Title: Institutional support and the challenges facing youth entrepreneurs in developing countries: a Guyana case study

Authors: Donna E. Danns; George K. Danns

Addresses: Mike Cottrell College of Business, University of North Georgia, 3820 Mundy Mill Road, Oakwood, GA 30566, USA ' Department of Sociology and Human Services, University of North Georgia, 3820 Mundy Mill Road, Oakwood, GA 30566, USA

Abstract: Youth entrepreneurship is being promoted by policymakers in developing countries as a key strategy to combat high youth unemployment and reduce individual poverty. An amalgam of international, governmental and other groups has promulgated policies and programmes to lend support for this strategy. Yet, youth entrepreneurs face many challenges that can derail this strategy. Based on a review of research literature a youth entrepreneurship institutional support (YEIS) model is developed to enable identification and categorisation of the sources of support for youth entrepreneurs in developed and developing countries. This study investigated the challenges youth entrepreneurs from the developing country of Guyana face and a determination is made as to whether available institutional support mechanisms pinpointed in the YEIS model are helpful in overcoming such challenges. Data for this study were derived from a survey of youth entrepreneurs in the town of Linden, Guyana; agency interviews, and secondary sources.

Keywords: youth entrepreneurship; developing countries; Guyana; Caribbean youth; youth entrepreneurship challenges; youth entrepreneurship support; youth unemployment; international organisations; entrepreneurial education and training; youth entrepreneurship funding; micro-enterprise.

DOI: 10.1504/IJESB.2022.124451

International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 2022 Vol.46 No.2, pp.139 - 161

Received: 25 Jan 2019
Accepted: 08 Jul 2019
Published online: 27 Jul 2022 *

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