Thesis (MComm)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study was to determine the type of decision-making approaches
used by businesswomen, both intrapreneurs and entrepreneurs, under conditions of
uncertainty, and how the human and social capital they possess influence their
strategic entrepreneurial behaviour (SEB). Entrepreneurial decision making often
takes place under uncertain conditions, in which rational models provide little
guidance for decision makers. Effectuation is proposed as an alternative decision
model to rationality, particularly for emerging opportunities. Although some
exploratory work has been conducted on this school of thought, research gaps
remain. Particularly, there is a lack of research on businesswomen, despite the fact
that they are an important group of entrepreneurs within the economy with great
potential to contribute to economic growth, development and employment generation.
The study population was South African businesswomen, and the membership
register of the South African Businesswomen's Association (BWA) was used as a
sampling frame. An online survey was sent to all members and a total of 269 usable
responses were obtained. Data were analysed with SPSS using descriptive and
inferential statistical techniques.
The findings indicate there are no significant differences between the decisionmaking
approaches of intrapreneurs and entrepreneurs, and that they use both
effectuation and causation when shaping and implementing new initiatives, while the
literature argues that these two approaches are distinct and dichotomous. In using a
causal approach, the respondents value planning and a systematic approach to new,
uncertain projects, although they realise the benefit of flexibility and of limiting the
downside loss to their decisions; therefore they also incorporate elements of effectual
logic. Furthermore, businesswomen's ability to cultivate relationships plays an
integral role in the SEB process for both effectuation and causation, with
businesswomen emphasising their relationships with key stakeholders. Concerning
businesswomen's human capital, the study finds that self-efficacy plays an important
role in terms of businesswomen's confidence, and that it has an impact on both SEB
decision-making approaches.
Several theoretical, practical and educational implications arise from these findings.
Theoretically, this study contributes to the decision-making literature by showing that
businesswomen utilise both decision-making styles and do not merely rely on one or
the other. Furthermore, it also shows that relationship cultivation and self-efficacy are
significantly related to both SEB approaches.
Practically, both businesswomen and other stakeholders, such as financial
institutions, should recognise the relevance and importance of using both styles and
not stress causation above effectuation, as is the case currently. Furthermore,
entrepreneurial self-efficacy, which is relevant for both approaches to SEB, can be
raised through investing in targeted training and education in female
entrepreneurship.
For entrepreneurship educators, these findings emphasise that courses should
incorporate both decision-making styles and that these skills should be developed in
students. Business management students should be taught that, while logical,
planned and prediction-based causal approaches are appropriate under stable
conditions, effectuation provides resources to approach uncertain conditions more
effectively. In addition, entrepreneurial initiatives with a low degree of innovativeness
also would be more suited to a predictive, casual approach, while initiatives with a
higher degree of innovativeness would benefit from using effectual principles. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie studie was om die besluitnemingsmetodes van sakevroue, beide
intrapreneurs en entrepreneurs, onder omstandighede van onsekerheid te bepaal en
te bestudeer hoe die menslike en sosiale kapitaal wat hulle besit hul strategiese
entrepreneuriese gedrag (SEG) beïnvloed. Entrepreneuriese besluitneming vind
dikwels onder onsekere omstandighede plaas waar rasionele modelle min leiding
aan besluitnemers verskaf. Effektuasie ("effectuation") word voorgestel as 'n
alternatiewe besluitnemingsmodel tot rasionaliteit, spesifiek vir ontluikende
geleenthede. Hoewel daar reeds verkennende navorsing in die veld gedoen is, is
daar steeds navorsingsgapings. Daar is veral 'n tekort aan navorsing oor sakevroue
ten spyte van die feit dat hulle een van die belangrikste groepe entrepreneurs binne
die ekonomie is, met groot potensiaal om 'n bydrae tot ekonomiese groei,
ontwikkeling en werkskepping te lewer.
Die studiebevolking was Suid-Afrikaanse sakevroue, en die lederegister van die
Suid-Afrikaanse Sakevrouevereniging (BWA) is as steekproefraamwerk gebruik. 'n
Aanlynopname is aan al die lede gestuur en 'n totaal van 269 bruikbare antwoorde is
ontvang. Data is ontleed met behulp van SPSS deur gebruik te maak van
beskrywende en inferensiële statistiese tegnieke.
Die bevindinge dui aan dat daar geen betekenisvolle verskil tussen die
besluitnemingsbenaderings van intrapreneurs en entrepreneurs is nie en dat beide
effektuasie ("effectuation") en kousaliteit ("causation") in die vorming en
implementering van nuwe inisiatiewe gebruik word. Volgens die literatuur is hierdie
twee besluitnemingsbenaderings egter duidelik onderskeibaar. In die gebruik van 'n
kousale ("causal") benadering heg die respondente waarde aan beplanning en 'n
sistematiese benadering tot nuwe, onseker projekte. Hulle besef egter die voordeel
van buigsaamheid en die beperking van besluite wat met kousaliteit gepaard gaan;
hulle neem dus ook elemente van effektuasie-logika in ag. Verder speel sakevroue
se vermoë om verhoudings te kweek 'n integrale rol in die SEG-proses vir beide
effektuasie ("effectuation") en kousaliteit ("causation"), met sakevroue wat hulle
verhoudings met sleutel rolspelers beklemtoon. Met betrekking tot sakevroue se
menslike kapitaal het die studie gevind dat self-doeltreffendheid 'n belangrike rol in terme van sakevroue se vertroue speel en dat dit 'n impak op beide SEGbesluitnemingsbenaderings
het.
Verskeie teoretiese, praktiese en opvoedkundige implikasies ontstaan uit hierdie
bevindinge. Teoreties het hierdie studie bygedra tot besluitnemings-literatuur deur
aan te toon dat sakevroue gebruik maak van albei besluitnemingstyle en nie net op
een staatmaak nie. Die studie het ook gevind dat die kweek van verhoudings, asook
selfdoeltreffendheid, beduidend verband hou met beide SEG-benaderings.
Prakties moet sakevroue en ander belanghebbendes, soos finansiële instellings, die
toepaslikheid en belangrikheid van die gebruik van beide style herken, en nie op
kousaliteit klem lê bo effektuasie nie. Verder kan entrepreneuriese
selfdoeltreffendheid, wat vir beide benaderings tot SEG relevant is, verhoog word
deur in geteikende opleiding en onderrig oor vroulike entrepreneurskap te belê.
Vir entrepreneurskapopvoeders beklemtoon hierdie bevindinge dat kursusse beide
besluitnemingstyle in ag moet neem en dat hierdie vaardighede in studente ontwikkel
moet word. Ondernemingsbestuurstudente moet leer dat hoewel logiese, beplande
en voorspellingsgebaseerde kousaliteitsbenaderings onder stabiele omstandighede
toepaslik is, effektuasie maniere bied om onsekere situasies meer effektief te
benader. Entrepreneuriese inisiatiewe met 'n lae graad van innovasie is meer geskik
vir 'n voorspellende, kousale benadering, terwyl inisiatiewe met 'n hoër mate van
innovasie voordeel sal trek uit die gebruik van effektuasiebeginsels.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/20350 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Oostenbrink, Marlizanne |
| Contributors | Boshoff, C, De Villiers Scheepers, M. J., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Dept. of Business Management. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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