The Eastern Cape Province has been cited as the second poorest province in South Africa. The impact of entrepreneurship on the economy, with respect to socio-economic development, has placed increased pressure on entrepreneurs to operate effectively. Moreover, entrepreneurs are required to adopt and adapt to leadership practices that lead to business success. Business success is largely dependent on the leader. The importance of this study may, thus, be attributed to the need for entrepreneurs to possess the necessary leadership attributes for the efficient running of a business. The primary objective of this study was to improve the success rate of entrepreneurs in the Eastern Cape Province. This was done by determining the impact of selected leadership attributes on the success of entrepreneurs. More specifically, this study investigated how the success of entrepreneurs is influenced by leadership attributes (the dependent variable), namely, leadership style, vision, networking, risk-taking and ethics (the independent variables). In order to achieve the research objectives, the researcher used the inferential statistical approach, specifically, hypothesis testing. The first step was to conduct a literature review on factors that influence entrepreneurs. This entailed the barriers to success, critical success factors, the impact of the SMME sector on the economy, as well as the selected leadership attributes. Secondly, the quantitative research method was used to assess the perceptions of entrepreneurs with regards to the influence of the leadership attributes on their businesses. This was done through an empirical survey, namely a self-administered questionnaire that was distributed to a sample of 100 entrepreneurs who are based in the Eastern Cape Province and have been operating for a minimum of three years. Out of the envisaged 100 respondents, 89 questionnaires were completed (89% response rate). The data obtained from the empirical survey was then analysed statistically and the descriptive statistics were presented by using graphs and tables. The results of the empirical survey revealed that although all the above-mentioned independent variables contribute towards increasing the success rate of entrepreneurs, networking and ethics exert the most significant influence. Based on the findings of the literature review and the results of the empirical survey, this study made recommendations on areas of improvement for entrepreneurs in order to increase their success rate. Suggestions were also made for possible future research.

The professionalization of blogs has elevated blogging to an organizational field whereby bloggers develop a legitimate career path. For many minority women bloggers, the transition from being traditionally employed to managing a one-person digital enterprise is often met with racial and gender imbalances created by nontraditional modes of work. The purpose of this qualitative transcendental phenomenological study was to gain a deeper understanding of how African American women bloggers described their lived experiences with managing a one-person digital enterprise and the implications of their racial and gender identity within this nontraditional mode of work. To address this gap, a transcendental phenomenological method was used to collect data from African American women bloggers. This study was framed by 3 key concepts focused on African American women bloggers: Brydges and Sjöholm’s concept of personal style blogger, Martinez Dy et al’s concept of women digital entrepreneurs, and Gabriel’s concept of Black female identity online. Data were gathered using 9 virtual semi-structured interviews and analyzed using the modified Van Kaam method. Eight themes emerged when answering the research question. The findings of the research showed that being an African American woman blogger means conducting entrepreneurial activity, working towards financial solvency, being proud of racial identity, and creating and delivering content as a blogger. Results gleaned from this transcendental phenomenological study may help promote social change by bringing awareness to policymakers on the issues of equity, access, and opportunity for marginalized populations who seek to become digital entrepreneurs.

Corporate-led programs aimed at increasing women's entrepreneurship are rapidly proliferating across many industries. The gendered nature of this phenomenon suggests that feminist approaches may bring much to bear on analysis of management theory and practice. In particular, I argue that insights from feminist economics regarding the historically prevalent - but narrow and gendered - definition of work, which artificially separates production from reproduction, provide fruitful tools for theory building and analysis of practice. Through a systematic literature review of the entrepreneurship literature, I demonstrate that the gendered separation of production and reproduction is typically taken as given in mainstream management theory. Findings from two organizational cases, both featuring industry-embedded approaches to women's empowerment, support the conclusion that unpaid/care work and market work are typically framed as forms of activity that are gendered, dichotomous, and existing in ontological conflict with one another in management practice. I present a conceptual framework of what is to be gained by examining management theory and practice in this light, and suggest how scholars and practitioners might use this framework for future work and research.

