PERCEPTIONS OF ENTREPRENEURIAL BEHAVIOUR IN BOTSWANA

Abstract

With the high rate of unemployment in Botswana, it has become imperative that the alternative source of employment seen by policy makers and researchers as the panacea to the problem, is entrepreneurship. Although, research has been conducted on entrepreneurship, little has been done on the university students‟ perceptions of entrepreneurial behaviour in Botswana. To fill this gap, this paper seeks to investigate university students‟ perceptions of various entrepreneurial characteristics, motivators and challenges in Botswana. To achieve this, a sample of 394 undergraduate students of the University of Botswana was targeted. Findings of the current study indicate that students perceived an entrepreneur as an individual who possesses the right managerial skills, take risks, contribute to the economy, utilize available resources optimally, is creative and successful. Although the current study is based on undergraduate students, an investigation of entrepreneurial behavior that exists among potential entrepreneurs in Botswana is important, since it will enable policy makers and other stakeholders to intensify and channel initiatives to promote self employment.

With the high rate of unemployment in Botswana, it has become imperative that the alternative source of employment seen by policy makers and researchers as the panacea to the problem, is entrepreneurship. Although, research has been conducted on entrepreneurship, little has been done on the university students‟ perceptions of entrepreneurial behaviour in Botswana. To fill this gap, this paper seeks to investigate university students‟ perceptions of various entrepreneurial characteristics, motivators and challenges in Botswana. To achieve this, a sample of 394 undergraduate students of the University of Botswana was targeted. Findings of the current study indicate that students perceived an entrepreneur as an individual who possesses the right managerial skills, take risks, contribute to the economy, utilize available resources optimally, is creative and successful. Although the current study is based on undergraduate students, an investigation of entrepreneurial behaviour that exists among potential entrepreneurs in Botswana is important, since it will enable policy makers and other stakeholders to intensify and channel initiatives to promote self employment.