Entrepreneurial culture in a South African higher education institution.

Abstract

Entrepreneurial culture in most of the countries plays vital role towards uplifting of country’s economy. This is achieved through an integrated approach amongst tertiary institutions, business sector, and government. This study expanded the three-alliance integrated approach through integration of students’ self-efficacy that should be driven with employment business plan competitions, technology competitions and experiential opportunities. The purpose of the study is to unleash within students, the potential of creating manpower through establishment of business from small to medium size and other job opportunities incorporated with risk management and uncertainty bearing information when managing their businesses. This study has been conducted using the mixed method approach. The data collection process employed is concurrent mixed method data collection strategy. The purpose for employing this strategy is to validate one form of data with the other data form. The researcher employed both closed questions and open-ended questions with the rationale of ensuring fair intuitiveness for participants. Two hundred and sixty-three students responded out of two hundred and seventy using Likert scale closed questions. Six total numbers of Heads of Departments, Management and Deans responded for open ended Questions. Study initially targeted 286 participants with 270 students who were expected to respond, and 16 totals Number of Heads of Departments, Management and Dean were expected to respond but only 6 of them in total responded which is 38% and only 263 students responded which is 97%. Sample procedure was stratified sampling procedure. Non-respondents came from Management and Head of departments. A total response rate was 94, 05% and non-response rate was 5, 95% for both students and staff. Findings revealed extensive importance of instilled entrepreneurial culture in a South African institution to contribute towards minimizing high level of unemployed graduate and to help reduce the only employability mind-set and promote entrepreneurial mind-set.