Employing the theory of planned behaviour to determine pharmacists’ entrepreneurial intentions in South Africa
Date
2020
Authors
Sigauke, Kudakwashe
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Abstract
Pharmacy entrepreneurship has a role to play in addressing inequitable access to health and unemployment through the creation of new pharmacy ventures. Despite the regulatory changes of pharmacy ownership, which opened the market to laypeople rural areas and townships have remained with limited access to pharmaceutical services. A possible cause of this is the decline of creation of new independent community pharmacies which are traditionally known for their willingness to be established across demographics. In South Africa, little is known about employed pharmacists' intentions to transition from being employees to business owners who can potentially address the persistent inadequate pharmaceutical care service. Drawing on the Theory of Planned Behaviour, the study explores the influence of perceived environmental hostility on the entrepreneurial motivations and intentions of employed pharmacists in South Africa.
Primary data of the quantitative and cross-sectional study was collected using a self-administered questionnaire distributed electronically to pharmacists with online social media profiles. Four hundred forty-three pharmacists participated in this study, with the final sample consisting of 360 responses. Data analysis included correlational analysis, hierarchical multiple regression, and parallel mediation analysis.
The empirical findings of the study revealed that environmental hostility had an insignificant direct effect on entrepreneurial intentions. Instead, environmental hostility exerted a significant indirect effect on entrepreneurial intentions by negatively influencing the three motivational antecedents of entrepreneurial intentions in the model: Attitude towards behaviour, bootstrapping and perceived behavioural control.
The results support the findings of previous research that environmental influences such as hostility indirectly impact entrepreneurial intent by the mediating effects of the motivational antecedents. The study adds to the existing body of research that highlights the salient role individual and
environmental factors play in influencing the preconception phase of entrepreneurship, particularly in under-researched countries such as South Africa. Additionally, the study adds to the existing body of work on entrepreneurial intentions by incorporating a working adult population of health professionals, as most studies on entrepreneurial intentions have targeted students. The information gathered in this research helps inform policy on how to enhance the entrepreneurial participation of pharmacists under the broader context of increasing access to pharmaceutical services in South Africa.
Description
A research report submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Management specialising in Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, Wits Business School, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2020
Keywords
Entrepreneurial intention, Pharmacy entrepreneurship, Environmental hostility, Attitude towards behaviour, Bootstrapping, Perceived behavioural control