The management dilemma emanates from the inadequacy and weakly detailed turnaround models available for use by entrepreneurs and turnaround practitioners in South Africa. To add to this problem previous legislation did not provide any protection to the debtor in any turnaround attempts. New debtor friendly legislation comes into effect in 2011. This research aims to identify the verifiers for signs and causes of potential failure. The construct verifier determinant is theoretically defined and included into a practical turnaround framework. The primary objectives of the study are to: <ul><li> Identify and theoretically define early warning sign “verifier determinants” </li><li> To design and include “verifier determinants” as an integral part of a turnaround plan that supports corrective action. </li></ul> The secondary objectives of this study are to: <ul><li> Research the current formal turnaround practices, which are applied in the United States of America, Canada, Australia, Africa and informal practices evident in South Africa. These findings are aligned to include the changes in the applicable South African legislation. </li><li> Design and propose a framework for use by turnaround practitioners and entrepreneurs alike (conforming to new legislation). </li><li> Identify which “verifier determinants” will confirm the early warning and apply this outcome to the design of a reliable turnaround framework, acceptable to all creditors and financial institutions. </li><li> The final objective is to contribute to the South African entrepreneurial, turnaround body of knowledge, and future formal studies in this academically ill-represented field. </li></ul> The effectiveness of business turnaround depends on the chosen strategy. The literature review in this proposal deals with the following aspects; venture risk propensity, early warning signs and failure models, legal constraints / opportunities and finally turnaround. Current formal turnaround routes are, due to various negativities and high costs, often not practical and a more informal approach is favoured. Methodology: <ul><li> Through comprehensive literature research to identify and theoretically define “verifier determinants” that confirm the early warning sign and causes. Apply in depth interviews to identify the use of verifier determinants by specialist turnaround practitioners. </li><li> Confirm the actual use and value of the verifier determinants by experts and practitioners during turnarounds, Design and include “verifier determinants” as an integral part of a turnaround framework that supports rehabilitation of the business. </li><li> Compare the formal turnaround practices, which are applied in other jurisdictions such as the United States of America, Canada, Australia, Africa will be investigated. </li><li> Adapt the framework cognisant of Chapter six of the companies Act, Act 71 of 2008 requirements and recommend to formal and informal turnaround practices relevant in South Africa. </li></ul> For this study, a leading commercial bank was selected as the organisation of choice, due to the accessibility to information, research data, and turnaround respondents. For selecting the case studies used for evaluation during interviews, the researcher relied on businesses that were already subjected to BASEL II Accord categorisation criteria and had ex post facto histories. The study applied two research methods. An interview method was used to identify actual verifier determinants used in practice. The interrogation of the participants was done, using the Repertory Grid method, thus forcing choices and explanation of interviewee reasoning. Participants were purposely selected to ensure representation within the identified risk categories. As result, a comprehensive turnaround framework is compiled. The study aligns these findings with the new South African legislation, and designs a turnaround framework for use by turnaround professional practitioners, entrepreneurs and affected persons alike. This study introduced a number of new constructs that can be used in a business turnaround context, namely: <ul><li> business triage</li><li> verifier determinant</li><li> turnaround framework, introducing the constructs “business triage” and “verifier determinant” a timeline schedule for executing the rescue process</li></ul> This study highlighted the importance of establishing the true value of a business in the early stages of the turnaround process. Verifiers can be used successfully to determine the extent of the problem (“depth of the rot”), the difficulties involved and reduce time requirements for analysis. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Business Management / unrestricted

This research investigates how immigrant entrepreneurs in the falafel business in Malmö position themselves in relation to the host society. Interviews with five immigrant entrepreneurs in the falafel trade were conducted to explore their life stories, business endeavours and their relations with the host society. The data was then analysed to establish the degree to which they feel embedded in different arenas of the host society and their society of origin. This study confirms the disadvantageous position of immigrants in Swedish society, though demonstrates the various strategies they utilise to improve their situation through entrepreneurship. The study, the first of its kind in Malmö, is important in the context of rising xenophobia in Sweden and segregation in the city.

