Entrepreneurship can play a crucial role in overcoming development barriers, alleviating unemployment, and promoting general wellbeing. For decades, scholars have investigated the factors that...Show moreEntrepreneurship can play a crucial role in overcoming development barriers, alleviating unemployment, and promoting general wellbeing. For decades, scholars have investigated the factors that influence entrepreneurial entry. It is only recently, though, that scholars have begun to centralise the concept of necessity- and opportunity-motivated entrepreneurial entry in this research field. Studies investigating factors that influence entrepreneurial motivation have shown mixed results and have thus far focused solely on low- and middle-income and developed countries. This study elaborates on the existing research by investigating the influence of both human capital and (same and other) demographic characteristics in South Africa, a middle-income, developing country. Based on comprehensive data from 171 South African entrepreneurs (Global Entrepreneurs Monitor, Adult Population Survey 2017), this quantitative analysis was embedded in a qualitative overview of the structural reality and historical context within which the challenge of entrepreneurship in South Africa sits. As predicted, human capital (educational level) showed to lead to a higher cognitive ability and in turn a greater ability to identify and recognise opportunities. Similarly, higher educational levels led to better social networks, which positively influences entrepreneurs to identify and exploit business opportunities. Additionally, as predicted, being younger and therefore, for example, attaching more value to autonomy, having fewer obligations, and experimenting (more) with making the optimal career choice, leads to being more open to a range of opportunities compared to older entrepreneurs, which increases the ability to be opportunity-motivated. These findings are useful for policymakers who desire to more effectively stimulate and promote entrepreneurship. Doing so enhances the entrepreneurial ecosystem, which in turn leads to economic development, growth, and to overcome development barriers.Show less
This research presents and analyses how Bole Michael, Addis Ababa functions in Somali mobility and the role of Somali entrepreneurship in this area. Moreover, it aims to avoid going along with...Show moreThis research presents and analyses how Bole Michael, Addis Ababa functions in Somali mobility and the role of Somali entrepreneurship in this area. Moreover, it aims to avoid going along with popular notions and conventional theories on Somalis and entrepreneurs. Henceforth, this research uses literature that fits the context of Somalis in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Furthermore, this study shows that Somalis in Bole Michael do not identify as refugees, which contradicts the simplified paradigm illustrated by existing literature on Somalis in Bole Michael. Nevertheless, it reveals that Bole Michael functions as a transit hub for various Somali migrants moving through Bole Michael to Europe and North America. Additionally, Somali enterprises in Bole Michael are service-based and offer services that assist the journey undertaken by migrants, such as; guesthouses, money transfer operators and restaurants. Accordingly, this research argues that Somali businesses sustain and stimulate international Somali mobility. This thesis concludes with suggestions for further research that studies the stimulating effect of money transfer companies on illegal migration among Somali youth.Show less
Israel's High Technology industry makes for an interesting case study as it has become one of the most successful High Technology industries worldwide. Gaining independence in 1948, Israel started...Show moreIsrael's High Technology industry makes for an interesting case study as it has become one of the most successful High Technology industries worldwide. Gaining independence in 1948, Israel started out as a developing country under a socialist government with an agriculturally based economy. Currently Israel is a prosperous country with a market-based economy, famous for its export of High Technology products and services. Analysis of factors contributing to the emergence of the successful High Technology industry in Israel reveal that a multitude of factors were of importance to this process, of which several are unique to the Israeli case. Universities, the Israeli military and the migration of scientists and engineers from the former USSR provided entrepreneurs, knowledge, and skilled labor crucial to the development of the High Technology industry. Governmental support programs in the form of R&D grants and the Technology Business Incubator program encouraged the development of New Technology Based Firms through the provision of capital and services. Governmental programs aimed at attracting Venture Capital into Israel successfully established a basis of a Venture Capital industry in Israel, allowing for increased investments in Israeli New Technology Based Firms and professional guidance provided by venture capitalists. Combined, these factors contributed to the emergence of the Israeli High Technology industry.Show less
