Original Research

Die Bedryfsekonomie - Sy studieveld: Vernuwing, verruiming of status quo?

J. K. Bosch
South African Journal of Business Management | Vol 9, No 2 | a3298 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/sajbm.v9i2.3298 | © 2022 J. K. Bosch | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 20 April 2022 | Published: 30 June 1978

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J. K. Bosch, Bedryfsekonomie, Universiteit van Port Elizabeth, South Africa

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Abstract

This article is concerned with the empirical object or the empirical field of investigation, of Business Economics as a science, particularly in the context of on-going specialisation in the sciences. The Dutch business economists Limperg and Van der Schroeff advocate the concept of the so-called "business household" ("bedrijfshuishouding") as empirical object of Business Economics, where this concept carries different meanings and content. They abbreviate the concept "business household" to only "business" ("bedrijf"). According to Van der Schroeff the concept "business" can denote one or any of the following: either the private firm with the profit motive as goal, or the public utility industry, or semi-government institutions or a co-operative, or any establishment with a business purpose. In accordance with Limperg and Van der Schroeff any organization where factors of production are combined, can be identified as the empirical object of Business Economics. The term "business" (short for business household) is thus used in its widest sense to denote any business unit, irrespective of whether it is found in the business sector, farming sector, manufacturing sector or service sector of the economy.

Another Dutch business economist, J.L. Meij, allocates a more limited content to the concept "business" by eliminating whose businesses which are not solely aimed at the generation of a cash flow. This more limited approach is acceptable because it leaves scope for the development of Public Administration as an independent science.

The most important idea advanced in this article is the following: Due to tendency among certain (Afrikaansspeaking) business economists to pursue the ideas of Limperg and Van der Schroeff in an unmodified fashion by the use of the generic concept of business, danger exists that the vital role of private enterprise in a mixed economic society may be undervalued or even disregarded. The premise underlying the use of the generic concept of business can diminish the scientific character of Business Economics. The argument of the author is that the well-known and approved differences between the firm (enterprise or undertaking) and plant (or establishment) must also be maintained.


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