A Draytonian changemaker: the story of a social entrepreneur
- Authors: Steinman, Susan Maud
- Date: 2010-03-10T06:22:49Z
- Subjects: Social entrepreneurship
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:6658 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/3064
- Description: D.Phil. , My social entrepreneurship case study, and in particular my life as a “Draytonian Changemaker”, takes the form of an autoethnographic dissertation journey (Garratt, 2003). You are cordially invited to witness this journey, which will be presented by using a relatively new qualitative method. Autoethnography, a relatively new qualitative method, represents: “… a multilayered, intertextual case study that integrates private and social experience and ties autobiographical to sociological writing …” (Ellis, 1995, p. 3). I trust that you will enjoy my expedition as a social entrepreneur but, more importantly, in the words of the leading social entrepreneur of autoethnography, Prof. Carolyn Ellis (University of North Carolina, USA), urge her readers to “experience the power of autoethnography, feel its truths as well as come to know it intellectually!” (Ellis, 2004, p. xix). You will encounter the many people who influenced my life, amongst others, Prof. Willem Schurink, my promoter, who acted as my “tour guide” and “Ultra City” en route. I am an activist by nature and this characteristic naturally has also taken root in my writing (see Sparkes, 2002). Ultimately, I would like you to embrace my world: the world of the Draytonian Changemaker, of people who believe that we can change the world with our burning desire to make a difference through revolutionary social innovations. The following points are of particular importance for this rather unusual journey: • The journey also represents the cultural setting of my world – the world of Susan Steinman – the social entrepreneur, activist and workplace violence expert in the greater universe of social entrepreneurs. This relatively new concept is explored in Part I of this thesis in which the terrain of the journey is mapped by acquainting the reader with the concept of social entrepreneurship as it is understood by scholars, as well as the viewpoints of Ashoka, a fellowship of the world’s leading social entrepreneurs.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Steinman, Susan Maud
- Date: 2010-03-10T06:22:49Z
- Subjects: Social entrepreneurship
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:6658 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/3064
- Description: D.Phil. , My social entrepreneurship case study, and in particular my life as a “Draytonian Changemaker”, takes the form of an autoethnographic dissertation journey (Garratt, 2003). You are cordially invited to witness this journey, which will be presented by using a relatively new qualitative method. Autoethnography, a relatively new qualitative method, represents: “… a multilayered, intertextual case study that integrates private and social experience and ties autobiographical to sociological writing …” (Ellis, 1995, p. 3). I trust that you will enjoy my expedition as a social entrepreneur but, more importantly, in the words of the leading social entrepreneur of autoethnography, Prof. Carolyn Ellis (University of North Carolina, USA), urge her readers to “experience the power of autoethnography, feel its truths as well as come to know it intellectually!” (Ellis, 2004, p. xix). You will encounter the many people who influenced my life, amongst others, Prof. Willem Schurink, my promoter, who acted as my “tour guide” and “Ultra City” en route. I am an activist by nature and this characteristic naturally has also taken root in my writing (see Sparkes, 2002). Ultimately, I would like you to embrace my world: the world of the Draytonian Changemaker, of people who believe that we can change the world with our burning desire to make a difference through revolutionary social innovations. The following points are of particular importance for this rather unusual journey: • The journey also represents the cultural setting of my world – the world of Susan Steinman – the social entrepreneur, activist and workplace violence expert in the greater universe of social entrepreneurs. This relatively new concept is explored in Part I of this thesis in which the terrain of the journey is mapped by acquainting the reader with the concept of social entrepreneurship as it is understood by scholars, as well as the viewpoints of Ashoka, a fellowship of the world’s leading social entrepreneurs.
- Full Text:
Success factors of entrepreneurial activity in the Overberg region of Western Cape, South Africa
- Witbooi, Megan, Cupido, Chris, Ukpere, Wilfred I.
- Authors: Witbooi, Megan , Cupido, Chris , Ukpere, Wilfred I.
- Date: 2011-03
- Subjects: Entrepreneurship , Social entrepreneurship , Entrepreneurial activities
- Type: Article
- Identifier: uj:5833 , ISSN 1993-8233 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/7850
- Description: Entrepreneurial activities around the world accounted for about 70% of the global GDP on average. However, in South Africa entrepreneurial activities only share 40% of the country’s GDP. With an unemployment rate of approximately 25%, accelerating entrepreneurial activity becomes crucial in a developing country like South Africa. A recent study executed in the Overberg rural district has shown vast opportunity for new endeavors in this direction. Entrepreneurial activity is mostly centered on large-scale agricultural practices. This district is the largest apple producer in the country and the second largest pear producer. However, unemployment in this region has increased in recent years due to the nature of fruit farming which is seasonal. Off-season farmers employ only up to 9% of the district farm workers which leaves 11.1% workers without employment for the rest of the year. Though this area is affluent with natural resources; scarcity of skills, poor infrastructure and lack of technology result in slow economic growth. Further, the absenteeism of entrepreneurial success factors makes it impossible for the many survivalist businesses in the informal sector to be sustainable and to show any form of growth. This paper will analyze the success factors or lack thereof and make recommendations towards opportunities that will help to advance the Overberg region’s entrepreneurial activity.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Witbooi, Megan , Cupido, Chris , Ukpere, Wilfred I.
- Date: 2011-03
- Subjects: Entrepreneurship , Social entrepreneurship , Entrepreneurial activities
- Type: Article
- Identifier: uj:5833 , ISSN 1993-8233 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/7850
- Description: Entrepreneurial activities around the world accounted for about 70% of the global GDP on average. However, in South Africa entrepreneurial activities only share 40% of the country’s GDP. With an unemployment rate of approximately 25%, accelerating entrepreneurial activity becomes crucial in a developing country like South Africa. A recent study executed in the Overberg rural district has shown vast opportunity for new endeavors in this direction. Entrepreneurial activity is mostly centered on large-scale agricultural practices. This district is the largest apple producer in the country and the second largest pear producer. However, unemployment in this region has increased in recent years due to the nature of fruit farming which is seasonal. Off-season farmers employ only up to 9% of the district farm workers which leaves 11.1% workers without employment for the rest of the year. Though this area is affluent with natural resources; scarcity of skills, poor infrastructure and lack of technology result in slow economic growth. Further, the absenteeism of entrepreneurial success factors makes it impossible for the many survivalist businesses in the informal sector to be sustainable and to show any form of growth. This paper will analyze the success factors or lack thereof and make recommendations towards opportunities that will help to advance the Overberg region’s entrepreneurial activity.
- Full Text:
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