Entrepreneurship education: a perspective on nascent entrepreneurs in a sub-Saharan African setting
Amon Simba, Mahdi Tajeddin, Eric Liguori, Patient RambePurpose
This study conceptualises entrepreneurship education through the lens of nascent entrepreneurship in sub-Saharan Africa. It develops theoretical explanations and perspectives regarding nascent entrepreneurs' soft, technical, and entrepreneurship-specific skills, as well as their entrepreneurial readiness in a resource-constrained setting. The resulting conceptual confluence contributes novel theoretical insights, detailing how African values are integrated into the nascent entrepreneurship process to foster the cognitive competencies necessary for validating and exploiting business opportunities in a resource-constrained context of Sub-Saharan Africa.
Design/methodology/approach
This multivariate study analysed a sample comprising 300 South African nascent entrepreneurs, selected from a broader population of 7,352. To ensure the representativeness of the sample, a Raosoft sample size calculator was employed, targeting a 95% confidence level, a 5% margin of error, and a 50% response distribution. Data analysis was conducted using linear regression and structural equation modelling techniques.
Findings
The findings of this study indicate that soft skills significantly influence venture creation, innovative financing, and organisational growth. Technical skills further explain the readiness of nascent entrepreneurs in a resource-constrained context. Crucially, within the framework of African entrepreneurship education, the processes of identifying, validating, and exploiting business opportunities demonstrate a positive and significant relationship with the entrepreneurial readiness of nascent African entrepreneurs. Furthermore, the results provide insights into their proficiency in resource optimisation while exploring and exploiting opportunities within their specific entrepreneurial environments.
Originality/value
The originality of this study lies in its theorisation of an entrepreneurship education system that underpins the activities of nascent entrepreneurs in a resource-constrained setting, where local and cultural systems, social norms, and values permeate every aspect of society. Consequently, it provides an understanding of the components of entrepreneurship education within the framework of a sub-Saharan African entrepreneurship education system.