MBA & MM Theses

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    The dominant themes in storytelling by entrepreneurs in small business enterprises in South Africa
    (2012-01-20) ISA, REHEMA K.
    The purpose of the research was to gain meaningful insights on the dominant themes of stories as told by entrepreneurs in the course of running their businesses. This research focussed on entrepreneurs of small and medium enterprises and varied in reach to entrepreneurs from services, manufacturing, construction and retail industries. It is less apparent what entrepreneurs of small business enterprises recount as the most significant story that they tell, the reasons why they tell it and the impact of the stories they tell. A significant proportion of the stories told were in the format accounts, telling of specific points in time of the business. The dominant theme for each entrepreneur was typically linked in many instances to what the literature available on the subject of storytelling in organisations documents. The narratives were analysed in three aspects, themes, forms and purpose the result of which were namely: • Purpose: the stories told by entrepreneurs were predominantly stories to create meaning, inform and to enhance knowledge around entrepreneurship • Themes: the stories told by entrepreneurs of their businesses were linked to the leader (themselves) and the role they have played in their businesses. • Forms: the forms of storytelling by the entrepreneurs being interviewed were predominantly accounts with the exception of two anecdotes. Although each entrepreneur found a story to tell, it was noted that most responded that they never considered what they were recounting as stories, but rather as statements of fact of what happened in their businesses. The main application of storytelling was never as a deliberate action or process but rather circumstantial opportunity to narrate. Stories remain in the domain of social interaction with the majority of stories circulated within the entrepreneur circles, friends and family. - III - While each entrepreneur had a unique tale, with common lessons and messages, in only three instances were the stories told used internally within the organisation. The main audience that the entrepreneurs told their stories to was other entrepreneurs. The richness in terms of the content, form and purpose of the stories told, their current application as evidenced by entrepreneurs of small and medium enterprises, indicates that storytelling in South Africa remains an untapped business tool.
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    FACTORS INFLUENCING INDIVIDUALS’
    (2011-06-02) Nkambule, Nonhlanhla
    The aim of this paper was to investigate factors that influence individuals’ propensity to start their own businesses. These factors were divisible into three categories: non-psychological, psychological and environmental factors. A survey was conducted on 36 existing entrepreneurs and potential entrepreneurs on a purposive and convenience basis. The data gathered was nominal and ordinal, the latter being rescaled into interval data using Stacey’s (2005) Normal Distribution Fitting Algorithm. The results of the survey indicated that in the South African context, entrepreneurs’ propensity to start businesses is largely influenced by psychological factors, and that the strongest factors were the desire to create wealth for themselves, their desire for independence, their inclination to take risks and tackle challenges. A majority of the entrepreneurs also agreed that education in entrepreneurship could increase the quality of businesses that are started. Although previously published literature on non-psychological factors such as lack of business skills, low education levels, inefficiency of government structures, social networks and exposure to family business suggest a negative impact on entrepreneurial propensity, the results of this study indicate that South African entrepreneurs disagree that these factors would have a negative influence on their inclination to start a business. The findings of this survey will benefit different stakeholders that have the interest in engaging and in promoting entrepreneurship in South Africa. These include business schools, government, financiers and potential and existing entrepreneurs