Coaching as support for postgraduate students : a case study

BACKGROUND : Undergraduate students as a group are well researched, with focus on enhancing student engagement and improving learning and teaching methods. However, working postgraduate students have become a growing trend in the higher education sector, with little known about their experience. The purpose of this research is to better understand and to gain insight into the inter-role conflict experienced by postgraduate students owing to managing the multiple roles of work, personal life and studies. This article reports the case study of a coaching intervention administered to a group of postgraduate students over a 5-month period. The study concludes that the inclusion of a coaching intervention to assist postgraduate students in dealing with inter-role stress can no longer be ignored. Coaching support is an authentic way to support these students, with benefits reaching beyond the classroom. RESEARCH PURPOSE : The purpose of this research is to better understand the inter-role conflict emanating from managing work, personal life and studies, and to gain insight into the role of coaching as a support function. MOTIVATION FOR THE STUDY : There is limited research focusing on the experiences of postgraduate students, who are often working either part-time or full-time while pursuing their studies, and navigating three overlapping role domains simultaneously. Furthermore, even less is known about coaching as a support function to strike a balance between these three demanding roles. RESEARCH, APPROACH AND METHOD : This study is qualitative in nature. A coaching intervention over a 5-month period was used to assist postgraduate students in managing inter-role conflict. MAIN FINDINGS : The study suggests that coaching can be used as a method to address the interface between work, personal life and study demands for the working postgraduate student. To ensure successful throughput rates in the allocated time, a new support framework is required to complement the often insufficient academic interventions. CONTRIBUTION : The contribution of the research is twofold: Firstly, it focuses on working postgraduate students to gain insight into and a better understanding of the potential of coaching. Secondly, it highlights coaching as a potential support function. Very little research exists in the general literature on how to support working postgraduate students in higher education. The research also shows the potential of coaching as a support function to help postgraduate students navigate the three demanding role domains.http://www.sajhrm.co.zaBusiness Managemen

Entrepreneurial Cognition and the decision to exploit a New Venture Creation Opportunity

This study focuses on entrepreneurial cognition and the decision to start a new venture opportunity. The entrepreneurial process used has four broad phases namely; the intention to start, opportunity identification, taking the decision to exploit (start-up) and taking action to execute the venture. The focus of the study is on the decision to start. The study reports empirically the results from an experimentally designed case analysis. An attempt is made to clarify if any of the following constructs under discussion namely: risk perception, illusion of control, misconceptions or self-efficacy acts as a heuristic or bias and therefore influences the decision to exploit the opportunity. Entrepreneurs and non-entrepreneurs do not differ in their risk propensity but differ in their cognitive perception of the viability of the venture. A case study method that deals with the animal feed industry was used to eliminate possible familiarity with the industry. The case study was followed by an eight-page questionnaire, developed with structured questions to be completed by the respondents. The respondents varied over groups of students in entrepreneurship, general business management students, and well as humanities students. Managers and practicing entrepreneurs form the rest of the researched population. The study concludes that misconceptions, illusion of control and business risk perception, but not self-efficacy, influence the decision to start a business.Thesis (PhD (Entrepreneurship))--University of Pretoria, 2006.Business Managementunrestricte

Economic and management science learning area of Curriculum 2005 and entrepreneurial orientation

This study focus on the Entrepreneurial Orientation (EO), Education and Economic and Management Science learning area of curriculum 2005 constructs in order to determine whether EMS education can impact on the entrepreneurial orientation of learners. A brief overview is given to see how the EO construct has been described in academic literature at firm level as well as societal level. Entrepreneurship and education in schools are discussed with emphasis on what has been reported in the literature. Problems to make comparisons between countries are looked at and why it is important to have entrepreneurial education. A comparison is made between the enterprising skills, behaviour and attitudes mentioned by Gibb and the five dimensions of EO to determine common ground in teaching for EO. EO and education is also discussed. Education is seen as the independent variable to improve learners performance because it reaches the youth for many years and a tool to develop EO through a curriculum. The implicit role of culture is referred to and EO is seen as the mediator between the national culture and entrepreneurship. An attempt is made to develop an understanding of what should be included in EO learning mode to effectively convey the EO dimensions to the learner. Comparisons of the creative steps of Driver, knowledge skills of Fayolle and the business mode of Gibb were compared to teaching for the EO dimensions. Finally the results of an empirical study that was done to determine if the EO of learners that went through the EMS learning area of curriculum 2005 from grade 7-9 did change compared to a control group that did not go through the EMS learning area of curriculum 2005 from grade 7-9.The results reported that innovativeness and risk taking are affected by the EMS learning area of curriculum 2005.Dissertation (MPhil (Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management))--University of Pretoria, 2005.Business Managementunrestricte

