Thesis (M.Eng.(Industrial Engineering))--University of Pretoria, 1999. / Summary in English and Afrikaans. Include bibligraphical references.

This research was undertaken to identify the barriers facing youth entrepreneurs who work in or aspire to work in the tourism sector. The study was motivated by the need for innovative business support models to facilitate youth to take up opportunities in the tourism sector which is experiencing high growth according to research surveyed. The research was conducted in South Africa by means of telephonic interviews with five existing tourism entrepreneurs and surveys self‐administered by 122 students enrolled in tourism and hospitality courses in three institutions in Gauteng. The resulting findings indicated that the tourism and hospitality sector is attractive due to many opportunities available for jobs and business. The majority of the respondents indicated that they would be keen to open businesses in the sector. The lack of capital and funding, and lack of experience were mentioned as the top two barriers to tourism entrepreneurship. The results also highlight a difference in the perception of barriers between the existing and prospective entrepreneurs. Recommendations are provided to promote entry of more young entrepreneurs into the sector through youth‐specific entrepreneurship support initiatives, entrepreneurship education in tourism and hospitality education and training. Copyright / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

There is empirical data that illustrate that entrepreneurial activity and economic growth have a positive correlation. This study discusses the importance of corporate entrepreneurs in organisations, and the need to retain them in the organisation to continue leveraging on their skills.Previous research on staff retention focussed mainly on the environment, rewards, and role ambiguity. This study goes further by using previous corporate entrepreneurship models to test for staff retention.A quantitative approach was taken, using a questionnaire that tested corporate entrepreneurs. The Questionnaire had organisational factors (independent variables) on corporate entrepreneurship and the dependent variable. The population consisted of 150 corporate entrepreneurs from a South African company which has branches in South Africa, Korea, China and Japan.The results indicated that the autonomy and organisational boundaries has the highest impact with regards to corporate entrepreneurs staying with the organisation. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

Small businesses are vital to the health of the United States economy, as they account for approximately 50% of all jobs and 99% of all firms. Historically, there has been a problem with small businesses being able to sustain their operation beyond 10 years. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the business strategies some small business owners used to sustain their company beyond 10 years of operation. The sample consisted of 3 small business owners who have been in operation for 10 or more years in Birmingham, Alabama. The conceptual framework for this study was the general systems theory. The data were collected from semistructured interviews, profit and loss statements, and cash flow statements. Transcript review and member checking were completed to strengthen credibility and trustworthiness. Based on the methodological triangulation of the data sources collected, 3 emergent themes were identified after completing the 5 stages of data analysis: (a) great customer service, (b) building relationships, and (c) finding your passion. The findings from this study may contribute to social change by providing insights and strategies for small business owners in creating and operating a sustainable business. The data from this study may contribute to increased job creation, improved local communities through tax revenues, and decreased unemployment rates throughout the United States.

