Technological entrepreneurship in emerging societies : does heritage really matter?

Abstract

A fundamental topic for researchers in entrepreneurship in recent times has been the question about the extent to which heritage factors such as birth order, family interaction, social class, economic circumstances, and society’s views influence entrepreneurial behaviour. The present body of knowledge was mainly derived from studies conducted on single dominant culture groups in the developed world. While there is strong evidence in the literature to suggest that heritage plays a role in the development of the technological entrepreneur – either through environmental influences or genetic inheritance – the question remains: how strong in fact is this heritage influence in societies that are different from those in the previous studies? Research conducted by the University of Pretoria on technological entrepreneurs in the province of KwaZulu-Natal not only confirms certain existing models, but also provides new insight into the influences of heritage in a multi-cultural society and economically emerging region.

’n Fundamentele onderwerp vir navorsers in ondernemerskap is tans die vraag in watter mate herkomsfaktore soos geboortevolgorde, familieinteraksie, sosiale klas, ekonomiese omstandighede, en die sieninge van die samelewing ondernemerskapsgedrag beïnvloed. Die huidige stand van kennis was hoofsaaklik afgelei uit studies van enkel dominante kultuurgroepe in die ontwikkelde wêreld. Terwyl daar sterk bewyse in die literatuur is wat suggereer dat herkoms ’n belangrike rol in die ontwikkeling van tegnologiese ondernemers speel, hetsy deur omgewingsinvloede of genetiese erfenis, bly die vraag steeds: hoe sterk is die herkomsinvloed werklik in samelewings wat verskil van dié in vorige studies? Navorsing is by die Universiteit van Pretoria gedoen oor tegnologiese ondernemers in die Kwa-Zoeloe-Natal provinsie wat nie net sekere bestaande modelle bevestig nie, maar ook nuwe insigte bring van herkomsinvloede in ’n multi-kulturele samelewing en ekonomies ontwikkelende gebied.