Enhancing levels of innovation and entrepreneurship to grow a more competitive economy is the focus of much government effort. Attention is paid to changing a culture seen as antagonistic to entrepreneurship through initiatives designed to promote an entrepreneurial spirit. Universities, aware of the importance of developing entrepreneurial potential, are focusing on equipping students with the skills and abilities to contribute to innovation within organisations they join upon graduation, while also providing opportunities for the development of student aspirations. Cambridge-MIT Institute (CMI) has developed a one week event designed to influence deep personal values and the underlying motivations of potential entrepreneurs. This paper reports on the Connections course content as it was offered at the University of Strathclyde in 2003, content premised on the belief that students are motivated to start new enterprises through enhancement of self-confidence in their entrepreneurial skills. Measures of entrepreneurial self-efficacy and other outcomes are offered, followed by a report of the results found at the end of the event and then six months later. The programme is found to have created enduring improvements in entrepreneurial self-efficacy, and a related strengthening of pre-entrepreneurial awareness and exploration of ideas for starting companies. Other assessment results are presented suggesting the need to include explicit course content on entrepreneurial career paths. The implications of the Connections findings for entrepreneurship teaching in general are discussed.

This study contributes to nascent entrepreneurship research by investigating factors on the individual and opportunity levels of analysis that determine the exploitation of innovative venture ideas. As a result of the literature review three theoretical perspectives were chosen to organize the factors: human and social capital, entrepreneurial self-efficacy, and domain definition strategy. The analysis of the chosen factors is based on hypotheses formulated on the basis of the literature review concerning the impact of the factors on the performance of nascent entrepreneurs during the discovery process. Empirical data were collected from the survey of 409 nascent entrepreneurs who addressed a public advisory agency in Stockholm area. Research findings show that among all factors, statistically significant predictors of exploitation of venture ideas are social capital in terms of the contact with counselors and number of ties with different actors, planning and marshaling self-efficacy, initial investment, tangibility and innovativeness of the future offerings. As for the direction of relationships, too many ties with different networks and higher planning self-efficacy influence exploitation in a negative way. Among variables related to domain definition strategy, entrepreneurs with innovative venture ideas based on services have higher probability of exploiting their ideas. Those who have made initial investment into the development of venture ideas and have a frequent contact with counselors are more likely to continue exploitation efforts. Of five dimensions of entrepreneurial self-efficacy, higher marshaling self-efficacy was shown to positively contribute to the exploitation process. It is especially difficult during the early stages of entrepreneurial process to predict which venture ideas will survive, thus, nascent entrepreneurship assistance should encourage experimentation. Although it is difficult to make generalizations from the study about nascent entrepreneurs in the Stockholm area, it can be advised to encourage the development of new services and enhance the entrepreneurial potential of nascent entrepreneurs by developing their entrepreneurial self-efficacy, especially marshaling self-efficacy.

