.05). A dataset of 47 towns in the Karoo, South Africa served as study material and their enterprise assemblages were profiled through the use of a simple method based on the examination of telephone directories. Clustering and ordination techniques revealed six different clusters of towns at a correlation coefficient level of 0.65 and the clusters differed significantly (p < 0.05) in some respects. The agricultural products and services, the tourism and hospitality, and the trade sectors were particularly important in defining these clusters. We concluded that enterprise ecology is a valid concept and towns are 'ecosystems' that also cluster together in larger groupings. An array of potentially important techniques and approaches for the study of business development in towns now provide support to, and intriguing questions confront, academic and practical researchers of enterprise development in towns. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T12:32:30Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1dc238e44c7a454f95f1901539af8a71 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-7489 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T12:32:30Z |
| publishDate | 2010-06-01 |
| publisher | Academy of Science of South Africa |
| record_format | Article |
| series | South African Journal of Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-1dc238e44c7a454f95f1901539af8a712022-12-21T23:01:08ZengAcademy of Science of South AfricaSouth African Journal of Science1996-74892010-06-011065/6The enterprise ecology of towns in the Karoo, South AfricaDaan Toerien0Maitland Seaman1Centre for Development Support, University of the Free StateCentre for Environmental Management, University of the Free StateTwo concepts, (1) companies are 'living' entities and (2) 'company ecology', stimulated our hypothesis that towns are 'enterprise ecosystems'. This hypothesis cannot be tested directly. However, if it is correct, application of clustering and ordination techniques used frequently in studies of natural ecosystems, should reveal clusters of towns that are statistically significantly different (p < 0.05). A dataset of 47 towns in the Karoo, South Africa served as study material and their enterprise assemblages were profiled through the use of a simple method based on the examination of telephone directories. Clustering and ordination techniques revealed six different clusters of towns at a correlation coefficient level of 0.65 and the clusters differed significantly (p < 0.05) in some respects. The agricultural products and services, the tourism and hospitality, and the trade sectors were particularly important in defining these clusters. We concluded that enterprise ecology is a valid concept and towns are 'ecosystems' that also cluster together in larger groupings. An array of potentially important techniques and approaches for the study of business development in towns now provide support to, and intriguing questions confront, academic and practical researchers of enterprise development in towns.https://www.sajs.co.za/article/view/10145clusteringecologyecosystemsenterprise developmenttowns |
| spellingShingle | Daan Toerien Maitland Seaman The enterprise ecology of towns in the Karoo, South Africa South African Journal of Science clustering ecology ecosystems enterprise development towns |
| title | The enterprise ecology of towns in the Karoo, South Africa |
| title_full | The enterprise ecology of towns in the Karoo, South Africa |
| title_fullStr | The enterprise ecology of towns in the Karoo, South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | The enterprise ecology of towns in the Karoo, South Africa |
| title_short | The enterprise ecology of towns in the Karoo, South Africa |
| title_sort | enterprise ecology of towns in the karoo south africa |
| topic | clustering ecology ecosystems enterprise development towns |
| url | https://www.sajs.co.za/article/view/10145 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT daantoerien theenterpriseecologyoftownsinthekaroosouthafrica AT maitlandseaman theenterpriseecologyoftownsinthekaroosouthafrica AT daantoerien enterpriseecologyoftownsinthekaroosouthafrica AT maitlandseaman enterpriseecologyoftownsinthekaroosouthafrica |