Business, Commerce and Management Studies Finance, Economics and Accounting

Smme Success Factors And Local Economic Development Strategies Training

SAQA US 110507 | NQF 5 | Credits 12 | Duration 9 Days
From $1,798 per delegate

Description

This course equips entrepreneurs and local development practitioners with the critical success factors for Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) and strategies to foster local economic development (LED). Participants will learn to identify SMME growth drivers, analyze local economic contexts, and design practical interventions that stimulate sustainable community-based enterprises.

Learning Outcomes

  • Analyze the key success factors for SMMEs, including access to finance, market linkages, business management skills, and enabling regulatory environments.
  • Evaluate local economic development strategies such as sector clustering, value chain development, and public-private partnerships.
  • Design a practical LED action plan that integrates SMME support mechanisms and stakeholder engagement.
  • Apply tools to assess the economic potential and constraints of a local area for SMME development.
  • Demonstrate the ability to monitor and evaluate the impact of LED initiatives on SMME growth and job creation.
  • Implement strategies to foster entrepreneurship and formalize informal businesses within a local economy.

Target Audience

SMME owners, managers, and aspiring entrepreneurs; local economic development officers, community development practitioners, and municipal planning staff seeking to strengthen small business ecosystems and drive regional economic growth.

Prerequisites

None — open enrollment.

Course Outline

Day 1: Introduction to SMMEs and Local Economic Development

Objectives:
• Define SMMEs and their role in the South African economy
• Understand the concept of Local Economic Development (LED)
• Identify key challenges facing SMMEs
• Explain the relationship between SMMEs and LED

Topics:
• Definition and classification of SMMEs
• Importance of SMMEs in job creation and economic growth
• Overview of Local Economic Development (LED)
• Policy frameworks: National Development Plan and LED strategies
• Common barriers to SMME success
• Case studies of SMMEs in local economies

Day 2: SMME Success Factors – Internal Capabilities

Objectives:
• Identify internal success factors for SMMEs
• Understand financial management principles
• Analyse marketing and customer acquisition strategies
• Evaluate operational efficiency and innovation

Topics:
• Entrepreneurial mindset and leadership
• Financial literacy: budgeting, cash flow, and funding
• Marketing strategies for small businesses
• Customer relationship management
• Operational excellence and lean practices
• Innovation and adaptability

Day 3: SMME Success Factors – External Environment

Objectives:
• Assess external factors influencing SMME success
• Understand regulatory and compliance requirements
• Analyse market dynamics and competition
• Evaluate support institutions and networks

Topics:
• Regulatory environment: tax, labour, and business registration
• Access to finance and funding opportunities
• Market research and competitive analysis
• Business development services and mentorship
• Networking and partnerships
• Economic trends and their impact on SMMEs

Day 4: Local Economic Development Strategies – Foundations

Objectives:
• Define LED strategies and their objectives
• Understand participatory planning approaches
• Identify key stakeholders in LED
• Analyse LED frameworks in South Africa

Topics:
• Principles of LED: inclusive, sustainable, and local
• LED planning cycle: assessment, strategy, implementation
• Stakeholder mapping and engagement
• LED policy and institutional arrangements
• Case studies of successful LED initiatives
• Role of local government in LED

Day 5: LED Implementation Tools and Techniques

Objectives:
• Apply LED tools such as SWOT and PESTLE analysis
• Develop LED project plans
• Understand funding mechanisms for LED
• Monitor and evaluate LED projects

Topics:
• SWOT and PESTLE analysis for local economies
• Project design and logical framework
• Budgeting and resource mobilisation
• Funding sources: grants, PPPs, and community funds
• Monitoring and evaluation frameworks
• Reporting and communication

Day 6: Sector-Specific LED Strategies

Objectives:
• Identify sector opportunities for LED
• Analyse agriculture, tourism, and manufacturing strategies
• Understand the role of cooperatives
• Evaluate green economy initiatives

Topics:
• Agriculture and agro-processing
• Tourism and cultural heritage
• Manufacturing and small-scale industry
• Cooperatives and community enterprises
• Green economy and sustainability
• ICT and digital economy

Day 7: SMME–LED Integration and Partnership Models

Objectives:
• Link SMME development with LED strategies
• Understand public-private-community partnerships
• Develop value chain linkages
• Analyse clustering and incubation models