The aim of this longitudinal study was to examine the potential of coaching to develop female entrepreneurs' self-efficacy through learning and development. This was achieved by firstly conducting a needs analysis, which explored the potential of an e-coaching programme for female entrepreneurs in the North West of England. Secondly, implementing an e-coaching programme called TEC (Tailored E-Coaching) for female entrepreneurs in the North West of England and exploring the impact of the programme, specifically examining female entrepreneurs' learning development with regard to entrepreneurial self efficacy, general entrepreneurial attitudes and locus of control, compared to a control group who did not receive the coaching intervention. The study consisted of two stages, with two time points in stage two (pre and post programme). A mixed method approach was used, whereby qualitative and quantitative data were collected. The main barriers faced by female entrepreneurs appear to be based on access to funding and finance, balancing domestic responsibilities and work, a lack of human capital, a lack of social capital and lack of confidence. Women often dismiss entrepreneurial endeavours because they believe that they do not have the required skills (Wilson, Kickul and Marlino, 2007). In addition, they do not appear to be accessing the support that is currently available, particularly when compared with male entrepreneurs (Stranger, 2004; Fielden et al, 2003). However, there is limited empirical research examining female entrepreneurs' requirement regarding business support provision. One form of professional one-to-one support that may have the potential to overcome these barriers to entrepreneurial activity is coaching. Longitudinal empirical research examining the effectiveness of coaching and the learning processes in coaching relationships is scarce, with an absence of research using control groups (Smither and London, 2003). Thirty women were involved in stage one of the study. In stage two of the study, sixty female entrepreneurs (coachees and coaches) commenced a coaching relationship for six months and twenty six female entrepreneurs signed up to a control group (those not receiving the coaching intervention). The aim of the coaching programme was primarily to use instant messaging for the majority of coaching meetings. The relationship lasted approximately six months (2006-2007). Qualitative data was analysed using content analysis and quantitative questionnaire data was analysed using paired sample t-tests. The study found that coachees' learning development resulted in increased levels of entrepreneurial self-efficacy and general entrepreneurial attitudes in a range ofkey areas and increased internality regarding locus of control. In contrast, the control group did not show any increase in entrepreneurial self-efficacy and showed a decrease in general entrepreneurial attitudes. Coaches developed their coachees through a range of learning processes, for example, enactive mastery and the clarification of business goals, vicarious experience through shared experiences and verbal persuasion through validation. The study found that online coaching has a variety of advantages, e.g. convenience, ease of access, and time to reflect on information.

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Les scènes publiques et académiques internationales portent une attention croissante à l’entrepreneuriat des femmes (Hughes et al., 2012) ainsi qu’aux pratiques et acteurs de l’accompagnement (Fayolle, 2004 ; Sammut, 2003). Cependant, peu d’études s’intéressent à l’accompagnement entrepreneurial des femmes entrepreneures (Lebègue, 2015), bien que ces dernières présentent des spécificités et que des auteurs appellent à une plus grande mise en cohérence de l’accompagnement et des besoins et singularités des entrepreneurs (Verstraete,2002 ; Chabaud et al., 2010). De plus, les études portant sur les femmes entrepreneures se centrent principalement sur les obstacles rencontrés, et peu sur les leviers existants. À l’aide d’une recherche qualitative, nos résultats proposent, dans un premier temps, un diagnostic des freins et leviers à l’entrepreneuriat des femmes à travers le canevas des 5Ms de l’entrepreneuriat des femmes (Brush et al., 2009). L’accompagnement, la sensibilisation et l’auto-efficacité entrepreneuriale perçue (Bandura, 1997 ; McGee et al., 2009) en sont des leviers majeurs. Ensuite, nous étudions les phases de mise en oeuvre et d’évaluation de la recherche intervention menée au sein d’un centre entrepreneurial. Notre contribution porte sur la mise au jour de trois formes de sensibilisation ainsi que trois modes d’accompagnement favorisant l’engagement entrepreneurial des femmes – l’un de ces modes s’adaptant à quatre profils différenciés de femmes entrepreneures. / A growing interest is given to women entrepreneurs in the public and academic arena. (Hughes et al., 2012), as well as to the actors and practices of the entrepreneurial support industry (Fayolle, 2004; Sammut, 2003). However, few studies are conducted on the entrepreneurial support of women entrepreneurs (Lebègue, 2015). Women entrepreneurs show some specificities and academics call for a greater coherence between the needs and wants of entrepreneurs and the entrepreneurial support practices (Verstraete, 2002; Chabaud et al., 2010). Moreover, the studies on women entrepreneurs are centered on their hurdles more than on their levers. Thanks to a qualitative approach, our results first show the hurdles of levers of women entrepreneurs through the 5Ms canvas of women’s entrepreneurship (Brush et al., 2009). The main levers appear to be entrepreneurial support and awareness, and perceived self-efficacy (Bandura, 1997; McGee et al., 2009). Then, our results concern the implementation and evaluation phases of the intervention-research led in an entrepreneurship center. Our contribution is to give an insight on different entrepreneurial support processes – one of them is compatible with the four profiles of women entrepreneurs. We also highlight different forms of entrepreneurial awareness that further entrepreneurial commitment of women.

