Evelyn Derera

The Impact of Gender on Start-up Capital: A Case of Women Entrepreneurs in South Africa

In South Africa, women entrepreneurs do not enjoy the same opportunities as men in accessing start-up capital due to a number of discriminatory practices embedded in lending models. This study seeks to understand the gender-specific barriers to raising start-up capital, and adopts a mixed methods approach that includes semi-structured interviews with experts and a survey of women entrepreneurs. All participants were from the small business sector in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The findings revealed the gendered nature of start-up capital for women entrepreneurs in South Africa, and the difficulty women face in venturing into non-traditional industries. The findings build on previous research by focusing on the intersection between women’s contribution to the economy and their production activities in the informal and domestic context. This study calls for the activities of women entrepreneurs in these sectors of the economy to be recognised within lending models, and as constituting a valuable area of economic growth.

Transnational Analysis of the Impact of Corruption on Development in Africa: A Review of Literature

Abstract The study seeks to understand the nexus between corruption and development within Southern Africa. A cross-national analysis of relevant data was constructed to demonstrate the relationship between corruption and regional development. The study highlights the costs of corruption for the region particularly from an economic developmental standpoint. Insights from the study contribute to scholarly debate relating to the ills of corruption and resulted in the development of a framework that might help to reduce the levels of corruption, enhance good governance, and advance sustainable development in the region.

Gendered Lending Practices: Enabling South African Women Entrepreneurs to Access Start-Up Capital

This study explores gendered lending and marketing practices of start-up capital to women entrepreneurs in South Africa. A multi-method research design, comprising of 6 in-depth interviews with experts, and a survey of 50 women entrepreneurs was adopted using convenience and snowball sampling techniques, respectively. The findings revealed that women entrepreneurs are experiencing gendered discriminatory practices embedded in lending practices used by financial institutions, thereby discouraging them to venture into non-traditional industries. Whilst financial providers may know their products well, many emerging women entrepreneurs in South Africa may find it difficult and costly to obtain information on the thousands of financial products available. Hence, women entrepreneurs resort to taking greater risks than necessary in order to get their businesses off the ground. Educating women on financial matters is extremely important if South Africa is to benefit fully from the untapped entrepreneurial talent that women possess. The study adds voice to the discriminatory lending practices faced by women entrepreneurs in developing countries. Future research could explore the feasibility of establishing a financial institution which caters specifically for the needs of women.

The Marketing of Start-Up Capital to Women Entrepreneurs in South Africa

Women entrepreneurship plays a critical role in economic growth and development (Mitchelmore and Rowley 2013; Still and Timms 2000). In fact, research on economic growth is incomplete without recognising the contribution of women entrepreneurship. Whilst the participation of women in the small business sector is growing rapidly (McGregor and Tweed 2002), there is a dearth of research on this subject within developing countries (Roomi and Parrott 2008) as most studies have focused on women entrepreneurship in developed countries (Bhatt-Datta and Gaily 2012). This is largely attributed to the fact that entrepreneurial efforts by women have gone unnoticed and their contributions have been under appreciated (Bhatt-Datta and Gailey 2012). In Sub-Saharan Africa for example, women owned small businesses produce more than eighty per cent of food production (Woldie and Adersua 2004). Previous studies have focused on how females are choosing entrepreneurship in favour of the corporate ladder (Kephart and Schumacher 2005); the lack of public policy and programmes relating to women entrepreneurs in India (Chandra 1991); the entry and performance barriers for women entrepreneurs in Tanzania taking a governmental perspective (Rutashobya 1998). However, research relating to the marketing of start-up capital targeting women entrepreneurs within developing countries is scarce (Carter and Peter 1998; Nichter and Goldmark 2009).

Historical Overview of Small and Medium Enterprise Policies in Zimbabwe

Abstract Zimbabwean small and medium enterprises (SMEs), since independence in 1980, have struggled for survival and development due to a plethora of challenges. The government responded by implementing policies and strategies to address the challenges confronting SMEs. This article gives a country perspective and historical understanding of the SME policies and strategies at play within Zimbabwe. The researchers contribute to the understanding of the dynamics surrounding SMEs particularly in developing countries by providing a historical account of the policy issues and strategies used to ensure growth of the sector. Methodologically, the study adopted a critical analysis of literature related to SME policies in Zimbabwe. The researchers drew insights from different government policy documents and pieces of legislation since 1980. The results of the analysis indicate that the policies and strategies, to a larger extent, have not yielded the required results, and largely not addressed the major challenges confronting SMEs.