Robertson K. Tengeh

Business incubators were designed to sustain the deep-rooted image of entrepreneurs being self-reliant and by offering a broad spectrum of tailored services; it seeks to raise the success rate of small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) significantly. BIs have the characteristics to be completely dedicated to the success of a small business in its initial stages but, followed through, it puts in place the tools to achieve long-term success: space, funding, legal, accounting, computer services and other prerequisites to running a business, make BIs a one-stop shop for SMEs. This study has been conducted to establish if there has been a fairytale ending to the symbiotic relationship or whether the business incubator, like the SME, has had to traverse its own set of challenges towards achieving a happy union. The paper adopted a quantitative research approach in which the questionnaire was utilized as the relevant data collection tool. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software was used to analyze the data, with descriptive statistics at the end. As much as limited funding was reported to be a significant challenge that incubatees faced prior to joining the incubation programs, the results point to the fact that the need for multiple skills was the central force that seduced/lured the incubatees into the programs, but the majority of the participating respondents declare a complete lack of regret. Instead, they fully endorse the merits of the union, stating that BIs exists to effectively meet the objectives of SMEs

The high failure rate of new small enterprises in Angola calls to attention the fact that they are not equipped enough to meet the challenges of sustainable economic growth, equitable distribution of wealth and job creation. The worrying impact on the Angolan landscape, as a consequence, has had economists scrambling for solutions in recent years. Moving from on the assumption that the current business climate has been a contributing factor, this paper attempts to examine the role of external environmental factors in the context of Angola. Adopting a quantitative approach, the questionnaire was utilized as the primary data collection tool with snowballing as the sampling technique. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software delivered a result to the quantitative data that indicate a severe lack of economic support and availability of fundamental business resources such as raw material, skilled people and finance, and rigid policy-making regulations. The doomed-to-fail death knell to the Angolan small business comes in the form of a high level of corruption and theft in the country

Even though the arts and craft industry is perceived to be a significant contributor to the socio-economic development of South Africa, the plight of immigrant owed businesses that dominate this sector has been largely neglected in policy and support initiatives over the past decades. This paper aims to contribute to the inclusion debate, by examining the factors that inhibit the start-up of African immigrant-owned craft businesses in selected craft markets in the Cape Town area. A quantitative approach to data collection and analysis was adopted with snowballing as the sampling technique. Questionnaires were administered to 122 African immigrant entrepreneurs. The quantitative data was analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS 23). The findings indicated that limited access to bank loans, limited space, and high rental costs were the major start-up challenges. Other concerns included the relatively very short-stay permits issued by the Department of Home Affairs to immigrant entrepreneurs, the problem of complying with taxation regulations in South Africa, and the difficulty of communicating in Afrikaans and Xhosa were not perceived as start-up challenges. Recommendations were made to African immigrant entrepreneurs and selected municipal managers aimed at dealing with the start-up challenges faced by African immigrant-owned businesses

This paper sought to ascertain the factors that impact on the growth of African immigrant-owned craft businesses in selected craft markets. The purposive and snowball non-probability sampling technique was deemed to be the best method to use in this study to select the respondents. The study utilized a mixed method approach to collect and analyze data. Questionnaires (quantitative) were administered to 122 African immigrant entrepreneurs, and in-depth interviews (qualitative) were conducted with the three municipality managers responsible for the four selected craft markets. The quantitative data were analyzed using the Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) software, and face-to- face interviews were analysed by content analysis. Pushed by the need to survive and pulled by the many tourists in South Africa, African immigrant entrepreneurs turned to the craft business Seasonal and irregular nature of trade, competition, and xenophobia were noted to be the main growth challenges. Recommendations were made to the relevant stakeholders.

Keywords: African immigrant entrepreneur, business growth, survivalist businesses, craft markets, SMEs.
JEL Classification: M10, M13

In as much as entrepreneurial action fosters job creation and economic growth, entrepreneurs encounter the significant risk of failure, and community bears the brunt. Though business incubators were designed to provide support and hope to ailing businesses, evidence suggests that not all on these programs succeed. Going on the assumption that even businesses on incubation programs do not seem to be immune to failure, this study sought to determine the key factors that hinder the growth of incubatees in South Africa.
Adopting a quantitative approach, the questionnaire was utilized as the primary data collection tool, and the snowball sampling method was employed resulting in a sample size of 93 respondents. The research participants for this study were limited to firms that were registered on the databases of two business incubators who promote small business development strategy and programs in Cape Town and Johannesburg, respectively. The findings indicated that lack of funding, lack of credit facility, competition, crime, lack of access to external market, lack of business skills and lack of product selection and design were the key factors that hinder the growth of incubatees.
Given the substantial resources invested in business incubation programs, the fact that business incubators are entrepreneurial ventures in themselves, understanding and finding sustainable solutions to the factors that hinder the growth of their clients (incubatees) would be a win-win solution for the relevant stakeholders.