This study analysed the entrepreneurial intentions of academic researchers to create spinoffs in a country where the phenomenon of academic spinoffs is emerging. The study consisted of a quantitative analysis of entrepreneurial intentions, performed within the context of South Africa’s Higher Education Institutions and Science Councils.The study drew from psychological and entrepreneurship research on intentionality to measure the level of entrepreneurial intentions using specific determinants (entrepreneurial self-efficacy, personal networks, perceived role models, number of years spent at the academic institution, number of patents/ copyrights/ designs, type of research, and cooperation with industry) that characterise the emergence of academic entrepreneurial intentions that lead academics to the creation of spinoffs. The study also aimed to determine if there were differences in the entrepreneurial intentions between researchers in technical and non-technical fields of expertise.A quantitative online survey was conducted amongst researchers in higher education institutions and science councils, followed by data analysis using a multiple linear regression to measure the entrepreneurial intentions. Thereafter a determination of factors associated with the higher levels of intention and a comparison of the level of intentions was conducted between researchers from the two study groups using an analysis of coefficients and significance tests respectively.The study showed that the entrepreneurial intentions of researchers in South Africa were very low. It was also shown that entrepreneurial self-efficacy was the strongest predictor of academic entrepreneurial intentions. Furthermore it was found that there was no significant difference in the entrepreneurial intentions between researchers in technical and non technical fields of expertise. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

過去三十年來學者針對創業意圖研究已有豐碩的成果，然而虛擬社群中創業意圖的發展與驗證卻未受到注視。因此，本論文採用Shapero-Krueger創業意圖模型與社會資本為理論基礎，提出研究模型探討虛擬社群中網路創業意圖的決定因素。此網路創業意圖模型中網路創業可欲性與網路創業可行性扮演直接決定因素與中介變數，橋接型社會資本與結合型社會資本則為間接決定因素，而網路創業自我效能同時扮演間接決定因素與中介變數。本論文針對網路創業虛擬社群之成員共蒐集204份有效樣本，並以偏最小平方法進行研究模型之驗證與分析。研究結果顯示，橋接型社會資本、結合型社會資本與網路創業自我效能均透過網路創業可欲性與網路創業可行性影響網路創業意圖。最後，本論文研究結果期許對網路創業意圖之理論發展與實務應用提出貢獻與建議。 / While the importance of entrepreneurial intentions has been recognized in entrepreneurial literature for at least three decades, the development and empirical validation of an entrepreneurial intentions model in a virtual community context had not been fully addressed. This dissertation aims to explore the evaluation determinants of cyber-entrepreneurial intention model in the virtual community context. Shapero- Krueger entrepreneurial intention model and social capital theory is utilized as the theoretical foundation to investigate the influences of entrepreneurial determinants that affect the intention to start a business online. A theoretical model of cyber-entrepreneurial intention proposes that cyber-entrepreneurial desirability and cyber-entrepreneurial feasibility serve as direct determinants, and mediators, bridging and bonding social capital serve as indirect determinants, whereas cyber- entrepreneurial self-efficacy serve as both indirect determinants and mediators. This dissertation collected 204 valid questionnaires and used them to test the proposed model. The results show that bridging and bonding social capital, and self-efficacy affect intention through desirability and feasibility. Theoretical and practical contributions and recommendations are also presented.