Scholarly literature on entrepreneurship and policymaking is primarily focused on policy strategy proposals for entrepreneurial success, failing to include the actual impact of these policy...Show moreScholarly literature on entrepreneurship and policymaking is primarily focused on policy strategy proposals for entrepreneurial success, failing to include the actual impact of these policy initiatives on start-up ecosystems. In essence, research on the topic of policy implementation and entrepreneurship lacks insight into whether national governments are able to effectively intervene in the entrepreneurial ecosystem and foster the conditions for a sustainable start-up environment (Mason and Brown 2014, 27). Taking this under-explored research area into consideration, it is relevant to investigate the relation between government policies and the survival of entrepreneurial businesses. In the light of start-up economies, South Korea is presented as a forerunner in economic growth and innovation, as well as one of the main hubs for entrepreneurship in Asia (Millard 2014). However, only 39.9% of South Korean start-up companies manages to survive beyond five years (KOSIS 2018). This is in contrast to start-up survival rate in the Singapore where 52.7% of all start-ups manage to pass the crucial five-year mark (Kam, Ping, and Crystal 2017, 27). In order to provide an insight into the failure of the South Korean start-up ecosystem to secure entrepreneurial sustainability, this thesis will address the following research question: To what extent do the government policies promoted in the Creative Economy Action Plan target the conditions for entrepreneurial success, in order to effectively ensure a sustainable start-up economy in the Seoul Capital Area? With the aim of providing a comprehensible insight to this research question, this thesis conducts a three-part analysis on the Creative Economy Action Plan published by the Park administration in 2013, the opinions of 300 South Korean entrepreneurs regarding start-up survival in 2018, and the process of success or failure of three distinct technology start-ups in the Seoul Capital Area. This thesis argues that, although the government policies promoted in the Creative Economy Action Plan explicitly targeted three distinct factors for start-up success, the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the Seoul Capital Area remains problematic regarding the success factors of monetary funding, market accessibility, and conductive entrepreneurial culture.Show less
This thesis investigates discursive trends on the topic of productivity and entrepreneurship in resource-rich Middle East countries (specifically Gulf Cooperation Council states). It provides both...Show moreThis thesis investigates discursive trends on the topic of productivity and entrepreneurship in resource-rich Middle East countries (specifically Gulf Cooperation Council states). It provides both qualitative and quantitative analyses of the existing literature. General findings point to the dominant role that the Rentier State Theory has had in shaping the discourse.Show less
The exclusion of women from the economy results in a country loses labour force and hampers its (potential) economic development and prosperity. Nevertheless, the participation rates of women in...Show moreThe exclusion of women from the economy results in a country loses labour force and hampers its (potential) economic development and prosperity. Nevertheless, the participation rates of women in the market are often much lower than those of men, especially in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Women face socio-cultural barriers that restrict their individual freedoms in several areas, for instance their access to education and the (global) market. Their subordinated role towards men is established in various aspects of life: society, economy and politics. At the same time, MENA countries are facing challenges imposed by high youth unemployment and the need to catch up with the global economic progress to stay competitive. Diversification of the economy is one of the main goals in order to keep up with the global economic developments. Diversification means also including more women into the labour market since they often approach challenges of the market different than men.Neoliberal reforms intend to increase the competitiveness of a market by making it accessible for everyone. The claim that I want to investigate is that neoliberalism impacts on the (economic) opportunities of women within the socio-cultural context of their countries. In other words, how do neoliberal reforms impact on female entrepreneurship in the Middle East and North Africa?Show less
