Developing women entrepreneurs: the influence of enactus networks on women- owned SMMEs in Kwa Zulu-Natal
type: CreativeWork
description: The extent to which women entrepreneurs interact with the entrepreneurial networks in their local environment as well as the impact that entrepreneurial networks bring to bear on the growth of women-owned Small, Medium, and Micro enterprises (SMMEs) during the process of developing their enterprises from 2005 to 2015 was studied. The research explored and described the socio-economic impact of Enactus (a student organisation that works with business leaders and academics to improve the lives of communities using an entrepreneurial approach) entrepreneurial networks on women owned SMMEs in the agricultural food processing sector in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The justification for the study was that despite the growing number of women-led businesses and a significant increase in the number of initiatives, policies and resources designed to promote and develop women’s entrepreneurship have been insufficient. Women that have established SMMEs in South Africa have achieved limited growth. Based on those observations, the study explored the research question: Do entrepreneurial networks empower the growth of women-owned enterprises in developing countries? The Social network theory was adopted in this study as the relevant background theory in dealing with the research problem. Three key concepts are linked to this theory: women entrepreneurship, empowerment through networks, and growth of enterprises owned by women entrepreneurs. These key concepts were critically analysed, gaps explored, and links established and discussed in order to build the theoretical ground. The study utilised a cross-sectional and causal-comparative research design from the case study of 314 respondents sampled for this study. The sample comprised 234 women entrepreneurs, 8 key informants, and 72 programme-facilitators. Engaging in the Enactus networks was the independent variable. The growth of women-owned enterprises was the outcome of interest with the following indicators as dependent varia…
abstract: The extent to which women entrepreneurs interact with the entrepreneurial networks in their local environment as well as the impact that entrepreneurial networks bring to bear on the growth of women-owned Small, Medium, and Micro enterprises (SMMEs) during the process of developing their enterprises from 2005 to 2015 was studied. The research explored and described the socio-economic impact of Enactus (a student organisation that works with business leaders and academics to improve the lives of communities using an entrepreneurial approach) entrepreneurial networks on women owned SMMEs in the agricultural food processing sector in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The justification for the study was that despite the growing number of women-led businesses and a significant increase in the number of initiatives, policies and resources designed to promote and develop women’s entrepreneurship have been insufficient. Women that have established SMMEs in South Africa have achieved limited growth. Based on those observations, the study explored the research question: Do entrepreneurial networks empower the growth of women-owned enterprises in developing countries? The Social network theory was adopted in this study as the relevant background theory in dealing with the research problem. Three key concepts are linked to this theory: women entrepreneurship, empowerment through networks, and growth of enterprises owned by women entrepreneurs. These key concepts were critically analysed, gaps explored, and links established and discussed in order to build the theoretical ground. The study utilised a cross-sectional and causal-comparative research design from the case study of 314 respondents sampled for this study. The sample comprised 234 women entrepreneurs, 8 key informants, and 72 programme-facilitators. Engaging in the Enactus networks was the independent variable. The growth of women-owned enterprises was the outcome of interest with the following indicators as dependent varia…
author: Vezi-Magigaba, Makhosazana Faith
keywords: women entrepreneurs, SMMEs-small, medium and micro enterprises
license: https://uzspace.unizulu.ac.za/bitstreams/7c15ddc2-dc0c-40ed-b879-49ee2e4f3a3a/download
date published: 2018
date modified: 2026-07-24T06:16:55Z
provider: University of Zululand
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of Zululand