Owing to the fact that entrepreneurship is widely considered to be a mechanism for reducing unemployment, the purpose of the study was to assess whether final-year Commerce students in the predominantly rural provinces, the Eastern Cape Province and the Limpopo Province, have the intention to start their own businesses.The study draws heavily from entrepreneurial intent models and focuses on the relationship between three key variables, namely, exposure to entrepreneurship education, awareness of entrepreneurial support and social capital to establish whether they are related to the intention of final-year Commerce studentsto start their own businesses. The literature review concentrated on entrepreneurial intent and entrepreneurial intent models; government entrepreneurial support initiatives in South Africa and in other countries and their role in the development of entrepreneurial intent, emergence of new ventures and the growth of small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs); entrepreneurship education and its role in enhancing entrepreneurial self-efficacy, entrepreneurial competencies and entrepreneurial intent;the influence of social capital on entrepreneurial intent and the different stages on the new venture life-cycle; and concludes with the link between entrepreneurship and the establishment of SMMEs. A survey was conducted among National Diploma (ND): Internal Auditing, Cost and Management Accounting and Financial information systems students (IAUD, CMA and FIS) (who had six months exposure to entrepreneurship education), ND: Entrepreneurship/Small Business Management (E/SBM) (who had three years exposure to entrepreneurship education) and ND: Management (without exposure to entrepreneurship education). The respondents for the study comprised 355 final year students of which 276 were from Walter Sisulu University in the Eastern Cape Province and 79 were from Tshwane University of Technology (Polokwane Campus) in the LimpopoProvince.Data was analysed using descriptive statistics and nonparametric statistics. The findings reveal that the majority of the respondents had the intention to start a business in the future.The entrepreneurial intent of the ND: E/SBM students was v stronger than the entrepreneurial intent of the ND: IAUD, CMA and FIS students and ND: Management students. Some significant relationships were found between entrepreneurial intent and the key variables of the study. / Business Management / D.Com. (Business Management)

Owing to the fact that entrepreneurship is widely considered to be a mechanism for reducing unemployment, the purpose of the study was to assess whether final-year Commerce students in the predominantly rural provinces, the Eastern Cape Province and the Limpopo Province, have the intention to start their own businesses.The study draws heavily from entrepreneurial intent models and focuses on the relationship between three key variables, namely, exposure to entrepreneurship education, awareness of entrepreneurial support and social capital to establish whether they are related to the intention of final-year Commerce studentsto start their own businesses. The literature review concentrated on entrepreneurial intent and entrepreneurial intent models; government entrepreneurial support initiatives in South Africa and in other countries and their role in the development of entrepreneurial intent, emergence of new ventures and the growth of small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs); entrepreneurship education and its role in enhancing entrepreneurial self-efficacy, entrepreneurial competencies and entrepreneurial intent;the influence of social capital on entrepreneurial intent and the different stages on the new venture life-cycle; and concludes with the link between entrepreneurship and the establishment of SMMEs. A survey was conducted among National Diploma (ND): Internal Auditing, Cost and Management Accounting and Financial information systems students (IAUD, CMA and FIS) (who had six months exposure to entrepreneurship education), ND: Entrepreneurship/Small Business Management (E/SBM) (who had three years exposure to entrepreneurship education) and ND: Management (without exposure to entrepreneurship education). The respondents for the study comprised 355 final year students of which 276 were from Walter Sisulu University in the Eastern Cape Province and 79 were from Tshwane University of Technology (Polokwane Campus) in the LimpopoProvince.Data was analysed using descriptive statistics and nonparametric statistics. The findings reveal that the majority of the respondents had the intention to start a business in the future.The entrepreneurial intent of the ND: E/SBM students was v stronger than the entrepreneurial intent of the ND: IAUD, CMA and FIS students and ND: Management students. Some significant relationships were found between entrepreneurial intent and the key variables of the study. / Business Management / D.Com. (Business Management)

