Enhancing Awareness of Digital Tools for Aspiring Entrepreneurs in South Africa

A Case Study of the Nelson Mandela Bay Start-Up Ecosystem

Master's Thesis , 2019 , 125 Pages , Grade: 1,3

Business economics - Business Management, Corporate Governance

The purpose of this research was to investigate how stakeholders in the Nelson Mandela Bay start-up ecosystem can enhance awareness of digital tools. Firstly, challenges that aspiring entrepreneurs in South Africa face in their early start-up activities were identified by the researcher. Secondly, barriers to using digital tools on their entrepreneurial journeys were discovered. Lastly, implications of these challenges and barriers for the efforts of relevant stakeholders in Nelson Mandela Bay were identified in order to propose strategies for effective and target-group-oriented start-up support.

The researcher used a case study approach and qualitative data was collected through a) focus group discussions with twelve incubatees from two business incubators in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, and b) participant observations during a three-month research stay. Design Thinking workshops were facilitated to conduct further research and to come up with strategies that will help enhance awareness of digital tools in the regional start-up ecosystem. Data analysis methods included keyword cloud analysis, qualitative content analysis, and an in-depth target group analysis. Up until now, incubatees of business incubators in Nelson Mandela Bay have not been able to exploit opportunities presented through information and communication technologies and their needs in this area have, therefore, been largely neglected. This is due to a lack of communication and cooperation between relevant stakeholders in the Nelson Mandela Bay start-up ecosystem and the fact that the digital divide has not yet been fully recognised by existing business incubation programmes.

This study has proposed several strategies that can ultimately enhance awareness of digital tools. In order to create a better understanding of barriers to using digital tools amongst the target group, personas and empathy maps were created. Furthermore, the researcher developed a comprehensive overview of digital tools. The in-depth target group analysis revealed four types of aspiring entrepreneurs who could potentially represent the whole of South Africa. Early start-up activities, which can enable aspiring entrepreneurs to establish their business successfully in a dynamic market, were also identified. The Lean Startup and Design Thinking methodology enabled the researcher to generate practice- and goal-oriented results due to their potential of meeting the underlying needs of this study’s target group.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Zusammenfassung
• Abstract
• 1 Einleitung
• 1.1 Problemstellung
• 1.2 Zielsetzung und Aufbau der Arbeit
• 2 Theoretischer Rahmen
• 2.1 Entrepreneurship im Allgemeinen
• 2.1.1 Definition von Entrepreneurship
• 2.1.2 Entrepreneurship im Kontext von Small Business Management
• 2.1.3 Die Bedeutung von Entrepreneurship in Südafrika
• 2.2 Knowledge Spillover Entrepreneurship
• 2.3 Die Bedeutung von Digitalisierung für Entrepreneurship
• 2.4 Digitale Tools für Entrepreneure
• 2.4.1 Klassifizierung von digitalen Tools
• 2.4.2 Auswahl und Einsatz von digitalen Tools
• 2.5 Design Thinking
• 2.5.1 Die fünf Phasen des Design Thinkings
• 2.5.2 Design Thinking für die Entwicklung von Start-Up Support-Programmen
• 2.6 Die Lean Startup Methode
• 2.6.1 Die Grundprinzipien des Lean Startup
• 2.6.2 Der Business Model Canvas
• 2.6.3 Das Minimum Viable Product
• 2.7 Schwartz's Theory of Basic Values
• 2.7.1 Die Grundwerte nach Schwartz
• 2.7.2 Schwartz's Theory of Basic Values in der Praxis
• 3 Methodik
• 3.1 Forschungsdesign
• 3.2 Forschungsmethodik
• 3.3 Datenerhebung
• 3.3.1 Fokusgruppen
• 3.3.2 Teilnehmende Beobachtung
• 3.3.3 Design Thinking Workshops
• 3.4 Datenanalyse
• 3.4.1 Keyword Cloud Analyse
• 3.4.2 Qualitative Inhaltsanalyse
• 3.4.3 Zielgruppenanalyse
• 4 Ergebnisse
• 4.1 Die Herausforderungen angehender Gründer*innen in Südafrika
• 4.2 Hindernisse beim Einsatz digitaler Tools
• 4.3 Auswirkungen auf die Unterstützung von Start-Ups in Nelson Mandela Bay
• 4.3.1 Zentrale Herausforderungen für Start-Up Support-Programme
• 4.3.2 Die Rolle der digitalen Tools in der Start-Up Unterstützung
• 4.4 Persona und Empathiekarte: Ein tieferer Einblick in die Bedürfnisse der Zielgruppe
• 4.5 Strategien, um auf digitale Tools aufmerksam zu machen
• 4.5.1 Future Scenarios
• 4.5.2 Praxisbeispiele: Innovative Ansätze zur Start-Up Unterstützung
• 5 Diskussion
• 5.1 Ergebnisse im Kontext der Literatur
• 5.2 Theoriebezogene Diskussion
• 5.2.1 Knowledge Spillover Entrepreneurship
• 5.2.2 Schwartz's Theory of Basic Values
• 5.3 Praxisbezogene Diskussion
• 5.4 Limitationen der Studie
• 6 Schlussfolgerung
• 6.1 Relevanz der Ergebnisse
• 6.2 Fazit und Ausblick
• Literaturverzeichnis
• Anhang

