Entrepreneurship resilience and vulnerability reduction in the Afromontane region: analysing the livelihood strategies of female entrepreneurs in Qwaqwa
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Date
2024
Authors
Dube, Jerit
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
Resilience in female entrepreneurship appears as a significant component that critically influences the achievement and capacity to overcome vulnerabilities inherent in the development and management of businesses. Up to now, various scholars in the field of entrepreneurship have understood resilience as a response to adversity extreme events, or disasters. However, this study understands resilience as the ability to bounce back after exposure to vulnerabilities. Concerning female entrepreneurship, this study understands entrepreneurship resilience as the ability of female entrepreneurs to bounce back and reduce their vulnerabilities. To understand entrepreneurship resilience and vulnerability reduction of female entrepreneurs, this study conducted a systematic literature review which indicated that there is an existing gap in the literature on entrepreneurship resilience and vulnerability reduction of female entrepreneurs in marginalised regions like the Afromontane. Thus, due to this existing literature gap, less is known about the vulnerabilities encountered by female entrepreneurs in the Afromontane regions. In the Afromontane regions like QwaQwa for instance, female entrepreneurs are exposed to multidimensional vulnerabilities due to weak resilience capacity. Furthermore, due to a lack of empirical research and a gap in the literature on entrepreneurship resilience and vulnerability reduction, there is less knowledge on the resilience-building strategies that female entrepreneurs in this region can use to reduce their vulnerability exposure. To address the issue of vulnerability and resilience of female entrepreneurs and close this existing gap in literature and knowledge, this study explored entrepreneurship resilience and vulnerability reduction of female entrepreneurs in the Afromontane. It particularly analysed the livelihood strategies of female entrepreneurs in QwaQwa to understand the vulnerabilities they are exposed to, their vulnerability reduction, and entrepreneurship resilience capacity.
This study followed a multi-theoretical framework to understand the multidimensional vulnerabilities encountered by female entrepreneurs in QwaQwa as well as their resilience to these vulnerabilities. In line with the research objectives, a qualitative approach was followed to understand the experiences and perceptions of female entrepreneurs in QwaQwa. Through a participatory approach, a total of 27 female entrepreneurs in QwaQwa were involved in this study. These participants were selected through snowball sampling. Data was collected through in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, life history narratives, transect walks, and entrepreneurship hotspot analysis. Data was thematically analysed using ATLAS ti 22 version. The findings of the study indicate that female entrepreneurs in QwaQwa are exposed to multidimensional vulnerabilities. To reduce their vulnerabilities and strengthen their resilience, the female entrepreneurs in QwaQwa rely on various types of capital. However, though they rely on capital, their vulnerability exposure remains high while their resilience capacity remains low. They have a higher vulnerability exposure and low resilience capacity. The scientific evidence brought by this study indicates that there is a lack of research on female entrepreneurs, resilience, and vulnerability reduction in the QwaQwa region, precisely in QwaQwa. Given this gap in research and literature, female entrepreneurs in this region continue to experience multidimensional vulnerabilities. In an attempt to contribute to the body of knowledge of entrepreneurship resilience and vulnerability reduction, this study developed a vulnerability reduction and entrepreneurship resilience model from the study findings and multi-theoretical framework.
This study hopes that female entrepreneurs in the future will apply the developed model to reduce their vulnerabilities and enhance their entrepreneurship resilience capacity.
Recommendations for policy development and future research emerged and have been provided by this study.
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Keywords
Entrepreneurship, Female entrepreneurs, Entrepreneurship resilience, Vulnerability, Vulnerability reduction, Qwaqwa