La question de la compétence de l’entrepreneur est tout à fait centrale. Cependant la prise en compte de cette notion demeure un problème persistant qui inhibe les performances de l’accompagnement et entrave ainsi le développement du phénomène entrepreneurial. Dans ce travail de recherche, nous avons orienté notre intérêt vers le concept des compétences entrepreneuriales afin de repositionner la relation accompagnateur/créateur au centre du processus d’accompagnement. Nous avons mis en œuvre une recherche axée sur l’analyse de l’auto-perception des compétences entrepreneuriales par les entrepreneurs naissants faisant l’objet d’un accompagnement dans une structure d’appui.Sur la base de l’ensemble des classifications typologiques des compétences des entrepreneurs, nous avons arrêté le choix de l’objet de notre étude sur la typologie proposée par Man et al. (2002). Les auteurs proposent un modèle conceptuel permettant de relier les caractéristiques des entrepreneurs des PME et la performance de leur entreprise. Partant de la conviction selon laquelle la prise en compte des compétences est susceptible de produire des nouveaux outils et pratiques d'accompagnement mieux adaptés à la compréhension et la valorisation des différentes dimensions du phénomène entrepreneurial, la problématique soulevée dans cette recherche est de savoir : dans quelle mesure une structure d’accompagnement en phase post-création contribue-t-elle à l’amélioration de l’auto-perception des entrepreneurs de leurs compétences entrepreneuriales?Pour répondre à cette question, nous avons opté pour une étude empirique quantitative et longitudinale. Dans le but d’accéder au terrain et de collecter le maximum de données, notre étude a été réalisée dans le cadre d’un partenariat entre le centre de recherche en Entrepreneuriat de l’EM Lyon Business School (CRE) et Réseau Entreprendre® (RE®). Nous avons réalisé, parallèlement, trois études longitudinales à travers lesquelles nous avons administré, à deux reprises et avec 8 mois d’intervalle le même questionnaire auprès de trois populations différentes : lauréats de Réseau Entreprendre® (population de base), les accompagnateurs et candidats non retenus (groupe témoin). Les trois premières vagues de questionnaires ont été lancées le 29 février 2012, les secondes, vers la fin du mois d’octobre 2012.Pour réaliser les traitements d’analyse, nous avons utilisé l’approche des régressions linéaires avec le logiciel SPSS.11 pour tester la nature des relations entre les variables clés de notre étude. Dans une deuxième partie d’analyse, nous avons réalisé deux études comparatives. / The issue of entrepreneur’s competence is quite central. However, the taking into account of this concept remains a persistent problem that inhibits the performance of new venture support and/or incubation programs and thereby hinders the development of the entrepreneurial phenomenon. In this research, we focused our interest on the concept of entrepreneurial competencies in order to replace accompanying person/new venture creator relationship at the center of new venture support process. We implemented a research based on nascent entrepreneurs self-perception of entrepreneurial competencies. Based on some typologies of entrepreneurial competencies, we used the typology proposed by Man et al. (2002). The authors proposed a conceptual model that links the SME’ entrepreneurs characteristics with the business performance.We started with the belief that it is very important to consider entrepreneurial competencies because our research is likely to produce new tools and help support’s practices to better understand and enhance the different dimensions of the entrepreneurial phenomenon. The issue raised in this research is as follows: to what extent a post-creation support structure contributes to the improvement of entrepreneurs self- perception of his entrepreneurial competencies? To answer this question, we opted for a quantitative and longitudinal empirical study. In order to access the research field and to collect the maximum of data, our study was conducted as part of a partnership between the Research Center in Entrepreneurship of EM Lyon Business School (CRE) and Réseau Entreprendre® (RE®). We carried out three longitudinal studies through which we administered twice, with 8 months interval between each time, the same questionnaire to three different populations namely: the winners of Réseau Entreprendre® (Lauréats) (baseline population), the accompanying persons and non-selected applicants (control group). The first three waves of questionnaires were launched on February 29, 2012, the second towards the end of October 2012. To achieve the treatment analysis, we used the approach of linear regressions with SPSS.11 software to test the nature of the relationships between key variables in our study. In the second part of analysis, we conducted two comparative studies.