The focus of this research essay was to provide a rich description and an analysis of the role that a community education intervention played in initiating and supporting sustainable entrepreneurship among a group of women in the Daveyton community, Johannesburg, South Africa. The transformation of the education system in South Africa is crucial, given the legacy of apartheid, which has left a vast number of black people without decent education. It has thus become essential for the government to put into place policies aimed at maximising participation in Adult and Community Education programmes, particularly for those groups who were deprived of basic education, the majority of whom were black women. Most of these women are still unable to interact with the mainstream economy, whether as business-owners or employees. Without access to the outside market, they are confined to meagre wages in the townships, either as domestic workers or child-minders. A community education programme should provide such individuals with education associated with the joy of self-improvement and the development of the individual, factors that can make it possible for the establishment of sustainable livelihoods. This inquiry is premised on the view that community education is crucial in enabling disadvantaged groups to fully participate in programmes that enable them to take control of their lives and exploit the opportunities presented to them. This research study is grounded within an interpretive paradigm, using qualitative research methods, to seek, discover and understand the role played by a community education intervention for promoting and sustaining entrepreneurial behaviour in a women’s group. Data was collected via in-depth, semi-structured interviews and observation with six black women and two black males, from Daveyton township in the East Rand. I used the constant comparative method for data analysis, and in searching for recurring themes and patterns. The findings of this research have revealed that the group of black South African women from Daveyton township were able to sustain entrepreneurship through a community education intervention by Eskom Development Foundation. Firstly, the programme aided them to recognise and combine available resources among themselves. Secondly, the programme opened up avenues for the establishment and development of the enterprise ‘Leratong Bakery’. In addition, the women were also able to use skills that they acquired from the programme in order to conform to standard norms of business. Furthermore, they went through a process of critical awareness, which resulted in a ‘change of mindset’. This change in turn enhanced their creativity and resulted in the growth and sustenance of the business for the duration of this study. The study concludes with a few recommendations that can possibly be used by all stakeholders involved in formulating community education programme policy. / Mrs. N. F. Petersen

published_or_final_version / Sociology / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

With the growing importance being placed on the small business environment as having a positive influence on economic growth and vitality (Erwee, 1987: Burns & Dewhurst, 1989), there has been a corresponding increase in attention being paid to entrepreneurship and the characteristics of the entrepreneur. This increased attention is due to the fact that entrepreneurs have long been linked to small business creation and recognised as an important factor in the small business development process (Boyd & Gumpert, 1983). Despite the quantity of research on entrepreneurship, there appears to be an ongoing controversy oyer what characterises an entrepreneurial business. and the specific characteristics of the small business entrepreneur. It has been argued that although there is an overlap between entrepreneurial and non-entrepreneurial businesses. they are in fact different entities (Carland, Hoy, Boulton & Carland, 1984: Drucker, 1985), and that not every individual who starts a business is an entrepreneur (Drucker. 1985). Small business entrepreneurship has been found to be specifically related to the psychological characteristics of the owner-manager who controls the business (Miller. 1983). The purpose of this research was to identify and describe psychological characteristics displayed by a group of South African small business entrepreneurs, thereby compiling a psychological profile of the small business entrepreneur. Given the nature of entrepreneurial activities and processes, Hofer and Bygrave (1992) recommend that accurate, precise qualitative data that is rich in its descriptive characterisation of the situation and the phenomenon involved be collected. As a result the researcher used qualitative rather than quantitative methods of investigation. Innovative behaviour has long been linked to entrepreneurship (Schumpeter. 1934) and entrepreneurial businesses were distinguished from other small businesses by their use of innovative strategic practices. Two sample groups consisting of entrepreneurial and non-entrepreneurial businesses, were created and the data collected were analysed independently. The results, based on personal interviews with 32 small business owner-managers and the administration and interpretation of tihe Structured Objective Rorschach Test (SORT), indicate that small business entrepreneurship should not be used as a term synonymous with small business ownership and/or management. Despite similarities between small business entrepreneurs and other small business owner-managers. the results suggest that a distinction between the two groups is necessary for accurate future research on entrepreneurs. The entrepreneurs differed from other small business owner-managers in terms of their psychological characteristics including their motives, their perception and attitude towards the external environment, and various sociological factors. The entrepreneurial businesses were also different in that they were more innovative and growth oriented than the non-entrepreneurial businesses. The research contributes towards a clarification of the concept of small business entrepreneurship and indicates a need for more precise sampling techniques to be used in entrepreneurial research.