This thesis explores the challenges and opportunities of cultural entrepreneurship, exploring current conceptualisations of cultural entrepreneurs and to find new perspectives and recommendations for cultural entrepreneurs of the future. Cultural entrepreneurship is a contested, yet essential aspect of the growth of artists and arts organisations globally. Though there are similarities, this research demonstrates that cultural entrepreneurs from different backgrounds, industries and of varied sizes need different things and have different barriers so cannot be understood in the same way. Digital technologies and local networks do offer new possibilities for innovation however these are limited in scope and require further investigation and investment. Despite psychological, political and financial barriers to entrepreneurship in the creative industries, finding a balance between artistic, social, economic and institutional innovation for the various actors throughout the arts offers key insights to how artists and arts organisations can be more entrepreneurial. Through a grounded theory approach, this research connects previously disparate fields of cultural policy, social entrepreneurship and business model innovation to derive new perspectives of how cultural entrepreneurs can survive and thrive in the dynamically shifting world. Themes that emerged through the data analysis connect in new ways to Cohendet et al.’s (2012) ‘Anatomy of a Creative City’, outlining the underground, middleground and upperground actors; Albinsson’s (2017) theories of the quadruple bottom line in the creative industries; and a value ecosystem’s approach with a focus on value creation (Allee, 2002; Curtis, 2017). From this combination of literature and data collected, a novel approach to understanding cultural entrepreneurs emerges, creating a model to understand more holistically how value is created and captured for the artist or arts organisation. This model has a range of practical approaches intended to provide tangible pathways into combining the concepts of the quadruple bottom line, value ecosystems and different conceptualisations of cultural entrepreneurs, offering a novel contribution to all of these fields in addition to, and most significantly the topic of cultural entrepreneurship.

M.Ing. / The purpose of this research dissertation is to test the hypothesis that entrepreneurial engineers are not familiar with innovation, growth and business planning strategies, or simply do not apply them. The hypothesis is investigated with the help of case studies and published works; outlining the different methods and principles employed by relatively new business ventures to ensure continued success. The scope of this research dissertation is limited to why there is a need for well managed growth, continual innovation and the strategic positioning and planning in business. The form of research design chosen for the experimental program is characterised and based upon the "Method of Data Collection", outlined in Cooper and Schindler: Business Research Methods, 7iT h Ed., 2001. The refined method is based upon a Two Stage Design incorporating a Non probability, Convenience Sample. The literature review of this research dissertation will be viewed as the Exploratory Section of the Two Stage Design, as outlined by Cooper and Schindler. The results of the survey which was carried out indicate that entrepreneurial engineers have an equal chance of being familiar or not familiar with the concepts of innovation and growth. Those who were familiar with the concepts were more likely to have knowledge of the entrepreneurial strategies regarding the concepts and to implement the strategies. Entrepreneurial engineers were likely to be familiar with business strategies, and those who were familiar, were more likely to have strategic architecture and intents, but less likely to have company missions than those who were not familiar. There seemed to be no correlation between the field of engineering or the field of business, and the likelihood of familiarity with the concepts. However, engineers who had business and management experience prior to starting their business ventures were more likely to be familiar with the concepts, but no more likely to implement them than engineers without prior experience. The literature review and the survey carried out agree with the initial hypothesis that entrepreneurial engineers starting relatively new business ventures either were not familiar with the concepts of innovation, growth and strategy, or simply did not apply them. However the agreement between the survey results, and the hypothesis and literature review, are not to the extent that was originally expected.

Las metodologías del Design Thinking y el Lean Startup son herramientas de gran valor dentro del contexto empresarial donde se evidencian sus inicios; pero es importante estudiar su participación indiscutible y acertada dentro de la educación. En el presente trabajo investigativo se presentan las diversas posturas asumidas por distintos autores en torno a dichas metodologías dentro del proceso de enseñanza - aprendizaje, un hecho que se forma a partir de una importante y rigurosa revisión bibliográfica donde intervienen 30 papers que al ser clasificados develaron las diferentes confrontaciones de las ideas asociadas. En primer lugar, al Design Thinking dentro del ámbito educativo y, en segundo lugar, al Lean Startup y su participación en el contexto pedagógico. Así mismo, es posible la apreciación de las conjeturas derivadas del análisis de posturas relacionadas con el empleo de ambas metodologías y a su complementariedad para la educación. / The methodologies of Desing Thinking and Lean Startup are highly valuable mechanisms within the business context where their annals are evidenced; but it is important to study their indisputable and successful participation in education. In this research work, the various positions assumed by different authors regarding said methodologies within the teaching-learning process are presented, a fact that takes concrete form from an important and rigorous bibliographic review involving 30 papers that, when classified, revealed different confrontations of associated ideas. Firstly, to Design Thinking within the educational field and secondly to Lean Startup and its participation in the pedagogical context. Likewise, the conjectures derived from the analysis of positions related to the use of both methodology and their complementarity for education can be appreciated. / Trabajo de Suficiencia Profesional

