Successful entrepreneurial activity is important for a healthy economy and can be a major source of job creation. While the concept of entrepreneurship has been around for quite some time, researchers continue to explore the factors that underlie entrepreneurial performance. Specifically, researchers have sought to further examine why some entrepreneurial ventures are more successful than others. the concept of emotional intelligence (EI) has gained the attention of researchers and practitioners alike. Practitioners have realized that employees can no longer be perceived as biological machines that are capable of leaving their feelings, norms, and attitudes at home when they go to work. Researchers are embracing the concept of emotional intelligence because of its relationship with efficiency, productivity, sales, revenues, quality of service, customer loyalty, employee recruitment and retention, employee commitment, employee health and satisfaction, and morale. While there is considerable evidence documenting the effects of emotional intelligence on leadership performance, job performance in large firms, and educational performance, very little research has examined how emotional intelligence affects entrepreneurial performance and the variables that account for this relationship. Individuals in entrepreneurial occupations face business situations that necessitate unique skills and abilities in social interactions. Emotional intelligence has implications for entrepreneurial situations and social interactions such as negotiation, obtaining and organizing resources, identifying and exploiting opportunities, managing stress, obtaining and maintaining customers, and providing leadership. the primary purpose of this study is to investigate emotional intelligence in the context of entrepreneurship. in addition, the study will shed light on the mediating effects of individual competencies, organizational tasks, and the environmental culture and climate. the results of the study provide insights for emotional intelligence researchers, entrepreneurship researchers, individuals with entrepreneurial aspirations, academic institutions, as well as government and financial entities that provide resources to new ventures.

Superintending an enterprise in an adverse environment can be a daunting task. If that environment is fraught with economic vagaries such as once found in the hyperinflationary Zimbabwe it can be catastrophic. Yet, some businesses survived when others collapsed. Suffice to infer that most insurance companies in Zimbabwe, buoyed by the need to confront the vagaries of the hyperinflation such as stunted growth, at the very least and enterprise collapse at the very worst had to resort to entrepreneurial intensity for survival. The research therefore sought to explore the extent of entrepreneurial intensity in such an adverse environment. Background to the research contextualised this study to the Zimbabwean scenario. The research problem was also dissected. Research objectives and questions were subsequently advanced to guide the direction of this study. Hypotheses were also proffered. From the outset, the study sought to project entrepreneurial intensity as collaborated and corroborated by other key concepts such as corporate entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial orientation. The research also explored various definitions of entrepreneurial intensity. It was noted that entrepreneurial intensity is synonymous with intensified entrepreneurial performance. Critical drivers for entrepreneurial intensity were analysed and essential determinants and antecedents of entrepreneurship were accorded space and importance. Various conceptual frameworks were also articulated to buttress the emerging arguments in the complex field of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial intensity. The models advanced then served as a beacon in navigating the complex phenomenon of entrepreneurial intensity throughout this discourse. The study also argued that entrepreneurship can be measured to gauge its intensification levels at any given point in time. Consequently, a few models were advanced to explain entrepreneurial outcomes. Therefore, data gathered on 307 respondents were subjected to various tests in an effort to discover if entrepreneurial intensity was responsible for keeping most insurance companies afloat during the hyperinflation. Ultimately, the results confirmed the presence of entrepreneurship – its nature and form in the insurance industry in hyperinflationary Zimbabwe, particularly in the years 2007-2010. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2017. / Business Management / PhD / Unrestricted

This dissertation explores how dark and light personality traits influence venture performance via mediating effects of social structure. Because entrepreneurship is an inherently social process, theoretical perspectives of social network theory and social comparison theory are used to examine how entrepreneurs’ dark and light personality traits interact with personality traits of socially proximal others to influence venture performance via network structure. These perspectives are drawn together using socioanalytic theory. This dissertation argues that agreeableness and narcissism interact with the personality traits of network others at the group-level to influence structural hole positioning within entrepreneurial networks; in turn, structural holes are hypothesized to exert a positive effect on venture revenue. This study offers contributions to the fields of entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial personality, social networks, and social comparison processes. Hypotheses are tested using a dataset of 234 entrepreneurs nested within 24 groups; analyses are conducted via linear mixed effects models and Monte-Carlo approximation of mediation confidence intervals (Model 1) and OLS regression and non-parametric bootstrapping approximation of mediation confidence intervals (Model 2).

