Engineers as entrepreneurs : entrepreneurial orientation of engineers in South Africa

Abstract

A positive relationship between economic growth and entrepreneurship has been established as derived from the body of knowledge in the domain of entrepreneurship. In acknowledgement of this relationship, governments have embarked on schemes and policies that encourage entrepreneurship in their economic development policies. The individual entrepreneur is a key player in new entrepreneurial venture process. The entire society is responsible for shaping an environment within which a behaviour pattern that promotes or hinders entrepreneurship is developed. The study mainly focused on understanding the behavioural phenomenon which is termed entrepreneurial orientation (EO) of engineers within the South African context. The assumed EO of entrepreneurial engineers was expected to be higher than that of non-entrepreneurial engineers. Cronbach Alpha’s tests found the prestructured EO scale to be reliable. T-test results for mean difference confirmed that entrepreneurs have a higher EO on the overal EO construct as well as on the autonomy, proactiveness and risk taking dimemensions.Factor analysis results supported the view that the EO construct is unidimensional. Situational factors that shaped the social environment alluded to above were studied as a secondary objective. Chi-square tests did not confirm the expectation that entrepreneurial engineers would be exposed to situational factors that promote entrepreneurship than their non-entrepreneurial counter parts. Lack of entrepreneurial education and finance have been identified as the key factors that hamper entrepreneurship. Recommendations are included in this report.Copyright