本論文藉由發生在趨勢科技的三個新事業發展的個案故事，來分析與印證企業「興業管理」，與「策略管理」兩方面，如何綜合成為企業「策略興業」理論，交互影響的演變過程。 為了探討「策略興業」的個案故事，本論文分別整理多篇「興業管理」，與「策略管理」兩方面的重要理論文獻，以「策略興業」理論為最後的依歸，設計出一個綜合的、「歷程性」的研究架構與構面。本研究主張將企業興業的過程區分為：「機會辨識與發掘」、 「商業模式概念形成」、「策略資源/能力取得」與「策略資源/能力累積與承諾」四大階段。而每一個歷程階段包涵「創新」 、「事業網路」、「組織學習」與「策略資源/能力」四大策略管理因子。企業的競爭優勢，便是在「策略興業」的歷程中，由數個策略管理因 子在組織中演化而建構出來。企業組織管理上的挑戰，便是在於經理人們，如何能夠有效地調和這個「策略興業」過程中的衝突與落差，如何將組織的策略資源與能力，藉由 整合、重組、轉化與學習而提昇。 由個案故事的分析，本研究發現在「策略興業」活動中，所選擇的「創新型態」，會具 體地，對於所希望學習或是培養的新核心能力，與策略資源的選擇，有明顯的影響。而 這個「創新型態」決定，則是與「興業家（們）」如何認知與詮釋「機會」與「價值」 息息相關。所以，「興業家（們）」的過去的經驗與認知，是「策略興業」的重要基石。 而攸關於「策略興業」的成果如何轉化、積累，成為組織長期的核心能力與競爭優勢， 則取決於高階經理人「心智模式」的學習與進化。 / Based  on  three  true  case  stories  from  Trend  Micro,  a  well  known  information  security  software  company,  the  goal  of  this  thesis  is  to  present,  analyze  and  to consolidate,  how 「entrepreneurship  management」and  「strategic  management」 impact  the  「strategic  entrepreneurship」running  inside  Trend  Micro.  By  reviewing  both「entrepreneurship  management and 「strategic  management」research  streams,  and  important  articles,  this  research  adopts  「strategic  entrepreneurship」as  the  theory  ground,  and  based  on  「strategic  entrepreneurship」theory  to  design  a  process­oriented  research  architecture. There  are  four  milestone  phases  selected  and  designed  in  the  research  architecture  :  「opportunistic  searching」、「new  concept  of  business  opportunity」、「strategic  forcing  and  building」and  「institutionalization,  change  strategy」.  This  process  can  describe  how  the  entrepreneurship  process  itself,  and  how  it  interplays  with  corporate  strategy.  Furthermore,  to  analyze  the  facts,  actions  of  the  collected  case  stories,  this  research  specifiedly  selected  four  strategy  management subjects  :  「innovation」、「network」、「organizational  learning」and  「strategic  resource/capability」in  every  milestone  phase.  By  using  this  research  architecture,  selected  subjects,  and  collected  case  stories,  this  research  presents  how  the  competitive  advantage  and  core  competency evolve  in  the「strategic  entrepreneurship」projects.  In  addition,  the  collected  case  material  also  demonstrate  what  conflicts  and  managerial  difficulties  happened in  organizational  that  managers  need  to  cope  with.  The  challenge  to  managers  is  how  to  manage  the  unavoidable  changes  brought  from  「strategic  entrepreneurship」processes,  and  still  can  integrate、re­combine、transform  and  continuously  learn  and  build  up  company  core  competency  for tomorrow’s  competition. This  research  concludes  that  the  decided  form  of  「innovation」substantially  impacts  on  the  selection  of  strategic  resource/capability  and  the  adoption  of  new  competency.  Furthermore,  how  the「entrepreneur」and  the  incubation  team  members  acknowledge、discover  and  recognize  the  entrepreneurial  「opportunity」and  「value」,  will  greatly  influence  on  the  innovation  happening.  Finally,  during  the 「strategic  entrepreneurship」process,  the「mindset」of  top executives  team  will determinedly  decides  how  the  exploration  results  will  be  accumulated、transformed  and  institutionalized  as  part  of  organizational  long  term  strategy.

If you have an idea about applying a proven technology to improve the processes in a new area of society, what does it take to implement it in a way that it has wide impact and endures? This is a relevant question particularly now, at the dawn of the age of 'big data', as information and communication technologies are adopted in many areas to harness the ability to collect, retrieve and analyse large amounts of information, and be made available at the level of individual users. Extraordinarily powerful devices developed in recent years offer much promise, but as many examples, such as Betamax, WAP-technology, HD DVD and netbooks, show that even potent technologies may fail to gain predominance and survive. The concept of institutional entrepreneurship is a useful framework to analyse these complex issues as it embodies a comprehensive analytical perspective, combining attention to the institutional environment as well as to the efforts by interested and re-sourced actors. I use this concept to I investigate the efforts to introduce mobile technology into health care in England and Finland. I employ a distinct research strategy that avoids a retrospective bias, through the collection and analysis of qualitative data before known outcomes, from a wide range of technology, care, regulatory and intermediary organisations. I uncover some of the difficulties to technology adoption and develop arguments about the types of efforts and the impact of context at the early moment stage that contribute to the further development of the concept of institutional entrepreneurship.