by Chiu Chu-hing, Catherine. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1995. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 242-256). / ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS / ABSTRACT --- p.i-iii / LIST OF TABLES / CHAPTER / Chapter ONE --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Statement of the Problem --- p.1 / Missing Points in Current Sociological Analysis of Small Business --- p.3 / Theoretical Significance --- p.11 / Data and Methodology --- p.13 / Organization of Chapters --- p.19 / Chapter TWO --- CONCEPTUALIZING ACCUMULATION AND ACCOMMODATION IN SMALL FAMILY BUSINESS --- p.22 / Traditional Conceptual Frameworks: Marxian and the 'Alternative' Paradigm --- p.22 / Conceptualizing Accumulation and Accommodation in Small Family Business --- p.34 / The Research Questions --- p.60 / Concluding Remarks --- p.65 / Chapter THREE --- THE OPPORTUNITY STRUCTURE AND THE MOTIVATIONS FOR SELF-EMPLOYMENT --- p.68 / The Economic Setting and the Opportunity Structure --- p.70 / Motivations and Circumstances --- p.76 / Concluding Remarks --- p.92 / Chapter FOUR --- THE START-UP OF FAMILY BUSINESS --- p.96 / Mobilization of Resources --- p.96 / The Searching Process --- p.104 / Meanings Underlying Family Strategizing --- p.116 / Connecting Family Work Strategy with the Economic Context --- p.131 / Concluding Remarks --- p.132 / Chapter FIVE --- ACCUMULATION AND ACCOMMODATION --- p.136 / Accumulation: The Work of Running a Business --- p.136 / Family Results: Accommodation --- p.159 / Costs of Survival --- p.175 / Concluding Remarks --- p.183 / Chapter SIX --- OUTCOMES AND EVALUATION --- p.186 / Assessment of Outcomes --- p.186 / Inequalities in Resource Distribution --- p.196 / Future Aspirations --- p.216 / Expectation of Children --- p.220 / Concluding Remarks --- p.225 / Chapter SEVEN --- CONCLUSION --- p.228 / Summary of Arguments --- p.228 / The Research Findings: A Summary --- p.230 / Sociological analysis of small business --- p.234 / Future directions --- p.239 / REFERENCES --- p.242 / APPENDICES / Chapter I --- PROFILE OF THE RESPONDENTS --- p.257 / Chapter II --- INTERVIEW GUIDE --- p.267

