Auswahl der wissenschaftlichen Literatur zum Thema „Challenges of entrepreneurship education“

At the bottom tip of the African continent lies South Africa – the economic powerhouse of the continent complimented by its rainbow nation with a myriad of cultures and even more opportunities, but an equal number of pressing challenges: Poverty, inequality, the prevalence of HIV/AIDS, a shortage of skilled people (or rather a surplus of unskilled people), poor quality of basic education, unemployment, and of particular importance for this study, youth unemployment. In September 2011 more than 1.3 million young South Africans aged 15 to 24 years were unemployed, and 1.85 million aged 25 to 34 years were without jobs. Combined these figures represented 71 percent of total unemployment in the third quarter of 2011. As a result, the problem statement central to this study is the expectation that the poor quality of general (basic) education and the lack of purposive entrepreneurship education and training in South African schools will continue to contribute towards high levels of youth unemployment and poverty, as well as the proliferation of dysfunctional communities and increased levels of state dependency among a large part of the country’s population. This study set out in search of answers – answers to questions regarding the impact of entrepreneurship training on the youth in South Africa as the primary objective and the potential for entrepreneurship to serve as the panacea for many of the country’s ills. The end result is a rendering of more than three years of intensive research culminating in valid conclusions and practical, attainable recommendations to promote entrepreneurial activity in the country. The study examines the theories and definitions of entrepreneurship and concludes that entrepreneurship is a combination of opportunity and risk in the presence of extraordinary levels of ‘want’ (desire) to promote self-interest, whether it being monetary reward or the attainment of personal fulfilment, as the main motivational factor driving entrepreneurial behaviour (Schumpeterian theory). The contemporary challenges facing South Africa are expounded to create a platform for the presentment of entrepreneurship as the ‘magical genie’, captured in the ‘bottle’ that is mainly the small and medium sized enterprise (SME) sector in the country, and capable of redressing many of the country’s ills by empowering the youth to take both charge of and responsibility for their own future. The concomitant discussion shows that the ‘genie’ is held firmly in the confines of its ‘bottle’ by barriers obstructing the free flow of an enterprising spirit, confirming that the release of an enterprising spirit among South Africans faces many obstacles to be overcome before the ‘genie’ can be released successfully to work its ‘magic’. The concept of entrepreneurship education is examined to determine whether it is a reality or a myth. The discussion concludes that entrepreneurship is indeed a learnt phenomenon – it can be taught successfully. It is put forward that it can only be deemed a reality to the extent in which measurable evidence of its positive impact on learners exists. This conclusion sets the tone for the empirical research in later chapters by questioning the capacity for effective entrepreneurship education in South Africa. The empirical research conducted for this study includes a pilot study and a national main study focused on examining the impact of entrepreneurship training on young learners in South African secondary schools. It is based upon the attitudinal and intentional approaches to entrepreneurship research and employs six validated entrepreneurship surveys suitable for use with young individuals to respectively measure entrepreneurial attitudes, entrepreneurial intentions, general enterprising tendencies, subjective personal wellbeing, adaptive cognition and innovation skills. A total of 342 learners from secondary schools in the Harrismith region (Free State province) participated in the pilot study, followed by 898 respondents in the pre-testing phase and 751 in the post test phase of the AEG-3 main study and 910 respondents in the pre-testing phase and 749 in the post test phase of the PMY-3 main study. Participants in the main study originated from seven of the nine provinces of South Africa and were mainly female black Africans aged 15 to 17 years attending grades 10 and 11 at secondary schools. The datasets gathered from both the AEG-3 and PMY-3 studies were subjected to extensive statistical analyses by Statistical Consultation Services of the North-West University (Potchefstroom campus). The results lead to the conclusion that the Mini-Enterprise Programme (MEP) of Junior Achievement South Africa (JASA) did not have any visible or practically significant impact on the entrepreneurial attitudes, entrepreneurial intentions, subjective personal wellbeing, adaptive cognition and innovation skills of learners in either of the two samples examined in the empirical research project. This conclusion reaffirms the challenges and barriers associated with releasing the spirit of enterprise among the South African youth. Although entrepreneurship can be taught effectively, it is dependent on long-term strategies providing adequate support to learners with the attitude and aptitude to become competent entrepreneurs, as well as suitable methods for continuous assessment and improvement. It further demands entrepreneurial learning enhanced by an extended period of deliberate practice (the ‘Eureka’-factor proposed in this study) flowing from ‘want’ (desire) on the part of the learner to have any chance of being truly effective. The study concludes that content and methodology borrowed from other countries may not be suited for the South African context. This conclusion exclaims the need for purposive South African entrepreneurship education and training programmes assessed with purposive South African entrepreneurship measuring scales. These conclusions are subsequently used to formulate practical and attainable recommendations for the promotion of effective youth entrepreneurship education and training in the country, including the need to get rid of high expectations, to never give up, stricter selection of learners for enrolment in entrepreneurship education and training programmes (other than those included in basic education), the need for continuous research, embracing the ‘power of one’, and finally, adopting an entrepreneurial solution for what is evidently an entrepreneurial problem. The outcome of this study brings forward the message that the challenge in South Africa is to create entrepreneurs, not young people with the capacity to perform entrepreneurial tricks. True entrepreneurs are not ordinary people, regardless of whether they are born or ‘made’. Although entrepreneurship can be learnt by any person, it takes a very special kind of ‘want’ (desire), determination and practise to become a successful entrepreneur, and even more ‘want’, determination and practise to become an expert entrepreneur.<br>Thesis (PhD (Business Administration))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