Se ve al emprendimiento social como el futuro del emprendimiento, pues se requiere que las empresas se involucren más con la resolución de problemas sociales (Goyal, Sergi y Jaiswal, 2016). El presente estudio aborda el campo del emprendimiento social y emprendimiento tradicional, analizados desde su impacto en la sociedad, con el objetivo de contrastar las diferentes posturas sobre el emprendimiento social y tradicional. Es un estudio comparativo con enfoque hermenéutico, basado en la lectura y análisis de papers entre los años 2010 al 2020. Este trabajo describe cómo el concepto del emprendimiento social no tiene consenso y en cuanto al emprendimiento tradicional, se observan diversas definiciones lo que genera una confusión en algunos investigadores. Además, de las características del emprendimiento se distingue al social por tener fines sociales y económicos, a diferencia del tradicional cuyo fin primordial es incrementar sus recursos financieros, privilegiando el talento humano y las funciones que debe desempeñar. De lado de la evaluación del impacto social, se observó que existen diferentes métodos, sobre todo para el emprendimiento social, sobre el que algunos autores hacen notar el carácter subjetivo que puede tomar la medición. Por último, una de las principales problemáticas que enfrenta el emprendimiento es la dificultad en el acceso a financiamiento, que en el caso de las empresas sociales, se hace más crítico. Aunado a ello los emprendedores sociales tienen desafíos por el doble objetivo que persiguen: social y económico. / Social entrepreneurship is seen as the future of entrepreneurship, since companies are required to become more involved with solving social problems (Goyal, Sergi and Jaiswal, 2016). This study addresses the field of social entrepreneurship and traditional entrepreneurship, analyzed from their impact on society, with the aim of contrasting the different positions on social and traditional entrepreneurship. It is a comparative study with a hermeneutical approach, based on the reading and analysis of papers from 2010 to 2020. This work describes how the concept of social entrepreneurship does not have a consensus and as for traditional entrepreneurship, concepts based on different variables and their creation are observed. In addition, the characteristics of the enterprise distinguish the social one for having social and economic purposes, unlike the traditional whose primary purpose is to increase its financial resources, prioritizing human talent and the functions that it must perform. On the side of the evaluation of social impact, it was observed that there are different methods, especially for social entrepreneurship, on which some authors note the subjective nature that measurement can take. Finally, one of the main problems faced by entrepreneurship is the difficulty in accessing financing, which in the case of social enterprises, becomes more critical. In addition to this, social entrepreneurs face challenges due to the double objective they pursue: social and economic. / Trabajo de Suficiencia Profesional

This publication-based dissertation examines (corporate) venturing and business model innovation intending to derive implications for entrepreneurial management in firms. To achieve this, four self-contained research papers have been developed which are the core of this dissertation. The first section serves as a general introduction, outlines the motivation for each of the research topics, and presents a summary of the research papers and their publication status. The first research paper (Section 2) is a systematic literature review that summarizes and structures three decades of research on the field of success measurement of corporate venturing activities. It identifies three structural dimensions which allow the creation of nine meaning clusters by which the existing measurement approaches can be grouped and compared. Additionally, the review reveals the heterogeneity of these approaches and the unique measurement items which they include. The third section is an empirical study on new venture creation activities in the early stage, based on 112 interviews with novice and experienced entrepreneurs. It defines three dimensions of entrepreneurial activity, namely, Entrepreneurial Alignment, Resource Enhancement, and Value Generation, and finds 67 actions, which differ across these groups in type and sequence. Section four is a single case study in business model innovation that investigates the recent rebranding of “Facebook” to “Meta”. It finds that, despite the strong communication efforts and the resulting internal and external signaling effects, this change does not correspond to a radical business innovation pattern. The fourth research study (Section 5) is a conceptual study that develops an integrated framework for business model innovation in service industries, based on research on the tourism industry. It highlights the limitations of siloed approaches under the influence of internal and external challenges such as industry dynamics and resource constraints. Section six summarizes the dissertation, highlighting the overall contributions for research and practice, and discusses the limitations and directions for future research.