Applied research has value to the extent that it assists management to make better decisions. It is only through a scientific thinking process that we come to understand, and take into consideration, the complex set of factors that operates in any given situation. Having analysed the results from the data analysis the manager exercises good judgment by using both the research findings and drawing on the personal and invaluable resources of past experience. In sum, research indicates the direction of problem solving; experience and common sense, in conjunction with scientific research results. One without the other is not completely effective. This Dissertation sets out to carry out a strategy evaluation of the ZESCO Business Plan using a set strategy evaluation criteria of; suitability, acceptability and feasibility. In conducting this evaluation, it is recognised that; although it is impossible to demonstrate conclusively that a particular business strategy is optimal or even guarantee that it will work, one can nevertheless, test it for critical flaws using a set criteria. The results from the evaluation revealed that; in terms of suitability some of the strategies scored lowly due to the low disposable incomes of ZESCO's customers; in terms of acceptability of ZESCO's strategies to its principle stakeholders, there is a need for it to improve the input from these stakeholders when formulating its strategies and lastly the feasibility analysis revealed that ZESCO will struggle to implement its strategies. Lastly the importance of carrying out Business Research is well summed up by Sekaran (2000: 4) "the difference between the manager who uses common sense alone to analyze and make a decision in a given situation, and the investigator who uses a scientific method, is that the latter does a systematic inquiry into the matter and proceeds to describe, explain, or predict phenomena based on data carefully collected for the purpose.

Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2006.