Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management (ETDs)

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    Entrepreneurial Intentions of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Students at the University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023) Mazibuko, Ntathu; Murimbika, McEdward
    Entrepreneurship is one of the solutions put forward to curb the rising unemployment statistics in South Africa. It is argued that Entrepreneurial Intentions are a good indicator of Entrepreneurial Activity. The study examines the relationship and influence of Entrepreneurial Self-Efficacy together with Innovation and Entrepreneurial Education on Entrepreneurial Intentions. The subject of this study involved students from the University of Witwatersrand, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment who are studying Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) courses. The study collected data from a random sample of 60 students using an adapted questionnaire. The descriptive as well as inferential statistics were used to analyse the data. The results show Entrepreneurial Education does not have significant impact on the students’ Entrepreneurial Intentions, whilst Entrepreneurial Self-Efficacy and Innovation showed a positive relationship. Results also showed that high Entrepreneurial Intentions do not translate to Entrepreneurial Activity.
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    Challenges faced by small and medium poultry farmers in the Lowveld district of Mpumalanga, South Africa
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Mashego, Nontethelelo Nokulunga
    Poultry is an essential source of protein for many South African households, and poultry farming plays a crucial role in ensuring a consistent supply of poultry products and contributing to food security. However, small- and medium-sized poultry farming enterprises face challenges in sustaining and developing their businesses despite high market demand and low entry barriers. To understand the factors that impede the development and sustainability of these enterprises in the Lowveld district of Mpumalanga, this study explored the contributing factors through an interpretative qualitative research approach. The study targeted small and medium-sized poultry farming enterprises in local communities in the Lowveld region of Mpumalanga. A sample size of 11 participants was selected through convenience sampling. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, guided by interview guide covering elements of the Domains of Entrepreneurship as the theoretical framework. This study aimed to identify developmental challenges faced by small- and medium-sized poultry farming enterprises in this region. The main themes that emerged from the research study include 1) Market Dynamics, 2) Networks and Collaboration and 3) Skills and Training, 4) Government Policies and Support, and 5) Location and Accessibility. From the identified themes, it was established that the factors that hinder the growth and sustainability of small and medium poultry enterprises in the Lowveld region of Mpumalanga is lack of collaboration amongst local poultry farmers, the lack of effective networks between small and medium enterprises and large commercial farmers, lack of business management skills, government policy restrictions and limitations, lack of capital to fund small and medium poultry enterprises, unavailability and inaccessibility of government support programmes, and hindrance placed by business location towards accessing supply chain and distribution channels for small and medium poultry farmers based in rural and desolate communities
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    The role of enabling environment in the promotion of entrepreneurship intent of youth in Technical Vocational Education and Training colleges
    (2020) Kunene, Hlengiwe N.
    The South African government is aiming at using entrepreneurship to address the challenges of chronic youth unemployment and underemployment facing the country. Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges are targeted at remedying this youth unemployment pandemic by imparting skills development training and entrepreneurial education to students as a means of promoting entrepreneurship. Literature reports that skills development and entrepreneurial education can play an important role in driving students’ desires towards entrepreneurship; however, a favourable environment created through policy is required. The study, therefore, investigated the extent to which the South African environment, focusing on the National Youth Policy and entrepreneurship policies, enables the promotion of entrepreneurial intent among youth at TVET colleges. An enabling environment created for students through the TVET colleges, the ease of embarking upon entrepreneurship in the country, and support structures set up by government to support youth entrepreneurial initiatives were assessed. The skills development and entrepreneurial education imparted by TVET colleges to influence the students’ entrepreneurial intent were included in the study. Multiple regression was employed for data analysis. Primary data were collected from final-year students, and those students who had completed two or more skills development and entrepreneurship-related modules, in TVET colleges in Gauteng, South Africa. A self-administered seven-point Likert scale questionnaire was distributed, and a sample size of 216 was collected of which 206 were valid for analysis. Findings exhibited that an enabling environment, skills development, and entrepreneurial education positively influenced the entrepreneurial intent of students in TVET colleges, though this effect was minimal. The study therefore recommended that entrepreneurial education and skills development policies should seek to provide an encouraging entrepreneurial environment in order for entrepreneurship to be an attractive option for students and must ensure alignment of the TVET system to the South African developmental state.