Ben Bierman The majority of business failures can be attributed to financial, management and reporting factors that can ordinarily be addressed through mentorship and technical assistance support throughout a business’s life cycle. This is supported by the 2014 Turnaround Management Survey which estimates that as much as 36% of business failures were caused by inadequate financial management. As such, the launch of a R50 million (US$ 4 million) Technical Assistance Programme for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in South Africa by Business Partners Limited (BUSINESS/PARTNERS) with the support of the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) , aimed at improving the business, labour and environmental performance of SMEs, is sure to be a welcome relief to local SMEs who want to increase the profitability of their businesses. Speaking at the launch in Johannesburg this afternoon, Ben Bierman, MD of Business Partners Limited (BUSINESS/PARTNERS) – a premier risk finance...