FINDING WAYS TO BOOST ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INSPIRE THE SOUTH AFRICAN YOUTH.

Dr Thea van der Westhuizen, an academic at the University of Kwa Zulu Natal, recently completed her doctorate entitled “Developing Individual Entrepreneurial Orientation – A Systematic Approach.”
Like the majority of South Africans, she is concerned about the present unrest amongst the South African student population, and the fact that we have a 62% unemployment problem. She wants to convey the message that we cannot remedy anything easily. “The core to transformation is that we need to inspire people before we educate them.” She says. She would also like to see more people developing
business friendships (as opposed to partnerships). “When they engage with each other, they should have an open mind, an open heart and an open will in order for ideas to transform into actions that might sustain. The rationale behind having an open mind and heart is to bridge the disconnect people have amongst themselves, and with different social systems.” Comments Thea.
“Leaders need to inspire the youth – and basically, we need more inspirational leaders. That is what will transform society. We need to breach the disconnect between the student, the unemployed – and society. Inspiration fuels passion and the drive and will to succeed.” She says.
For her doctoral thesis, Thea conducted research using 60 second year university students, to determine whether Theory U (a management method to change unproductive methods of behaviour) and Individual Entrepreneurial Orientation (IEO) can be used to boost entrepreneurship amongst the youth in South Africa.
The students participated in an action learning and research project over nine months. Thea’s findings indicated that participants IEO propensities, entrepreneurial self-efficacy and learning preferences developed significantly and positively, and the conclusion drawn was that using the conceptual framework of Theory U as a social technology has a positive impact on the development of Individual Entrepreneurial Orientation. Commented Thea “Through the involvement of various rolepays in the systematic action learning and research project entitled SHAPE systematic goals were met.”