Biotechnology entrepreneurship is a relatively new and distinct field of
entrepreneurship. Most current empirical research is conducted in the developed
economies and cannot be directly extrapolated to the developing economies. The
paucity of empirical research and the lack of a conceptual framework for
biotechnology entrepreneurship constitute gaps that this research addressed through
the development of a proposed theoretical framework of biotechnology
entrepreneurship based on empirical research conducted within the context of the
developing economies of South Africa and Brazil.
The current methodological approaches to research in biotechnology
entrepreneurship predominantly make use of a nomothetic philosophical approach
and employs quantitative methods. Current research is also often based on surveys
conducted within one developing economy context. Consequently, few studies in
biotechnology entrepreneurship use the qualitative multiple case study approach.
This methodological gap is addressed in this research through the use of qualitative
multiple case studies, in the idiographic philosophical tradition, in two developing
economies; South Africa and Brazil. The data collection process included in-depth
interviews, documents review and observations, which improved the quality of the
research through data triangulation.
Ten themes were identified, which formed the basis for developing the proposed
theoretical framework. In addition, seven factors that influence the process of
biotechnology entrepreneurship in South Africa and Brazil were identified as
regulation; funding; infrastructure; skills; entrepreneurial and commercialisation
capabilities; market for biotechnology products; and social development.
This research shows that the individual-opportunity nexus of entrepreneurship does
not entirely hold for biotechnology entrepreneurship in South Africa and Brazil.
Instead, there is a nexus of research and development; and a governmentincentivised
environment that is conducive for biotechnology entrepreneurship.
The policy implications of these dynamics in South Africa and Brazil; as well as implications for the other stakeholders in the biotechnology industry are articulated as being linked to the control of the factors that influence biotechnology entrepreneurship by the various stakeholders. Hence, the implications for government are predominantly linked to regulation and infrastructure; and the implications for the other stakeholders are predominantly linked to funding and skills.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:wits/oai:wiredspace.wits.ac.za:10539/15118 |
| Date | 04 August 2014 |
| Creators | Alagbaoso, Manessah Obinali |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | application/pdf, application/pdf |
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