Wits Business School (Journal Articles)

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    Business development services training and entrepreneurial self-efficacy – a focus on necessity- and opportunity-driven entrepreneurs
    (AOSIS Publishing, 2024) Msimango-Galawe, Jabulile; Eister, Tshegofatso
    Background: Entrepreneurs have been galvanised by the worsened economic circumstances in South Africa, and small businesses struggle to become established. By providing skills training, business development services (BDS) improve the performance of firms, through the development of entrepreneurial self-efficacy. Aim: The objective of this study was to determine the impact of BDS training on the entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE) of necessity- and opportunity-driven entrepreneurs and whether that impact would be more positive in opportunity-driven rather than necessity-driven entrepreneurs. Setting: The study focused on 519 entrepreneurs in South Africa, of which 97 were necessitydriven and 422 were opportunity-driven. Methods: Statistical analyses were conducted using correlation analysis and multiple linear regression to test the impact of training on the ESE of necessity- and opportunity-driven entrepreneurs while controlling for the impact of confounding variables: gender, education, management experience, industry experience and partnerships. Results: The empirical evidence from this study showed that general entrepreneurial training is more effective in increasing the entrepreneurial self-efficacy of opportunity-driven entrepreneurs, whereas task-specific training was better suited for increasing the entrepreneurial self-efficacy of necessity-driven entrepreneurs. Conclusion: The implications and recommendations of this study are that policymakers should design general entrepreneurial training programmes targeted at opportunity-driven entrepreneurs and task-specific training programmes targeted at necessity-driven entrepreneurs. Contribution: This study enhances the understanding of the training needs of necessity-driven entrepreneurs and how they differ from opportunity-driven entrepreneurs concerning ESE and the growth of their businesses.
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    Agility in South African Public Service Leadership
    (Batalea Publishers) John Ringson; Manamela Matshabaphala
    The landscape of human and social services delivery has undergone significant transformation in recent years, driven by governments worldwide striving for improved outcomes amidst growing caseloads and constrained resources. This evolution is characterised by a shift towards integrated service delivery, leveraging innovative case practices and advanced information technology. Governments are adopting diverse strategies to enhance effectiveness and efficiency, including modernising information systems, redefining program boundaries and sector responsibilities, restructuring workforces, and introducing new casework tools and practices. Additionally, there is a push for enhanced commissioning, transparency, and accountability structures, reflecting a holistic approach to service delivery optimisation. Despite these global creative demands compounded with technology and the ever-changing global environment, the third-world public sector leadership is making a lackadaisical turn towards embracing the new leadership imperative of agility in delivering public value in public sector organisations. This qualitative desktop research seeks to unravel the challenges and prospects of leadership and the imperative of agility in the delivery of public value in the public service in South Africa. This article argues that whilst the public sector in South Africa has vehemently advocated and mobilised for strategic innovation in service delivery, the leadership is not proactive in the ever-changing environment. Consequently, this article recommends that the public sector leadership be responsive, flexible, and agile to the ever-changing environment due to global technological forces for effective service delivery in South Africa.