Creating an ICT skills enhancement environment for entrepreneurs
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Date
Authors
Steyn, Adriana Aletta (Riana)
De Villiers, Carina
Twinomurinzi, Hossana
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Springer
Abstract
Entrepreneurship is seen as a primary tool in the fight against unemployment, poverty and social inequality. Although various entrepreneurial training models exist, many of these have not considered the influence of current information and communication technology (ICT), even though ICT is a contemporary tool that entrepreneurs can leverage to increase the likelihood of a successful and sustainable business. This study therefore considered one entrepreneurship model that has been successful in entrepreneurial training in South Africa, the “content model for entrepreneurship education” (E/P), and investigated how ICT could be incorporated into this. The findings of 33 participants, who had been trained using the E/P model, suggest that, while many are familiar with most of the proposed ICT software programs, they do not necessarily incorporate them in practice. Linking ICT to the business skills section of entrepreneurial training seems to be an appropriate way of making the training practically feasible for participants. However, most of the participants highlighted the need for further guidance through a mentorship programme, for example. Guidance can also take the form of graduate programmes or learnerships. The results of the study clearly show how ICT can be linked to entrepreneurial training interventions, as well as the practical aspects of such a course. They also show that entrepreneurial interventions with high-tech equipment should perhaps not be overlooked, and that the basics first should be mastered.
Description
Proceedings of the 13th IFIP TC 9 International Conference on Human Choice and Computers, HCC13 2018, Held at the 24th IFIP World Computer Congress, WCC 2018, Poznan, Poland, September 19–21, 2018.
Keywords
Information and communication technology (ICT), Skills development, Entrepreneurship education, Entrepreneurs, Content model for entrepreneurship, Sustainable development, Sustainable business, High-tech equipments, Entrepreneurial training, Climate change
Sustainable Development Goals
Citation
Steyn, R., De Villiers, C. & Twinomurinzi, H. 2018, 'Creating an ICT skills enhancement environment for entrepreneurs', IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology, vol. 537, pp. 60-81.