An examination of the processes leading to business successes and failures within production houses in South Africa

Abstract

Literature has shown that South Africa has low levels of entrepreneurship, and that the policies and practices that are geared to stimulate entrepreneurship are not having the desired effect (Roberts,2017 & Ndedi, 2009). This research report investigates what the founders of three well-known South African production houses did (do) to establish and sustain their production houses. Through reviewed literature and interviews with the three cultural entrepreneurs, the research report explores the cultural entrepreneurs’ journey in building their production houses. This is done to find out how the cultural entrepreneurs dealt with, or deal with, any entrepreneurial challenges facing the film and television industry. The journey highlights factors that impact entrepreneurship and entrepreneurs, while suggesting solutions for new cultural entrepreneurs. The research report shows that being a successful cultural entrepreneur is subject to many conditions, and that it is important for new cultural entrepreneurs to learn from existing successful cultural entrepreneurs, whatever their personal journey was