Unravelling the conundrum of entrepreneurial intentions, entrepreneurship education, and entrepreneurial characteristics

ORIENTATION : Against the backdrop of recent youth unemployment dynamics, scholars have increasingly focused their attention on youth entrepreneurial intentions and their associated factors, such as entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial characteristics. RESEARCH PURPOSE : This article investigated the individual and combined effect of entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial characteristics on youth entrepreneurial intentions. MOTIVATION FOR THE STUDY : Notwithstanding the popularity of entrepreneurship education, its impact on learners’ entrepreneurial intentions is still not clearly established in the literature. Moreover, whilst there is a growing consensus about the influence of certain entrepreneurial characteristics on entrepreneurial intentions, rarely has the role of entrepreneurship education in this relationship been examined. RESEARCH DESIGN, APPROACH AND METHOD : Data for the analysis came from a cross-sectional survey of secondary students enrolled in Junior Achievement South Africa (JASA)’s Mini Enterprise Programme and a control group of secondary students. The data-collection instrument was a questionnaire compiled from previously validated statements, which was validly completed by 827 respondents. MAIN FINDINGS : Hierarchical logistic regression analysis revealed that entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial characteristics per se do not influence entrepreneurial intentions positively. However, once interaction effects were introduced, entrepreneurship education moderated the influence of need for achievement and family support on entrepreneurial intentions in a positive direction. PRACTICAL/MANAGERIAL IMPLICATIONS : Entrepreneurship-education-and-training institutions such as JASA should selectively screen their candidates to ensure that they also possess need for achievement and support from their close family. CONTRIBUTION/VALUE ADD : This is the first study investigating both the individual and combined effect of entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial characteristics on secondary students’ entrepreneurial intentions.http://www.actacommercii.co.zaam2016Business Managemen

Which types of experience matter? The role of prior start-up experiences and work experience in fostering youth entrepreneurial intentions

PURPOSE : In spite of research on entrepreneurial intentions being a mature field of enquiry, little is known about the influence of experience on entrepreneurial intentions, especially among the youth and in developing contexts. This paper aims to investigate the impact of different types of experience – entrepreneurial early childhood experiences, prior start-up experiences, work experience, education and peer influence – on the entrepreneurial intentions of South African youth. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH : First, a quantitative survey of 827 secondary students was administered, and the results were analysed by means of hierarchical logistic regression. Second, two focus groups were conducted with secondary students representing two distinct segments of South African society to shed light on some of the unique survey findings. FINDINGS : The results revealed that the experiences of having attempted to start a business and having previously worked in a business, as well as entrepreneurship education, have a positive influence on youth entrepreneurial intentions, while peers' entrepreneurial intentions exert a negative influence. Peer influence and contextual factors such as family and community support, which are catalytic in other parts of the world, appear to dampen youth entrepreneurial intentions because of fear of failure and fear of competition. ORIGINALITY/VALUE : This paper examines the influence of a broader taxonomy of experience types on youth entrepreneurial intentions than found in previous studies. It highlights the unique role played by specific types of experience and points to the need to include extra-curricular entrepreneurial experiences in interventions aimed at fostering youth entrepreneurial intentions in developing nations.https://www.emerald.com/insight/publication/issn/1355-2554hj2020Business Managemen

Successive failure, repeat entrepreneurship and no learning : a case study

The authors are indebted to the entrepreneur who participated at extensive personal risk. They presented the first results at the Babson BKERC conference in Madrid in 2007.ORIENTATION: Current theories of repeat entrepreneurship provide little explanation for the effect of failure as a ‘trigger’ for creating successive ventures or learning from repeated failures. RESEARCH PURPOSE: This study attempts to establish the role of previous failures on the ventures that follow them and to determine the process of learning from successive failures. MOTIVATION FOR THE STUDY: Successive failures offer potentially valuable insights into the relationship between failures on the ventures that follow and the process of learning from failure. RESEARCH DESIGN, APPROACH AND METHOD: The researchers investigated a single case study of one entrepreneur’s successive failures over 20 years. MAIN FINDINGS: Although the causes varied, all the failures had fundamental similarities. This suggested that the entrepreneur had not learnt from them. The previous failures did not trigger the subsequent ventures. Instead, they played a role in causing the failures. Learning from failure does not happen immediately but requires deliberate reflection. Deliberate reflection is a prerequisite for learning from failure as the entrepreneur repeated similar mistakes time after time until he reflected on each failure. PRACTICAL/MANAGERIAL IMPLICATIONS: It confirms that failure is a part of entrepreneurial endeavours. However, learning from it requires deliberate reflection. Failure does not ‘trigger’ the next venture and educators should note this. CONTRIBUTION/VALUE-ADD: Knowing the effect of failure on consecutive ventures may help us to understand the development of prototypes (mental frameworks) and expand the theory about entrepreneurial prototype categories.http://www.sajhrm.co.zanf201

