Year: 2015
Type: dissertation
Abstract: In the hope of addressing the e-skills shortage in the country, a collaborative project between \ngovernment and tertiary institutions was launched. A need for improving multi-sectorial issues, such \nas e-skilling was identified in order to uplift the people of South Africa in an attempt to decrease certain \nsocial issues, such as unemployment and crime; unemployment is one of the biggest concerns relating \nto South Africa’s economic growth. The need for collaboration between various stakeholders was \nidentified as this is the only way to address a skills and specifically an e-skills shortage and transform \na country into an ICT powerhouse. E-skills are regarded as the food of the future that will assist the \nparticipants in a country’s economy as well as its residents to survive in this ever-changing world of \ntechnology. Small medium enterprises (SMEs) are seen as the driving force behind a country’s \neconomy. Entrepreneurs who do not raise their e-skills level will be left behind on platform “shortage”. \nThe strong relationship formed between government and tertiary institutions creates the opportunity to \ndevelop interventions that are relevant and applicable to the current environment. As many countries \nare realising the importance of entrepreneurs and small firms in relation to their contribution to the \neconomy, it is not surprising that one of the focus areas identified by the South African government is \nentrepreneurs, or more specifically micro enterprises and their capability to adopt information \ncommunication technology (ICT) innovatively. \nThis thesis focuses on the current ICT levels of the survivalist entrepreneurs, in other words “what I \nmake today puts bread on the table tonight” entrepreneurs. By following an interpretive approach, using \nboth questionnaires and interviews, the researcher firstly set out to understand these entrepreneurs \nand how they are currently using ICT. Secondly, the training provided as part of the government initiative \nwas investigated to see if ICT and specifically e-skill training has changed the success of these \nentrepreneurs, to ensure it was not only been implemented but also effectively used over time. The first \nmodel used to determine the ICT adoption is the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology \n(UTAUT) developed by Venkatesh, Morris, Davis and Davis in 2003. To determine the training of \nentrepreneurs the “Content model for entrepreneurship education” (E/P) by Van Vuuren and Nieman \nwas investigated; this model is used as part of the government project to train entrepreneurs. \nThis thesis contributes to the body of knowledge in that it firstly provides an ICT profile of the \nentrepreneur, explaining how entrepreneurs are currently engaging in ICT. Secondly this thesis \ndetermined that for entrepreneurs to become successful, they have to work with fellow entrepreneurs \nin their communities in not only taking on projects together but also assisting in referrals of their fellow \nentrepreneurs. This thesis also makes a contribution to theory by incorporating ICT training into the \ncontent model of entrepreneurship training as part of the business skills training of the model. The last \ncontribution, related to the previous one, is the actual ICT training program for these entrepreneurs. . \nThis thesis also expands the ICT literature by introducing the E/P model into ICT literature. And lastly, \nthe thesis includes a list of technologies that can assist an entrepreneur in improving his/her business.
Author: Riana Steyn
Language: English
Subfield: Management of Technology and Innovation
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2219210248