Topics:
• Integrating SMME support into LED plans
• Public-private partnerships (PPPs)
• Community–business partnerships
• Value chain development and local procurement
• Business incubators and clusters
• Success stories of integrated approaches

Day 8: Strategic Planning for SMME and LED Initiatives

Objectives:
• Develop a strategic plan for an SMME or LED project
• Set SMART objectives and key performance indicators
• Understand risk management in SMMEs and LED
• Prepare a business case for funding

Topics:
• Strategic planning process
• SMART goal setting
• Risk identification and mitigation
• Financial projections and break-even analysis
• Pitching to funders
• Presentation skills for stakeholders

Day 9: Practical Application and Course Synthesis

Objectives:
• Consolidate learning through a capstone project
• Present integrated SMME–LED plans
• Evaluate course outcomes and application
• Develop an action plan for implementation

Topics:
• Capstone project: develop an SMME–LED plan
• Peer review and feedback
• Presentation of plans to panel
• Action planning for real-world application
• Course evaluation and certification
• Networking and next steps

Practicals

No practicals for this training.

This course is made up of exercises and case studies delivered alongside the theory — no separate practical sessions are required to complete it.

Summatives

Each delegate is assessed continuously throughout the course and a final summative test at the end.

Daily Exercises — 30%

Every training day ends with a multiple-choice exercise scored out of 100%. The scores from each daily exercise are averaged across the duration of the course to produce a Daily Average mark, which contributes 30% to the final total.

Final Test — 70%

On the last day a final summative test is written. It is a multiple-choice paper with multiple-answer questions: each question may have more than one correct option, and a single wrong selection on a question marks the entire question wrong — no partial credit. The final test is scored out of 100% and contributes 70% to the overall mark.

Final Total
Component Out of Weight
Daily Average (multiple choice) 100% 30%
Final Test (multi-answer multiple choice) 100% 70%
Final Total 100%

All marks are recorded on the AATICD LMS and visible to each learner under their account.

Certificate

Certificate of Completion

Awarded to delegates who achieve an overall mark of 50% or higher on the Final Total (Daily Average 30% + Final Test 70%).

How it works
  • Certificates are auto-generated on the AATICD LMS as soon as the marks pass the 50% threshold.
  • Each certificate is a branded PDF with the delegate's name, the course title, the unit standard ID, NQF level, credits, and the date of issue.
  • You can download or print your certificate from your LMS dashboard at any time after issue — there's no reissue fee and no expiry date.
  • If you scored under 50% you can sit the final test again at the next scheduled session at no extra cost.
Where to find it

Sign in to the LMS, open your dashboard, and your certificates appear under My Certificates. Each entry has a View / Download button and a print option.

Training Discounts

Group discounts apply automatically — the more delegates you enrol, the greater the saving. Discounts are calculated at 3% per 5 delegates, scaling up to 40% off for 100+ delegates.

Delegates Discount
5 3% off
10 6% off
15 9% off
20 12% off
25 15% off
30 18% off
50 30% off
75 35% off
100 40% off

3% discount per 5 delegates, up to 40% off for 100+ delegates. Contact us for a custom group quote.