Role conflict of business rescue practitioners

BACKGROUND : Business rescue practitioners (BRPs) need to play certain personal and professional roles as business rescue practitioners, as well as in their own careers apart from business rescue. It is evident that a conflict exists as to where to allocate time regarding role priorities - however, research results and literature on this topic are limited. RESEARCH PURPOSE : The purpose of this study is to develop a better understanding of the roles played by BRPs, role conflict experienced by BRPs, and the extent to which conflict occurs specifically during the three phases of a business rescue operation. MOTIVATION FOR THE STUDY : In South Africa, the field of business rescue is still largely in its infancy, and the roles of BRPs have not been researched. Therefore, this study focused on this topic. RESEARCH DESIGN, APPROACH AND METHOD : This study employed a generic qualitative research design and made use of 12 semi-structured, face-to-face interviews with participants who were licensed BRPs. These were supplemented by a graphic presentation to elicit further results. FINDINGS : Findings indicate that significant role conflict exists between BRPs’ rescue roles and their roles associated with their other priorities. It is revealed that roles could be placed into three categories: generic or dominant roles, enabler roles, and peripheral roles. Finally the study demonstrates that role conflicts which occur are a result of an imbalance of time demanded by the multiple role requirements within the BR process.http://www.journals.co.za/content/journal/jcmanam2019Business Managemen

Unravelling the conundrum of entrepreneurial intentions, entrepreneurship education, and entrepreneurial characteristics

ORIENTATION : Against the backdrop of recent youth unemployment dynamics, scholars have increasingly focused their attention on youth entrepreneurial intentions and their associated factors, such as entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial characteristics. RESEARCH PURPOSE : This article investigated the individual and combined effect of entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial characteristics on youth entrepreneurial intentions. MOTIVATION FOR THE STUDY : Notwithstanding the popularity of entrepreneurship education, its impact on learners’ entrepreneurial intentions is still not clearly established in the literature. Moreover, whilst there is a growing consensus about the influence of certain entrepreneurial characteristics on entrepreneurial intentions, rarely has the role of entrepreneurship education in this relationship been examined. RESEARCH DESIGN, APPROACH AND METHOD : Data for the analysis came from a cross-sectional survey of secondary students enrolled in Junior Achievement South Africa (JASA)’s Mini Enterprise Programme and a control group of secondary students. The data-collection instrument was a questionnaire compiled from previously validated statements, which was validly completed by 827 respondents. MAIN FINDINGS : Hierarchical logistic regression analysis revealed that entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial characteristics per se do not influence entrepreneurial intentions positively. However, once interaction effects were introduced, entrepreneurship education moderated the influence of need for achievement and family support on entrepreneurial intentions in a positive direction. PRACTICAL/MANAGERIAL IMPLICATIONS : Entrepreneurship-education-and-training institutions such as JASA should selectively screen their candidates to ensure that they also possess need for achievement and support from their close family. CONTRIBUTION/VALUE ADD : This is the first study investigating both the individual and combined effect of entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial characteristics on secondary students’ entrepreneurial intentions.http://www.actacommercii.co.zaam2016Business Managemen

Venture success attribution : directives for sponsor funding

This study identifies and explains the key success factors of start-up and growth ventures receiving support by a sponsor organisation. Large amounts of money to develop entrepreneurs are channelled yearly to expand sponsor businesses. No guarantee exists that the selection process gives consistent results or that the key success factors are clearly identifiable before the support allocation takes place. The research investigated nineteen ventures associated with a specific sponsor. Entrepreneurs were interviewed based on their own specific venture, own perceptions of success factors, self-evaluated personal attributes, specific context and support services received. Although the key success factors varied, all the entrepreneurial ventures had fundamental similarities. That success is relative, and not attributable to one factor, but achieved through a range of elements are confirmed. The value of the study is the range of contributing factors to meaningfully allocate resources. It also directs training focuses that must support sponsor programs.http://www.bapress.ca/jcm.phphb201