M. Tech. Business Administration / The objective of the research study was to analyse specific socio-cultural barriers affecting the success of female entrepreneurs in Rustenburg. The methodology involved a collection of primary data from a random sample of n=50 female entrepreneurs, through one-on-one interviews administered with structured questionnaires. The study also considered secondary data that was collected by means of reviewing publications and journals. The key findings from this study clearly provide an analysis of challenges that female entrepreneurs face, which include business management challenges, personal or psychological challenges that form a major component of socio-cultural barriers and, lastly, socio-cultural challenges in comparison to their male counterparts.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / Low economic growth, high unemployment and debilitating poverty pose a major threat to the social fabric of South Africa. Entrepreneurship and the establishment of small businesses play a key role in stimulating the South African economy, creating jobs, uplifting living standards and overcoming the injustices of poverty. Compared with other developing economies, South Africa (SA) has one of the lowest entrepreneurial activity rates. Women small- and medium- enterprise (SME) owners, and particularly those from previously disadvantaged socio-economic communities, play a vital role in addressing this situation. There are a number of initiatives aimed at building the capacity of women SME owners in SA. The ILIMA Trust is one such initiative which, through its coaching and mentoring programme, supports women SME owners who come from previously disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds, to start up and grow their enterprises. The work of the Trust is primarily focused on such women SME owners who receive financial loans from Masisizane, a sister company of the Trust. This research study aims to establish the stakeholder experiences of the ILIMA Trust‟s coaching and mentoring programme of Masisizane women SME owners and to identify ways in which it can be improved. The case study provides an in-depth description of the stakeholders‟ experiences of the ILIMA Trust‟s coaching and mentoring of the Masisizane SME owners. Several strengths of the coaching and mentoring programme are reported. Areas of improvement are pointed out and recommendations are made to strengthen the programme.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / Low economic growth, high unemployment and debilitating poverty pose a major threat to the social fabric of South Africa. Entrepreneurship and the establishment of small businesses play a key role in stimulating the South African economy, creating jobs, uplifting living standards and overcoming the injustices of poverty. Compared with other developing economies, South Africa (SA) has one of the lowest entrepreneurial activity rates. Women small- and medium- enterprise (SME) owners, and particularly those from previously disadvantaged socio-economic communities, play a vital role in addressing this situation. There are a number of initiatives aimed at building the capacity of women SME owners in SA. The ILIMA Trust is one such initiative which, through its coaching and mentoring programme, supports women SME owners who come from previously disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds, to start up and grow their enterprises. The work of the Trust is primarily focused on such women SME owners who receive financial loans from Masisizane, a sister company of the Trust. This research study aims to establish the stakeholder experiences of the ILIMA Trust's coaching and mentoring programme of Masisizane women SME owners and to identify ways in which it can be improved. The case study provides an in-depth description of the stakeholders‟ experiences of the ILIMA Trust's coaching and mentoring of the Masisizane SME owners. Several strengths of the coaching and mentoring programme are reported. Areas of improvement are pointed out and recommendations are made to strengthen the programme.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This report is an exploratory study assessing the life stages of South African women entrepreneurs. The purpose is to share significant learnings, experiences and challenges from an entrepreneurial perspective. The study followed a phenomenological approach; the findings have been formed based on the lived experiences of the women without imposing bias or existing knowledge frameworks. The study aims to share meaningful experiences from their situational contexts. The sample consisted of ten South African women entrepreneurs in various industries. The industries range from packaging, clothing, fast moving consumer goods (food), communications, accommodation, and asset management. Important findings of the study are that having relevant work experience, expertise in their fields, and established reputations within their respective industries assisted the participating women in establishing their businesses. However, the younger entrepreneurs with limited work experience were also able to establish successful enterprises owing to being highly skilled in their areas of expertise. They had chosen to study courses, after identifying their passions. They had specifically chosen courses directly related to the businesses they created in order to improve their expertise further. One participant was an exception to the women entrepreneurs participating. She had started her business with no related work experience and no expertise with regards to her product offering. In her case, passion for her product, upskilling herself, having a support structure, and having access to mentorship, assisted her in overcoming challenges.

published_or_final_version / Modern Languages and Cultures / Master / Master of Philosophy

Via the submission of six published papers, this thesis draws together the body of work by Broadbridge on retail management and women’s careers. It reveals the factors that continue to be problematic for women’s careers and why in 2010 they continue to be under-represented in the retail management hierarchy. A contextual background to the selected papers is provided in three chapters which summarise some wider issues for the non specialist reader: an introduction to career development models, the gendered processes in management and a contemporary overview of retail employment in the UK. Of the six papers presented, each adopts a different theoretical perspective and so cumulatively a comprehensive understanding of the reasons for women’s continued under-representation in retail management positions is gained. The overall findings from the papers indicated that the main reasons for women’s and men’s differential experience in the retail management hierarchy can be located in issues of male control. Retail management is male dominated, male identified and male centred. This can present itself in a variety of different ways, and through overt or covert means of behaviour and underlying organisational cultures. Key theoretical contributions to the thesis are located in three sets of theory: the sexual division of labour and the organisation of retail work; the gendered retail career, and work-life balance and multiple role demands. Empirical and methodological contributions come from the corpus of data and the use and refinement of a mixed methods approach to understanding the subject area.