Submitted by (lucia.rodrigues@ufrpe.br) on 2016-12-05T12:40:52Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Epitacio Gueiros Sales Filho.pdf: 2379019 bytes, checksum: 8c8d284e47b93f631c9098cfc9aee617 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-12-05T12:40:52Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Epitacio Gueiros Sales Filho.pdf: 2379019 bytes, checksum: 8c8d284e47b93f631c9098cfc9aee617 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008-12-05 / The productive activity of handcraft products developed by the Craftswomen Association of the seashore community named A-Ver-o-Mar, at the municipal district of Sirinhaém, is studied in this research through the optics of entrepeneurship as a complementary alternative which is possible and doable to develop the place. Besides the main themes, enterprise growth and local development other essential themes to comprehend the studied aim were approached, among them: motivation, innovation, opportunity, social development, economic and sustainable development, participation and empowerment. It‟s important to salient the social isolation which historically has been experienced by the women inside the community since they moved in, on conditions and conjunctures whose predominant model is the patriarchal one. To understand how entrepeneurship can be used as an alternative to local development in a destituted and marked community, caused by so many reverses, instigated us to develop this study. So the center of interest of this research is to understand how the phenomenon of the entrepeneurship, in activities of handicraft products fabrication made by the seashore communities, can contribute to the local sustainable development, being one more economical option, creating jobs and gains to their community. As well the motivation to begin the new business: the specific characteristics of whom will manage the business environment and the possibility to describe a profile to those entrepeneuur types.This research is charactetized as a study inserted on the line of research of Rural Extension to the Local Development os the Postgraduated Program, Mastership level – POSMEX of UFRPE. Twelve visits were made to the community on several occasions to follow the workshops of the quick participative diagnosis, following the association meetings, interviews and the observations of productive processes and trading. Thus despite of all difficulties faced by the artesans, is present at the entrepeneurship, a feasible alternactive to the local development which aims to minimize the social disparates, enabling the natives to settle down in their own land, generating new jobs redeeming the culture and social adjustment and avoiding the population to forsake their origins, requesting the rights to a better quality means of life. The main results were among others, distinction motivations, but most of them, the goals to reach a better kind of life and financial independence. They did not innovate on business affairs, but they had innovated on the products types. Could not identify the business profile on all craftswomem he lack ok knowledge in business area has contributed to unbalance endogenous and exogenous relations at the association, also as a low organized management of the new business. / A atividade produtiva de confecção de produtos artesanais desenvolvida pela Associação das Mulheres Artesãs da comunidade costeira de A-Ver-o-Mar no município de Sirinhaém, é estudada nesta pesquisa através da ótica do empreendedorismo como alternativa complementar possível e viável para o desenvolvimento local. Além dos temas principais – empreendedorismo e desenvolvimento local – outros temas essenciais para compreensão do objeto em estudo foram abordados, entre eles: motivação, inovação, oportunidade, desenvolvimento social, desenvolvimento econômico, desenvolvimento sustentável, participação, empoderamento, entre outros. Importante ressaltar o ambiente de isolamento social que historicamente é vivenciado pelas mulheres da comunidade desde que para lá se transferiram em condições e conjunturas cujo modelo social predominante é o modelo patriarcal. Entender como o empreendedorismo pode ser utilizado como alternativa para o desenvolvimento local numa comunidade carente e marcada por tantos revezes, nos instigou a desenvolver este estudo. Assim, o foco deste trabalho de pesquisa é compreender como o fenômeno do empreendedorismo em atividades de fabricação de produtos artesanais pelas comunidades costeiras, pode contribuir para o Desenvolvimento Local Sustentável, sendo mais uma opção econômica, gerando trabalho e renda para a comunidade. Também as motivações para iniciar este novo negócio; as características específicas de quem vai gerenciá-lo, o ambiente de negócio e a possibilidade de descrever um perfil para estes tipos empreendedores. A presente pesquisa é caracterizada como um estudo de caso inserido na linha de pesquisa Extensão Rural para o Desenvolvimento Local do Programa de Pós-Gradução, nível de Mestrado – POSMEX da UFRPE. Foram realizadas 12 visitas à comunidade em ocasiões diversas, para acompanhamento de oficinas de Diagnóstico Rápido Participativo, acompanhamento de reuniões da associação, entrevistas e observação de processos produtivos e de comercialização. Assim, apesar de todas as dificuldades enfrentadas pelas mulheres artesãs associadas, tem-se no empreendedorismo, uma alternativa viável para desenvolvimento local, que objetiva minimizar as disparidades sociais, possibilitando a fixação da população local no seu próprio espaço, com a geração de demanda de trabalho com o resgate da cultura e adequação social sem que esta população necessite abandonar suas origens, conquistando o direito à qualidade de vida. Os principais resultados encontrados foram, entre outros: motivações distintas, mas na maioria dos casos o desejo de “melhorar de vida” e o desejo de “alcançar a independência financeira”. Não inovaram quanto ao tipo de negócio, mas inovaram quanto aos tipos de produtos. Não foi possível identificar o perfil empreendedor em todas as mulheres artesãs. A falta de conhecimento nas áreas de comércio, empreendedorismo e auto-sustentabilidade tem contribuído para o desequilíbrio das relações endógenas e exógenas na associação, como também para uma gestão pouco organizada do novo negócio.