The end of January saw the start of many aspiring MBA students’ journey to success when the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Business School once again hosted a very successful Summer Study School in Potchefstroom.

“The Monetary Policy Committee’s (MPC's) decision to reduce the repo rate by 25 basis points is a welcome recognition of the need to reduce borrowing costs for business and consumers in South Africa.”

According to economist Prof Danie Meyer, director of the TRADE research focus area at the North West University, 2020 is expected to be a year full of economic and geopolitical instability and volatility. The year has started on the wrong foot already, with Eskom implementing load shedding as early as the first week of the year. "It is a worrying situation, as most mines and large factories have not yet started their operations!

The latest worse-than-expected growth figures for the third quarter of 2019 again emphasise the urgent need to implement a credible turnaround plan to lift the economy out of its current 'low growth trap'.

The building of long-term relationships is key to the success of small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs). This is according to Prof Sebastian Kot, one of four extraordinary professors from the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences.

“The decision by rating agency Standard & Poor (S&P) to reduce its outlook on South Africa from stable to negative was widely expected, and the markets have to a large extent already adjusted their prices accordingly.”

“It is disappointing that the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) majority view is unable to contemplate reducing the repo rate, although the space now clearly exists to act positively.”
This is according to Prof Raymond Parsons, a well-known economist and academic from the North-West University (NWU) Business School.

It is true: to be a first-year student at university can be one of the most exciting, but also the most stressful times in a young adult’s life. It is therefore natural that you might feel overwhelmed by your new surroundings, the responsibilities associated with personal freedom and the pressure that goes with it.

MSMEs (micro, small and medium-sized enterprises) are known to play a critical role in countries’ economies, both as sources of employment and as suppliers of diverse goods and services. Yet they receive little attention at policy level, with many failing to achieve their economic potential.

“The fact that the United Kingdom (UK) and the European Union (EU) have reached an agreement on Brexit after complex negotiations will be generally welcomed in view of the wider implications of 'hard' Brexit for key components of the world trading system.”