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This Master's thesis aims to investigate how stakeholders in the Nelson Mandela Bay start-up ecosystem can enhance awareness of digital tools for aspiring entrepreneurs in South Africa. By examining the challenges faced by entrepreneurs in their early start-up activities and the barriers to using digital tools, the study identifies opportunities for effective and target-group-oriented start-up support.

• Challenges and barriers faced by aspiring entrepreneurs in South Africa
• The role of digital tools in entrepreneurial success
• Strategies for enhancing awareness of digital tools in the Nelson Mandela Bay start-up ecosystem
• The impact of digital tools on entrepreneurship support programs
• The integration of theoretical frameworks, such as Knowledge Spillover Entrepreneurship and Schwartz's Theory of Basic Values, into the South African context

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

• Chapter 1 provides an introduction to the research topic, outlining the problem statement and the objectives of the thesis. It highlights the significance of entrepreneurship in South Africa and the importance of digital tools in supporting start-ups.
• Chapter 2 presents the theoretical framework, discussing various theories relevant to the study, including entrepreneurship, Knowledge Spillover Entrepreneurship, the importance of digitalization for entrepreneurship, digital tools for entrepreneurs, Design Thinking, the Lean Startup method, and Schwartz's Theory of Basic Values.
• Chapter 3 details the research design and methodology, including the data collection methods (focus groups, participant observation, and Design Thinking workshops) and the data analysis techniques (keyword cloud analysis, qualitative content analysis, and target group analysis).
• Chapter 4 presents the research findings, focusing on the challenges and barriers faced by aspiring entrepreneurs in South Africa, the impact of these challenges on start-up support programs, and the development of strategies to enhance awareness of digital tools.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

This research investigates the role of digital tools in enhancing entrepreneurship awareness, particularly in the context of the Nelson Mandela Bay start-up ecosystem. The study examines challenges faced by aspiring entrepreneurs, barriers to using digital tools, and the impact of these factors on existing support programs. Key themes explored include Knowledge Spillover Entrepreneurship, Schwartz's Theory of Basic Values, Design Thinking, the Lean Startup method, and the use of digital tools for entrepreneurial success.

• College: University of Flensburg (International Institute of Management and Economic Education (IIM))
• Grade: 1,3
• Author: Mareike Hinrichs (Author)
• Publication Year: 2019
• Pages: 125
• Catalog Number: V990575
• ISBN (eBook): 9783346378729
• ISBN (Book): 9783346378736
• Language: English
• Tags: digital tools, IT tools, start-ups, entrepreneurs, entrepreneurship, incubatee support, digital support, digital divide, South Africa, start-up ecosystem, entrepreneurship support, Design Thinking, Lean Start-Up