The late 20th century has seen a rise of debates on the real effectiveness of international development cooperation programmes, at least in the way they were conceived and implemented starting from...Show moreThe late 20th century has seen a rise of debates on the real effectiveness of international development cooperation programmes, at least in the way they were conceived and implemented starting from the first post-WWII decades. The main outcome of these ongoing discussions has been the urgency of a “paradigm change” in development cooperation, in order to enhance its social impact and increase the resources dedicated to it. In chapter two, which is about my conceptual framework, I discuss this change more in detail. It implies shifting from a model based on unilateral actions from governments, public society organisations or private actors, in favour of multi-stakeholder collaborations between these three categories of actors, to pool together their specific resources and expertise towards the achievement of development goals. Chapter three is dedicated to presenting the emergence of this new paradigm of development cooperation, as well as the historical reasons that led to it, and how it is presently being implemented in the form of cross-sector collaborations. Of the latter, we will focus on the case of public-private partnerships and specifically on their application as instruments of blended finance, explaining the origins and the definitions of the concept and its potential advantages – as well as limits – compared to pure public or private development interventions. Chapter four will present a case study of a public-private partnership established between Dutch development agency “Aqua for All”, and Kenyan company “Hydroponics Africa”, for the realisation of a development project in the area of Nairobi and its surroundings. After introducing the project, we will evaluate the strong points and the shortcomings of Aqua for All’s approach to development cooperation in relation to the project at hand. This will be done by analysing the outcomes of interviews conducted with Hydroponics Africa’s CEO, directly involved in the elaboration and implementation of the partnership, as well as the people targeted by the project, to assess its results in terms of social impact.Show less
This thesis focuses on the development of entrepreneurship and SME sector in the post-Soviet Russia. More specifically, it investigates the root-cause of stagnant development of entrepreneurship....Show moreThis thesis focuses on the development of entrepreneurship and SME sector in the post-Soviet Russia. More specifically, it investigates the root-cause of stagnant development of entrepreneurship. Convinced that the answer lies in the legacy of the 1990s crisis period, the thesis poses the following question: To what extent is the legacy of formal and informal constraints to businesses in the 1990s impacting the development of entrepreneurship and SME sector in contemporary Russia? As such, the goal of the thesis is to set a clear diagnosis that will provide a framework with strong foundations for future researchers, thereby aiding them in tackling the problem from the root. For that reason, a new hybrid framework is developed, which looks at structural (top-down) and ideational (bottom-up) factors. Based on the findings, Russia currently does not have a political, economic and socio-cultural structure in which entrepreneurship is in high demand. Statist-patrimonial capitalism, thriving corruption, unfavorable credit conditions, bureaucratic and administrative barriers still pose major problems for small and medium businesses. The overarching culture of informality as an accelerator for achieving goals, low entrepreneurial intentions and deteriorated entrepreneurs’ trust in the state are other survivors of the 1990s transition. Many practices have thus, survived the turbulent transition or have evolved from it. However, the essence has remained the same, which keeps the 1990s legacy alive and the vicious circle turning, thereby leaving entrepreneurship and SME stuck in development. Unless the problem of stalemate in development is tackled from the core on the political, economic and the socio-cultural fronts, it is not likely that major advancements will be made in building a strong entrepreneurial Russia with a large and dynamic SME sector.Show less
This bachelor's thesis gives an analyses of female traders in Leiden from 1650-1750. The societal views are discussed in the first chapter, along with general opportunities for women to be...Show moreThis bachelor's thesis gives an analyses of female traders in Leiden from 1650-1750. The societal views are discussed in the first chapter, along with general opportunities for women to be economically active in Leiden. The second chapter discusses women in retail trade (shopkeepers) and female merchants. The third chapter explains the increasing role of women on the financial markets.Show less
This thesis examines the entrepreneurial reasons for establishing the Ostend Company (1722-1727) in the context of socio-political developments in the aftermath of the War of the Spanish Succession...Show moreThis thesis examines the entrepreneurial reasons for establishing the Ostend Company (1722-1727) in the context of socio-political developments in the aftermath of the War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1713). The thesis concludes that the Ostend Company could be established because: internal competition in the Southern Netherlands had to be eliminated to restore profitability of the Chinese tea trade; merchants from the Southern Netherlands could not gain trading concessions in Bengal without the institutional protection of a Company (under the Habsburg Emperor); the Habsburg administration judged that overseas trade was instrumental for the economic development of the Southern Netherlands, in turn strengthening Habsburg authority there; and the Dutch and English threat of waging war against the commercial initiatives in the Southern Netherlands turned out to be a hollow one.Show less