This thesis research concerns women’s social entrepreneurship in Gaza Strip. Itsmain purpose is to provide a better understanding of how women socialentrepreneurs experience social entrepreneurship in Gaza Strip. Also, it digs deepinto their motives and challenges. The main methodological approach is thenarrative approach. Five women social entrepreneurs from Gaza Strip areinterviewed, and their full narratives are presented as empirical material so that theirvoices are heard and their fluctuating experiences are recognized. The narratives areanalyzed based on the three pillars of social entrepreneurship, social mission,sustainable profit, and social change. Also, the motives and challenges are analyzedbased on the socio-cultural and economic contexts of Gaza Strip. According to thisthesis research, family support and education are fundamental factors in enablingwomen’s social entrepreneurship in Gaza Strip. Also, women social entrepreneurschoose social entrepreneurship because they are inspired by their education, thedesire for personal development and recognition, and helping others through socialentrepreneurship. Moreover, their significant challenges are socio-cultural barriers,poor entrepreneurial education, lack of awareness, deteriorating economic situation,blockade, electricity outage, and favoritism. Finally, this thesis research fills someliterature gaps regarding the nexus between women social entrepreneurs in GazaStrip, patriarchal societies, and regions with conflicts and social entrepreneurship.Also, it highlights the importance of contextualizing women social entrepreneurs inresearch.

This thesis aims to emancipate female entrepreneurs from the metanarrative of economic growth which has created a false dichotomy of successful male entrepreneur versus an unsuccessful female entrepreneur. This aim is pursued through a multidisciplinary and critical inquiry that destabilises this metanarrative conceptually and empirically. A critical interrogation of economic studies reveals the embeddedness of the metanarrative in neo-classical economic growth theory. Far from being a true reflection of the entrepreneurial experience, the theory has silenced the innovator entrepreneur in economic theory and replaced him/her with an economic rational manager. Concurrently, a re-analysis of Schumpeter’s theorising suggests that his theories do not subordinate female entrepreneurs as claimed by a number of critical theorists. In contrast, his theorising is emancipatory and offers an alternative theoretical framework to the oppressive neo-classical economic growth theory. Oral history methods are used to capture the voices of female entrepreneurs which have largely been excluded from the literature. The oral history narratives challenge the oppressive homogeneity imposed by the metanarrative of economic growth and illustrate the negative influence of the theoretical foundation of neo-classical theory upon the entrepreneurial experience. The study offers theoretical, methodological and empirical contributions to female entrepreneurship studies by presenting a fresh interpretation of Schumpeter’s theorising; including the voices of the female entrepreneurs; and applying research approaches that break away from positivism which dominates entrepreneurial studies. The study has implications for policy makers and practitioners as it generates knowledge that takes account of the current social and economic changes. / Bradford University School of Management

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In 1994, the use of wind turbines for electricity generation verges on economic respectability. Two contradictory trends have prepared a fertile niche for utility-scale windpower. The introduction of "deregulatory," competitive principles onto the electric industry fostered a non-utility generating sector relying on unconventional technologies. Simultaneously, policy-makers using "hyper-regulatory" tactics to pursue social goals such as reduced pollution pushed utilities to include renewable energy in their resource· plans. Both tendencies advanced windpower. By comparing the Federal Wind Energy Program (FWEP) to California's entrepreneurial windpower industry, this dissertation argues that windpower constituted a conservative addition to the American electric utility system, rather than a radical challenge to it. True, venture capitalists producing and delivering windpower to the nation's transmission grid challenged the utilities' financial control. But participants in the windpower story have constructed a version of windpower largely compatible with the electric system. The most notable products of the FWEP--multi-megawatt wind generators--proved too complex, too expensive and too unreliable for their environment. Windpower entrepreneurs, by contrast, devised smaller machines better suited to the market. Equally important, regulatory support shielded the windfarms from the political and economic turnabouts that scuttled the ambitious FWEP, which relied completely on ephemeral Federal patronage. Today's wind entrepreneurs present their technology as a cost-effective addition to the conventional generating system, rather than as a social tool dependent on government support for environmentalism. But the story of windpower does not constitute a self-contained drama. In addition to pitched negotiations over wind energy, the story implicates the changing utility industry, shifts in global energy politics, and emergent environmentalism. The windfarms' "success" and the FWEP's "failure" frequently depended on actors' ability to exploit or insulate themselves from events unrelated to windpower itself. Thus, the dissertation binds firstperson accounts from participants in the windpower story to strands of larger histories, recounted through periodical and secondary literature. The dissertation speaks to historians, sociologists, energy managers, policy-makers and members of the community of "science and technology studies." Ultimately, it aims to produce a tool for the actors and policymakers it describes. / Ph. D.

