Personality Traits and Performance of Immigrant-Owned Small Businesses

Motivation: Immigrant entrepreneurs contribute to employment and the sustainable growth of host countries and both native and immigrant-owned enterprises should be included in the growth and employment strategy of a country. However, immigrant-owned small businesses face many challenges which impact on their performance and survival. The personality traits of immigrant entrepreneurs can influence the strategy adopted and implemented to improve business performance. Novelty: The aim of the study is to examine the effect of owners’ personality traits on the performance of immigrant-owned small businesses using the Five-Factor model. Empirical studies that specifically focus on the effect of personality traits on the performance of immigrant-owned small businesses are scarce. Methodology and Methods: The cross sectional survey method was used for data collection in a quantitative study. Data was collected from one hundred and ninety-six immigrant entrepreneurs and the participants in the survey were conveniently sampled. The participants of this study were in the retail and service businesses and were immigrants with legal residency in South Africa. Data and Empirical Analysis: The Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modelling (PLS SEM) was used for analysis. The results indicated significant positive relationships between three personality traits (openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion) and the performance of immigrant-owned small businesses. The influence of agreeableness is insignificant while the effect of neuroticism is significantly negative. Policy Considerations: The findings this study can help individuals, businesses and government agencies that support small businesses to understand the personality traits that can help to improve the performance of immigrant-owned businesses. The design of training programme to improve the performance of immigrant-owned businesses should include how to enhance the personality traits of immigrant entrepreneurs especially openness to experience, conscientiousness and extraversion. The employment strategy of immigrant-owned small businesses should focus on individuals with these performance-enhancing personality traits

Work-Life Conflict of Native and Immigrant Entrepreneurs in South Africa

Work life conflict negatively impacts entrepreneurs and the economic performance of their businesses. The study explored the work-life conflict (WLC) of native and immigrant entrepreneurs in South Africa. Also, the study examined the effect of gender and work-related factors (long working hours and work overload) on the WLC of native and immigrant entrepreneurs. The study adopted the survey method (selfadministered questionnaires) for data collection. The participants in the study were identified through convenience and snowballing sampling methods. The methods of data analysis included descriptive statistics, T-test, Pearson correlation and regression analysis. The results showed high levels of WLC for both native and immigrant entrepreneurs. Native entrepreneurs have a higher level of WLC compared to immigrant entrepreneurs, however the difference is not statistically significant. Male entrepreneurs have a lower level of WLC compared to female entrepreneurs. Long working hours and work overload significantly impact on the WLC of native and immigrant entrepreneurs. Recommendations to reduce WLC include goal setting, scheduling and delegation of work by entrepreneurs.&nbsp

Entrepreneurial Marketing and Performance of Small and Medium Enterprises in South Africa

The study investigated the effect of entrepreneurial marketing (EM) on the performance of SMEs. Performance was measured using both organisational and personal criteria. The study utilised the quantitative research approach. The cross-sectional survey method was used for data collection. Data was collected from small business owners through the survey method. The self-administered questionnaire method was used to collect data from the participants. Convenience and snowball methods were used for sampling. Descriptive statistics and multiple regression were used for data analysis. The Cronbach's alpha was used as the measure of reliability. The results of this study showed significant positive relationships between some dimensions of EM and organisational and personal performance. Theoretically, the study linked EM to the personal performance of the owners of SMEs. Empirically, the study adds to the literature on the relationship between EM and the financial performance of SMEs. Practically, the study suggested recommendations that can improve EM by SMEs

An Exponential-Type Distribution for Modeling Failure Rate.

In this paper we introduced the Truncated Exponential Skew Symmetric Gumbel II (TESSG II) distribution which generalizes the Gumbel II distribution using the method proposed by Nadarajah et al (2013). Unlike the Gumbel II distribution which exhibits a monotone decreasing failure rate, the new distribution is useful for modeling unimodal (Bathtub-shaped) failure rates which has a wider class of applications in solving real life problems. Structural properties of the new distribution namely, density function, hazard function, moments and moment generating function were obtained. The maximum likelihood was employed to estimate parameters of the new distribution. Real data set for failures of Air conditional system of Jet air planes were used to validate its tractability, we discovered that the Truncated Exponential Skew Symmetric Gumbel II (TESSG II)  has a better fit than Gumbel II distribution. Keywords: Quantile function, Bathtub-shaped failure rate, Renyl entropy, moment

Determinants of Social Entrepreneurial Intentions of University Students in South Africa

Entrepreneurial behaviour can be predicted by intentions. The study investigated the determinants of social entrepreneurial intentions (SEI) of university students in South Africa. The study adopted a quantitative research design that involved the use of a survey. The self-administered questionnaire method was used to collect data from the survey participants. The participants in the survey were final year undergraduate students of the Department of Business Management of two South African universities. Reliability was measured using the Cronbach’s alpha. The data analysis methods for the study were descriptive statistics, principal component analysis and regression analysis. The results indicated that empathy, moral obligation, entrepreneurial self-efficacy and perceived social support are predictors of social entrepreneurial intentions. The recommendations to improve the SEI of university students focus on passive and active entrepreneurship teaching methods

An Empirical Study of Tax Evasion and Tax Avoidance: A Critical Issue in Nigeria Economic Development

The revenue generated by the government from taxation forms a major source of finance to the federal government capital expenditure which is crucial to sustainable economic development. A major challenge to the government in generating this revenue has been the increasing rate of tax evasion and tax avoidance. Therefore tax evasion and tax avoidance are important factors to be considered as they affect both the volume and nature of government finances which is the key to economic development. This paper considers the effects of tax avoidance and tax evasion on Nigeria economic development. This paper considers the effects of tax avoidance and tax evasion on Nigeria economic development. A survey research design was adopted and responses were obtained through the use of a well structured questionnaire administered to 150 Nigerians, out of which are tax payer and tax evader. Findings from the analysis using statistics techniques reveal that tax evasion and avoidance have adversely affected economic growth and development in Nigeria, and also, that lack of good governance and unpatriotic act of tax payer, is the basis for which tax evasion and tax avoidance activities is perpetrated. The study therefore recommends that the government should embrace and promote good governance so as to encourage voluntary compliance of tax liability by the tax payers. Key words: Tax evasion, tax avoidance, economic development, tax hostility

The Skills Acquisition Programme and Youth Empowerment in Ondo State of Nigeria: An Empirical Study

Youths are said to be the future leaders of any country in the world Nigeria inclusive It is also a general belief that government all over the world try to invest strategically in her youth for them to be able to assume the position of leadership when the time comes In spite of this it appears that the training the investment of the Nigerian governments as well as the socialization of youth in Nigeria and Ondo State in particular seem to be inadequate because many of them instead of contributing meaningfully to the development of the society they are doing otherwise The Ondo State government in one of its spirited effort to combat this problem introduced the Skills Acquisition Programme to develop empower and engage the youth in the State This empirical study therefore assessed the level of impact this programme has on Youth empowerment and development in the State 27 copies of the questionnaire were administered on the trainers at the skill acquisition centers while 557 copies were given to the beneficiaries of the skills acquisition programme in Ondo State Thirteen members of the coordinating departments were chosen for an in-depth interview Findings revealed that the skills acquisition programme has been able to provide employment opportunities for youth beneficiaries reduce their involvement in social vices improved their standard of livin