Keywords: business incubatees, business incubators, entrepreneurship, growth, South Africa.
JEL Classification: M1, L84

SMMEs provide an indispensable framework for addressing unemployment, poverty and boosting the economy of a country. This report was impelled by the need to create and sustain enterprises within the hotels and restaurant sub-sector of the tourism industry in Libreville, Gabon. A quantitative methodology was embraced to disperse seventy self-administered questionnaires to owners and managers of hotels and restaurants. The results demonstrate that the key components which lead to the failure or non-sustainability of businesses include: limited access to start-up finance required to cover start-up and growth cost, the low return on investment, as well as the mismanagement of businesses. Given that job creation remains a dependable method for diminishing unemployment and poverty, establishing and sustaining businesses in Libreville would be a step in the right direction in Gabon.

Keywords: venture creation, enterprise development, entrepreneurship challenges, Libreville.
JEL Classification: M13, L26, L83

Using a triangulation of three research methods led by an exploratory intent, the investigation was lodged into the informal businesses conducted by the Somali and native South Africans in a local township; its pervading intention to seek out similarities or differences between both groups. The survey questionnaire, personal interview and focus group discussions were the preferred data collection tools. Unsurprisingly perhaps, the results suggest that there are more differences between both groups than there are similarities. While the areas of similarities included issues confronting all businesses in the township such as legislation and crime, the authors believe that the differences contribute to the perceived competitive advantage accorded Somalis, hence, the tension between both groups. On the one hand, the inter-group differences that worked in favor of Somalis included the fact that because of the factors influencing their displacement, their need to succeed was exaggerated from the onset: they prove to be younger, more motivated, harder working, co-operative and charge less – the combination gives them an undeniable competitive edge. On the other hand, the natives have the following factors in their favor: they pay less rental or none, are more educated, depict a higher level of business training, as well as prior business experience. Though the anecdoctal evidence does not guarantee an accurate prediction of who has the competitive advantage, it, nonetheless, supports the view that labor market discrimination and the fueled desire to survive gives immigrants the motivation to succeed in entrepreneurial ventures in the host country.

Keywords: immigrant entrepreneurs, informal trading, South African townships and xenophobia.
JEL Classification: M1

Most studies on entrepreneurship have highlighted the relative importance of a conducive environment for the development of entrepreneurship. This notwithstanding, entrepreneurship has been noted to thrive even under the most adverse conditions, such as during economic, social and political instabilities. Using resilience as the propensity to bounce back after adversity and xenophobia, crime, unhealthy competition, etc. as correlates of adversity or an unconducive business environment, this paper investigated the preponderance of Somali grocery shops in South African township despite the perceived hostility of the business environment. Anchored on the qualitative research approach, a purposive sample of 13 participants provided the required data for analysis. Specifically, the data collection took the form of focus group interviews in which two groups of 6 and 7 informants were purposively selected to be part of the interviews. Prominent in the results was the fact that almost all the current Somali grocery shops in the study area have been victims of crime and theft. Furthermore, virtually all the Somali grocery shops that were victimized during the xenophobic outburst have since re-opened. The foregoing themes of resilience and adversity unmistakably indicate the propensity of Somali grocery shop owners’ ability to bounce back. As to what township entrepreneurs worry or fear most, clearly the fear of the re-occurrence of the xenophobic attacks surpassed that of burglary, theft and death. As to what fuels Somali’s persistence and preponderance in townships, both push and pulled factors were reported. Reporting on risk aversion, it was noted that most of the founders (here referred to as an entrepreneur) are not actively involved in running the shops. They simply recruit others to do the job on their behalf. Under this circumstance, the risk is limited to financial risk. This approach is quite different for other African immigrants in the same township.

Keywords: entrepreneurship, turbulent business environment, xenophobia, entrepreneurial resilience, South Africa townships.
JEL Classification: M00

This research sought to ascertain those job characteristics that influence teacher motivation, which may result in improved pass rates for learners in Ibadan South-West Local Government, Nigeria. Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate statistical analytic methods were employed to determine the relationships between job characteristics and obstacles to teaching and learning, on the one hand; and respondents’ profile, on the other. For the purpose of the research, 456 teachers were surveyed with the aid of a structured questionnaire. Relatively young teachers were surveyed (87%), with females dominating the sample. The results suggest that while salary, career opportunities and duties and responsibilities respectively take central stage in motivating the participants, other job characteristics variables (such as supervision/leadership) do not exert the same effect. Furthermore, the results also show that the lack of resources related to learning and research, and the lack of recognition/reward are deemed as the dominant obstacles in meeting teaching and learning goals, while non-transparent culture is viewed as an insignificant obstacle. A major implication of the findings is that to achieve a sustainable improvement in student performance, a systematic improvement in teachers’ job related factors would be needed.