This national study was undertaken to learn about the characteristics and demographics of Deaf entrepreneurs and small business owners. Descriptive research methodology was to obtain data from a clearly defined population comprising Deaf entrepreneurs and small business owners. The researcher designed a questionnaire to answer six research questions. Study results were based on nationwide responses from 86 deaf men and women. Implications for career counseling were generated from participant responses and the researcher's extensive career counseling experience with the Deaf population. Data collected from participant responses determined the characteristics and demographics, and provided the basis for developing recommendations for counseling, training, and educational tools that could be used by others with similar career aspirations. Study results showed that the majority of respondents started their business before the age of 35, had been in business for more than 10 years, came from residential and/or mainstream school settings, and had earned at least a Bachelor degree from a vast range of accredited colleges and universities. Most respondents were born deaf to hearing families and used American Sign Language. However, in business the majority used voice and writing with hearing people. The most frequently used communication aids in business were telephone relay services, electronic mail systems, and sign language interpreters. The study sought insight into respondent's career development and identified influential role models and mentors at various career stages. In the early stages of career development family and teachers served as the most influential role models. However, respondent's identified "friends" as the most influential role model when it came to starting their business. Entrepreneurial data revealed that types of businesses varied, with the majority of business owners employing hearing people. Most respondents invested their personal savings to launch their business and conducted business in the private sector. Two frequently reported motivations for going into business were "desire to be their own boss" and "to earn more money." In the start-up phase of their business, most needed more help with marketing, advertising, writing business plans and identifying funding sources. When asked to express, in their own words, their greatest challenge in starting their businesses, frequent responses included "proving to hearing people that a deaf person can run a business" and "communicating with hearing customers." The following summarizes the implications for career counseling. Based on the results of the study it was suggested that Deaf women be given special attention; counselors encourage clients to continue their education beyond high school, and to work before launching their business. Participants in the study suggested that developing strong interests and skills were essential, and that voice was used as a primary communication tool in business. When appropriate, counselors may hold this population as a model to others, demonstrating that deafness alone is not a barrier to career aspirations. An additional technique career counselors may find helpful, is describing the characteristics of the typical Deaf business owner who participated in this study. The typical Deaf business owner who participated in this study was an entrepreneur who raised his/her own money from personal savings, had hearing employees, and conducted business in the private sector with mostly hearing people. / Ph. D.

Yes / This article explores gender and entrepreneurial leadership, notably the meanings female entrepreneurs ascribe to notions of entrepreneurial leadership. Drawing from interviews with female business owners, the article questions the dominant hegemonic masculine entrepreneurial leadership model as well as that reportedly associated with women. Research findings illuminate the fluidity and variability of the entrepreneurial leadership construct. Our feminist poststructural lens and critical leadership stance adds new insight into the multiple subjectivities of entrepreneurs and surfaces contradiction and tension that shape the very sense of their entrepreneurial selves. By questioning accepted knowledge, this research offers new perspectives on the multiple realities of entrepreneurial leadership, which should be heeded by policy makers, academics and practitioners alike.