This study investigated the enablers and challenges in the implementation of e-Learning policies in public technical education, vocational and entrepreneurship training (TEVET) institutions under the Ministry responsible for Vocational Education and Training in Zambia. The aim of this study was to explore how implementation of e-Learning policies in a developing context could be enhanced so as to lead to improved access to TEVET. The study was guided by the following research questions: what knowledge do managers and lecturers have of e-Learning; what are the key enablers and challenges in implementing e-Learning policy; what criteria do individuals/institutions use to make the decision to adopt or reject e-Learning innovations and how are decisions made in the implementation of e-Learning in the TEVET sector. The study used the Diffusion of Innovation (DOI) theory to answer the main research question in the study. The theory was used to gain insights into TVET implementers and policy makers motivations and actions. The study was qualitative with seven (7) individuals interviewed. In the study, interviews of TEVET managers and lecturers were conducted to provide the data required to answer the research questions.

According to World Bank Report published in 2012, the rural population in Sweden is 15.3 %. Rural population is calculated as difference between total populations minus urban population. 15.3 % clearly shows how important rural areas are for Sweden’s future development. Entrepreneurship plays the integral role in rural area development. However, earlier research has shown only economic perspective of rural development. On the other hand, the new ways to discover the challenges and opportunities for entrepreneurs in small firms were needed.

Thesis (MTech (Business Administration (Entrepreneurship))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2017.<br>Given good conditions, women can run businesses, support their families and the community, and contribute to economic growth. The lack of women’s involvement in entrepreneurship is a huge loss to the nation and society. Women make up 51.83% of the population in Rwanda, but are underrepresented in business – largely due to social customs, religion, and cultural beliefs. Society perceives women as too weak to conduct business, and prefers them to be confined to housekeeping activities and dependency on men. Interestingly, literature indicates that involving women in entrepreneurial activities help. Despite this, women in Rwanda have broken the barrier and started up business. However, they face many challenges; their businesses remain small scale compared to their counterparts. The aim of this study is to determine the challenges experienced by women entrepreneurs in Kigali. This research is significant because it attempts to identify the challenges to entrepreneurship in Kigali, by allowing the voices of women entrepreneurs to be heard. The study uses a quantitative descriptive approach. The target population was women in formal and informal business in the districts of Gasabo, Kicukiro, and Nyarugenge in the city of Kigali. A self-administered structured questionnaire was used to obtain data from 398 women entrepreneurs after obtaining their informed written consent. The data was analysed using recent Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 24. Findings were interpreted and discussed in a numerical narrative featuring frequency, percent, valid percent, cumulative percent, mean, and standard deviation. The results show that women entrepreneurs in Kigali experience more challenges, among others including: High shop rentals, lack of start-up capital, lack of collateral to obtain a loan, high taxes, high interest rate and high transport, and a lack of information technology skills. This study has uncovered that women entrepreneurs face a lot of challenges while running their business in Kigali. Fortunately, the solution is within reach. For instance, women entrepreneurs themselves, family, society, government, stakeholder, and researchers should work together to eradicate these challenges. Women entrepreneurs should work together in cooperatives to minimise shop rentals, possible access to capital and so forth. In addition, they can leverage their experience and know-how.

Entrepreneurship today is an attractive option for future graduates due to various perks and benefits. However, there are also challenges and disadvantages that come with being an entrepreneur. This study is aimed at investigating the motivating factors and challenges that student entrepreneurs are facing when starting their own business in Sweden. For this study, a qualitative approach is chosen, and semi-structured interviews are used on six student entrepreneurs that live in Sweden. The results are analyzed by using thematic analysis and the study concluded that student entrepreneurs are motivated by the desire of independence, flexible schedules, following family traditions or parental self-employment, the desire to turn their hobby into a money-making enterprise, creativity, the fear of unemployment, social status, motivating others, personal skills and entrepreneurial capabilities. Moreover, the study also discovered three new motivational factors such as support from their previous employer, influence from friends and other people on the internet and the desire to experience new and exciting things. When it comes to challenges, student entrepreneurs are facing difficulties such as lack of resources, being a student while running a business, lack of networks, lack of knowledge, lack of entrepreneurial and administrative skills, lack of support from family/ business partner, lack of legal/formal help, negative personality traits and dealing with tax systems. Furthermore, two new challenges are also identified in the study that are the lack of credibility and the cultural differences and language barriers.