創業活動為現今一國經濟發展的指標之一，也提供了許多就業機會，許多國家開始重視國內的創業績效，因此發展出許多相關政策。而創業教育也逐漸受到重視，創業家精神、創業機會的認知等相關意識須從小培養，而在各個成長階段又該具備什麼樣的創業相關知識與技能，能透過哪些創業教育類別帶給學童，是值得探討的課題。 不同的國家有著不同的社會環境、人文品種，在不同的國家文化下，創業教育也有所改變，本研究將深入探討台灣、美國、以色列、芬蘭、西班牙、中國、新加坡、韓國、日本九個具代表性的國家在創業教育上之特別作為，並藉由全球創業觀察數據資料來檢視九大國家的創業教育績效是否呼應其創業教育的實施，以表現較良好的國家作為台灣在創業教育上的借鏡，效法其優點，使台灣日趨進步。

This study was undertaken to investigate the motivation, intention, self-efficacy, culture, business support,entrepreneurial orientation and business performance of South African and immigrant entrepreneurs in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Gauteng province. The performance of the SMEs was investigated, and the reasons and gaps that have led to the assumed low competitive ranking and poor performance of South African entrepreneurs compared to immigrant entrepreneurs were analysed. A structured research instrument (questionnaire) was used to collect data through interviews and a self-administered survey. A total of 466 questionnaires out of 500 questionnaires that had been distributed to respondents by six fieldworkers were returned (93.2%) for analysis.A number of hypotheses were postulated to address the study aims and the collected data were analysed to answer the hypotheses. The results of the study showed a significant correlation between motivation and business performance (a motivated entrepreneur is more likely to succeed in business than an unmotivated entrepreneur) and a significant positive correlation between culture and motivation to start a business (a culture that is supportive of entrepreneurial activities, lowuncertainty avoidance, high individualism and lowpower distance relates positively to a high level of entrepreneurial self-efficacy).The results also showed a significant difference between the mean values of business performance and the education of the owner. It is suggested that the government creates a favourable climate to allow entrepreneurs to release their potential. The government can help by making complex legislation easier for start-ups and reducing the tax burden on new entrepreneurs. / Business Management / D. Comm. (Business Management)

This study was undertaken to investigate the motivation, intention, self-efficacy, culture, business support,entrepreneurial orientation and business performance of South African and immigrant entrepreneurs in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Gauteng province. The performance of the SMEs was investigated, and the reasons and gaps that have led to the assumed low competitive ranking and poor performance of South African entrepreneurs compared to immigrant entrepreneurs were analysed. A structured research instrument (questionnaire) was used to collect data through interviews and a self-administered survey. A total of 466 questionnaires out of 500 questionnaires that had been distributed to respondents by six fieldworkers were returned (93.2%) for analysis.A number of hypotheses were postulated to address the study aims and the collected data were analysed to answer the hypotheses. The results of the study showed a significant correlation between motivation and business performance (a motivated entrepreneur is more likely to succeed in business than an unmotivated entrepreneur) and a significant positive correlation between culture and motivation to start a business (a culture that is supportive of entrepreneurial activities, lowuncertainty avoidance, high individualism and lowpower distance relates positively to a high level of entrepreneurial self-efficacy).The results also showed a significant difference between the mean values of business performance and the education of the owner. It is suggested that the government creates a favourable climate to allow entrepreneurs to release their potential. The government can help by making complex legislation easier for start-ups and reducing the tax burden on new entrepreneurs. / Business Management / D. Comm. (Business Management)