Internal Drivers of Innovation and Sustainability in South African Manufacturing Small and Medium Enterprises

The study aimed at determining the relationship that exists among internal management systems, innovativeness, and the sustainability of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) within the South African manufacturing sector. As a result of the changes that are taking place daily in technology and business operational policies, organisations are to revisit their internal management systems, level of innovativeness and sustainable measures with main reference to SMEs. A quantitative research approach was used in the study, as it was meant to establish the relationship that exists amongst the set variables, internal management systems, innovativeness, and sustainability of SMEs in the manufacturing sector. In the study, the target population consisted of all the SMEs in the manufacturing industry of South Africa. The scale accuracy was performed using Smart PLS 3.0. The findings from the study show that there is a positive and significant relationship between all the variables. The study recommends that there is a need for the government through the small and medium enterprises development department to review their approach to SMEs so that they can have adequate resources to enhance their business operations.