Upcoming Training Sessions
Online training — attend live sessions from anywhere via our virtual classroom.
Start End Delivery Season Price Action
Tue 08 Sep 2026 Fri 18 Sep 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $1,798 Register
Mon 28 Sep 2026 Thu 08 Oct 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $1,798 Register
Fri 23 Oct 2026 Wed 04 Nov 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $1,798 Register
Fri 11 Dec 2026 Wed 23 Dec 2026 Virtual Summer 2026 $1,798 Register
Thu 14 Jan 2027 Tue 26 Jan 2027 Virtual Summer 2026 $1,798 Register
Wed 17 Feb 2027 Mon 01 Mar 2027 Virtual Summer 2026 $1,798 Register
Tue 02 Mar 2027 Fri 12 Mar 2027 Virtual Autumn 2027 $1,798 Register
Mon 08 Mar 2027 Thu 18 Mar 2027 Virtual Autumn 2027 $1,798 Register
Fri 19 Mar 2027 Wed 31 Mar 2027 Virtual Autumn 2027 $1,798 Register
Thu 10 Jun 2027 Tue 22 Jun 2027 Virtual Winter 2027 $1,798 Register
Wed 30 Jun 2027 Mon 12 Jul 2027 Virtual Winter 2027 $1,798 Register
Tue 20 Jul 2027 Fri 30 Jul 2027 Virtual Winter 2027 $1,798 Register
Mon 06 Sep 2027 Thu 16 Sep 2027 Virtual Spring 2027 $1,798 Register
Fri 01 Oct 2027 Wed 13 Oct 2027 Virtual Spring 2027 $1,798 Register
Thu 21 Oct 2027 Tue 02 Nov 2027 Virtual Spring 2027 $1,798 Register
Fri 10 Dec 2027 Wed 22 Dec 2027 Virtual Summer 2027 $1,798 Register
Thu 30 Dec 2027 Tue 11 Jan 2028 Virtual Summer 2027 $1,798 Register
Wed 19 Jan 2028 Mon 31 Jan 2028 Virtual Summer 2027 $1,798 Register
On-Campus training — face-to-face sessions at our training venues across Africa and beyond.
Showing all 507 sessions across 26 venues
Start End Venue Season Price Action
Wed 22 Jul 2026 Mon 03 Aug 2026 Kampala, Uganda Winter 2026 $5,211 Register
Thu 23 Jul 2026 Tue 04 Aug 2026 Accra, Ghana Winter 2026 $5,859 Register
Fri 24 Jul 2026 Wed 05 Aug 2026 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Winter 2026 $5,211 Register
Mon 27 Jul 2026 Thu 06 Aug 2026 Johannesburg, South Africa Winter 2026 $3,969 Register
Tue 28 Jul 2026 Fri 07 Aug 2026 Mauritius Winter 2026 $5,211 Register
In-House training — we bring the trainer to your organisation, tailored to your team.
Start End Delivery Season Price Action
Wed 16 Sep 2026 Mon 28 Sep 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $2,338 Register
Tue 06 Oct 2026 Fri 16 Oct 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $2,338 Register
Mon 26 Oct 2026 Thu 05 Nov 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $2,338 Register
Mon 14 Dec 2026 Thu 24 Dec 2026 Your Premises Summer 2026 $2,338 Register
Fri 22 Jan 2027 Wed 03 Feb 2027 Your Premises Summer 2026 $2,338 Register
Thu 25 Feb 2027 Tue 09 Mar 2027 Your Premises Summer 2026 $2,338 Register
Wed 10 Mar 2027 Mon 22 Mar 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $2,338 Register
Tue 16 Mar 2027 Fri 26 Mar 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $2,338 Register
Mon 22 Mar 2027 Thu 01 Apr 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $2,338 Register
Fri 18 Jun 2027 Wed 30 Jun 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $2,338 Register
Thu 08 Jul 2027 Tue 20 Jul 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $2,338 Register
Wed 28 Jul 2027 Mon 09 Aug 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $2,338 Register
Tue 14 Sep 2027 Fri 24 Sep 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $2,338 Register
Mon 04 Oct 2027 Thu 14 Oct 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $2,338 Register
Fri 29 Oct 2027 Wed 10 Nov 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $2,338 Register
Mon 13 Dec 2027 Thu 23 Dec 2027 Your Premises Summer 2027 $2,338 Register
Fri 07 Jan 2028 Wed 19 Jan 2028 Your Premises Summer 2027 $2,338 Register
Thu 27 Jan 2028 Tue 08 Feb 2028 Your Premises Summer 2027 $2,338 Register
Training Discounts
Delegates Discount
5 3% off
10 6% off
15 9% off
20 12% off
25 15% off
30 18% off
50 30% off
75 35% off
100 40% off

3% off per 5 delegates, up to 40% for 100+

View Sessions & Register Get A Quote Download Course Brochure
Have an account?

Sign in to track your applications and manage your cart.

Related Courses

Other Business, Commerce and Management Studies courses at NQF level 5 learners on this page also viewed.

Browse the full Business, Commerce and Management Studies category for business, commerce and management studies training programmes.
GET A QUOTE / APPLY COURSE CATALOGUE