Most small new firms face problems in surviving the gestation process and achieving a viable performance thereafter because of the very fact of their smallness and newness. Due to a lack of internal resources, entrepreneurs of small new firms find it necessary to seek resources from outside the firm through their external social network. The theory of social capital that prescribes valuable resources are embedded in social relations is, thus, particularly relevant to the small business start-up situation. The embedded resources within an external network are hypothesized to have a positive impact on the business performance of these new firms. The main objective of the present study is to empirically investigate the impact of external networks, and in particular the initial social network of entrepreneurs, to the success of small firm start-up in Hong Kong. The second objective is to determine whether there is any interaction effect of the entrepreneur’s networking capability with the external network structure on the start-up success of small Hong Kong firms. / To carry out the research, this study offers a conceptual model linking initial network start-up success to initial network structure of start-up, and including an interaction effect from the entrepreneur’s networking capability. The study operationalizes social capital in four types of network constructs: network size, trustworthiness, network support and network diversity. A series of hypotheses relating to these four dimensions asserting external network determinants of the start-up success of small firms is posited. Other hypotheses which assert the interaction effect between an entrepreneur’s networking capability and the initial network structure on the success of small firm start-up, are also posited. A field survey, administered to 1,000 small Hong Kong firms of various industries, is used to gather the data. The questionnaire survey was developed in two languages – Chinese and English – to ensure a good level of understanding in the bilingual business environment of Hong Kong. Of the 1,000 questionnaires dispatched, a final sample of 89 small firms was used to empirically test the hypotheses using multiple regression analysis and multiple hierarchical regression analysis. Control variables such as entrepreneurs’ experiences and education prior to the firm start-up are included. / Empirical results indicate that the verification of social capital theory’s prescription for start-up success cannot be supported unequivocally. The results suggest that some initial network conditions such as initial size of strong tie network, network support and network diversity are positively associated with some measures of start-up success, but trustworthiness of network ties and the size of weak tie network do not figure among them. No evidence is found to support that entrepreneurs’ networking capability can positively enhance the effect of the initial network structure on start-up success. Overall, the study raises some questions on the positive linear relationship of certain operationalized constructs such as network size and trustworthiness of social capital with start-up success. Following the findings of this research, future studies may choose to further investigate social capital theory on small start-up success by refining the operationalization of social capital, and verify other interaction effects of entrepreneurs’ networking capabilities.

Summaries in Afrikaans and English / Hedendaagse onderwys staan voor 'n omvattende voorligtings- en opleidingsopgawe om die jeug toe te rus om die arbeidsmark as entrepreneurs te betree. Onderwysers word toenemend voor die eis gestel om as fasiliteerders op te tree om leerlinge te begelei om beter by die eise van veranderende omstandighede, nuwe tegnologie en inligting aan te pas. In hierdie konteks vorm entrepreneurskapsgerigte onderwys een van die mees eietydse temas wat die onderwys moet aanspreek. Hoewel die voorsiening van entrepreneurskapsgerigte onderwys reeds in die nuwe Norme en standaarde vir onderwyseropleiding as 'n kruiskurrikulere aangeleentheid beskryf word, is die behoefte aan 'n omvattende entrepreneurskapsontwikkelingstrategie nog nie voldoende aangespreek nie. In 'n antwoord op hierdie leemte word 'n voorgestelde implementeringstrategie vir entrepreneurskapsgerigte onderwys in hierdie studie ontwikkel. In die verloop van die ondersoek moes daar deeglik rekening gehou word met aspekte soos: • die rol en betekenis van entrepreneurskap in die Suid-Afrikaanse skolekonteks; • faktore wat entrepreneuriese sukses of mislukking onderle; • die ontwikkeling van 'n positiewe entrepreneuriese ingesteldheid en entrepreneuriese vaardighede en • plaaslike en oorsese inisiatiewe om entrepreneurskap m die skoolkonteks te bevorder. In die empiriese ondersoek is die uitgangspunt gehuldig dat onderwysers se menings van deurslaggewende belang is om 'n entrepreneurskapsontwikkelingstrategie te rig. Onderwysers se menings is in elk van die volgende ondersoekvelde nagevors: • Onderwysers se toegerustheid om entrepreneurskapsgerigte onderwys aan leerlinge te voorsien; • Onderwysers se eie implementering van entrepreneurskapsgerigte onderwys; • Die behoefte by leerlinge aan entrepreneurskapsgerigte onderwys; • Onderwysers se geslaagdheid om entrepreneurskapsgerigte onderwys te implementeer; • Die aangewesenheid van entrepreneurskapsgerigte onderwys as 'n onderwyseropgawe. Die navorsingsresultate is aangewend om binne die raamwerk van die Suid-Afrikaanse skolekonteks en onderwysbeleid 'n strategie voor te stel om entrepreneurskapsgerigte onderwys te implementeer. Die onderwys kan hierdeur 'n aansienlike bydrae lewer om die jeug voor te berei om as volwaardige en verantwoordelike landsburgers hulle plek in die samelewing vol te staan. / Education today stands before the comprehensive task to empower our youth through appropriate guidance and training to enter the job market as entrepreneurs. Teachers are increasingly put to the task to act as facilitators in their guidance of the youth to adapt more effectively to changing circumstances, new technology and information. Within this context, education directed to entrepreneurship forms one of the most timely issues that education should address. Although the provision of education directed to entrepreneurship has been described as a cross curricular concern within the new Norms and standards for teacher education it does not