Environmental entrepreneurs are considered to be important drivers for an environmentally sustainable development. As other entrepreneurs, they face survival challenges while operating their businesses. Due to the increased importance of environmental entrepreneurs in counteracting environmental issues we argue that it is necessary to gain an understanding of their specific challenges of survival. In this thesis, we build theory based on environmental venture cases located in Sweden. We provide an extensive overview of the current literature and contribute by identifying an institutional dimension being of high relevance in this field. Our findings are of particular interest for policy makers, public institutions, environmental entrepreneurs and their advisors. Additionally, we provide further necessary access to this relatively new research field and suggest future research directions.

The UK has a long history of spatial disparity in economic prosperity across its regions which, despite periodic shifts in its geographies of economic development governance, have persisted. As such, a key question that continues to preoccupy economic geographers is why some local and regional economies are more capable of renewal and transformation than others which remain locked in decline or underperformance. Research has hitherto highlighted the importance of ‘place’ and institutional context in shaping the outcomes of economic development. At the same time, the role of entrepreneurship as an engine of economic development is widely acknowledged, yet there is significant heterogeneity in the nature and level of entrepreneurial activity across places, with previous research highlighting the key role of institutions in shaping its outcomes. The thesis addresses these debates through a focus on entrepreneurship in peripheral post-industrial places (PPIPs), with the aim of examining the institutional challenges to fostering more entrepreneurial and resilient PPIPs.

Entrepreneurship in the fashion industry is a substantial issue since the fashionbusiness landscape consists of many small actors that compete on the fashion market.On their way to a distinct position in the textile and fashion world, many fashion designentrepreneurs, who start up an own label, are confronted with personal challenges anda multitude of external obstacles. These companies need a structured venture launchand strong business foundations to survive the always troublesome first years of a newentrepreneurial venture. To run a sustained venture within the apparel industry may bemore complex and demanding than one would believe. In the fashion sector severalconcepts exist in order to support entrepreneurial companies’ growth. Three selectedsupportive concepts received by fashion entrepreneurs at early stage have beenexamined and analysed. The supportive models are business incubators for creativeentrepreneurs, the partnership of a designer and business partner and the concept ofan external professional management.<br>Program: Magisterutbildning i fashion management med inriktning modemarknadsföring

South Africa, unlike other developing countries, is classified as one of the best performing economies in Africa. Unfortunately the economic growth of the country continue to be limited by the general constraints of the small business sector, due to challenges of skills such as managerial skills, lack of global competition and the weak entrepreneurial performance. The primary objective of the study is to investigate the influence of selected challenges on the perceived success of entrepreneurship and small businesses within selected rural areas. The primary objective is aided by other secondary objectives including understanding the concept of entrepreneurship and the identification and assessment of entrepreneurial challenges, amongst others. The study was conducted using the quantitative process with main focus to identify the challenges that limit entrepreneurship in the study areas of John Taolo Gaetsewe and Frances Baard District Municipalities of the Northern Cape Province. Drawing from the findings of the study, an integrated framework was designed to improve rural entrepreneurship and small businesses. The study identified the dependent and independent variables of typical, business and operational, personal and specific challenges. From the empirical study, it emerged that these challenges bear significant relationship to entrepreneurial success. An exploratory factor analysis research was conducted using a convenience sample of 282 owner-managers of small businesses to gather relevant data. Besides, a 7- point Likert scale was distributed to owner-managers (entrepreneurs) of small businesses for data. It was revealed that most of the respondents’, who operated most businesses as a sole proprietorship, were male. The majority of the owner- managers (entrepreneurs) ranged between 40 to 49 years old. Most of the small businesses (63.82%) are established in the John Taolo Gaetsewe District Municipality. It further emerged that only 10.28% of respondents were aged between 20 to 29 years. There is the need to embark on serious entrepreneurial education for the youth in South Africa. Generally, most of the owner-managers (entrepreneurs) received some formal level of education; data indicated that 23.05% received matric education whilst 22.70% received education that was below the matric level; 18.09% qualified as diplomats and 7.09% received education as university graduates. The empirical study further indicated that most of the small businesses offered full-time employment opportunities to between four to six employees. According to the report, most of the small businesses are able to survive only for a maximum period of 6 years; the annual turnover of these businesses ranged from R30 000 to R50 000. Throughout the study, all the requirements and the criteria set for a credible study were met. Thus it was possible to realise that the primary and secondary objectives that were set initially for this study were satisfied. As a result, this study provides the owner-managers (entrepreneurs) with different forms of challenges that impact on entrepreneurial activities within rural communities. Drawing from the empirical study, it was also possible to highlight specific recommendations that can be utilised to enhance entrepreneurial success.<br>Thesis (PhD (Business Administration))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.