provide in the need for a comprehensive strategy to develop entrepreneurship in education. In an answer to this deficiency, this study is directed to develop a proposed implementation strategy to enhance entrepreneurship in education. In the course of this investigation it was needed to thouroughly account with concerns such as: • the role and significance of entrepreneurship within the South African school context; • factors which underlie entrepreneurial success or failure; • the development of a positive entrepreneurial attitude and entrepreneurial skills and • local and foreign initiatives to enhance entrepreneurship within the school context. In the empirical investigation the v1ew is held that teachers opm10ns is of crucial importance to give direction towards a strategy to enhance entrepreneurship. Teachers views are examened within each of the following fields of investigation: • Teachers empoweredness to provide education directed to entrepreneurship to students. • Teachers own implementation of education directed to entrepreneurship • Students need for education directed to entrepreneurship. • Teachers sufficiency to implement education directed to entrepreneurship. • The appropriateness of education directed to entrepreneurship as a teacher concern. The results of the research is applied to propose an implementation strategy to enhance education directed to entrepreneurship within the framework of the South African school context and policy of education. The conclusion was reached that educators can greatly contribute to prepare our youth so that they can take up their positions in the community as responsible and able citizens. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

Summaries in Afrikaans and English / Hedendaagse onderwys staan voor 'n omvattende voorligtings- en opleidingsopgawe om die jeug toe te rus om die arbeidsmark as entrepreneurs te betree. Onderwysers word toenemend voor die eis gestel om as fasiliteerders op te tree om leerlinge te begelei om beter by die eise van veranderende omstandighede, nuwe tegnologie en inligting aan te pas. In hierdie konteks vorm entrepreneurskapsgerigte onderwys een van die mees eietydse temas wat die onderwys moet aanspreek. Hoewel die voorsiening van entrepreneurskapsgerigte onderwys reeds in die nuwe Norme en standaarde vir onderwyseropleiding as 'n kruiskurrikulere aangeleentheid beskryf word, is die behoefte aan 'n omvattende entrepreneurskapsontwikkelingstrategie nog nie voldoende aangespreek nie. In 'n antwoord op hierdie leemte word 'n voorgestelde implementeringstrategie vir entrepreneurskapsgerigte onderwys in hierdie studie ontwikkel. In die verloop van die ondersoek moes daar deeglik rekening gehou word met aspekte soos: • die rol en betekenis van entrepreneurskap in die Suid-Afrikaanse skolekonteks; • faktore wat entrepreneuriese sukses of mislukking onderle; • die ontwikkeling van 'n positiewe entrepreneuriese ingesteldheid en entrepreneuriese vaardighede en • plaaslike en oorsese inisiatiewe om entrepreneurskap m die skoolkonteks te bevorder. In die empiriese ondersoek is die uitgangspunt gehuldig dat onderwysers se menings van deurslaggewende belang is om 'n entrepreneurskapsontwikkelingstrategie te rig. Onderwysers se menings is in elk van die volgende ondersoekvelde nagevors: • Onderwysers se toegerustheid om entrepreneurskapsgerigte onderwys aan leerlinge te voorsien; • Onderwysers se eie implementering van entrepreneurskapsgerigte onderwys; • Die behoefte by leerlinge aan entrepreneurskapsgerigte onderwys; • Onderwysers se geslaagdheid om entrepreneurskapsgerigte onderwys te implementeer; • Die aangewesenheid van entrepreneurskapsgerigte onderwys as 'n onderwyseropgawe. Die navorsingsresultate is aangewend om binne die raamwerk van die Suid-Afrikaanse skolekonteks en onderwysbeleid 'n strategie voor te stel om entrepreneurskapsgerigte onderwys te implementeer. Die onderwys kan hierdeur 'n aansienlike bydrae lewer om die jeug voor te berei om as volwaardige en verantwoordelike landsburgers hulle plek in die samelewing vol te staan. / Education today stands before the comprehensive task to empower our youth through appropriate guidance and training to enter the job market as entrepreneurs. Teachers are increasingly put to the task to act as facilitators in their guidance of the youth to adapt more effectively to changing circumstances, new technology and information. Within this context, education directed to entrepreneurship forms one of the most timely issues that education should address. Although the provision of education directed to entrepreneurship has been described as a cross curricular concern within the new Norms and standards for teacher education it does not provide in the need for a comprehensive strategy to develop entrepreneurship in education. In an answer to this deficiency, this study is directed to develop a proposed implementation strategy to enhance entrepreneurship in education. In the course of this investigation it was needed to thouroughly account with concerns such as: • the role and significance of entrepreneurship within the South African school context; • factors which underlie entrepreneurial success or failure; • the development of a positive entrepreneurial attitude and entrepreneurial skills and • local and foreign initiatives to enhance entrepreneurship within the school context. In the empirical investigation the v1ew is held that teachers opm10ns is of crucial importance to give direction towards a strategy to enhance entrepreneurship. Teachers views are examened within each of the following fields of investigation: • Teachers empoweredness to provide education directed to entrepreneurship to students. • Teachers own implementation of education directed to entrepreneurship • Students need for education directed to entrepreneurship. • Teachers sufficiency to implement education directed to entrepreneurship. • The appropriateness of education directed to entrepreneurship as a teacher concern. The results of the research is applied to propose an implementation strategy to enhance education directed to entrepreneurship within the framework of the South African school context and policy of education. The conclusion was reached that educators can greatly contribute to prepare our youth so that they can take up their positions in the community as responsible and able citizens. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Psychology of Education)