Title: An individual's motivation to become entrepreneur: evidences from a mineral based economy

Authors: A.K. Garg, I.B. Matshediso, Deepti Garg

Addresses: 159 Skinner Street, TUT Business School, Pretoria 0001, South Africa. ' Private Bag 0061, Faculty of Engineering, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana. ' Private Bag 704, Department of Computer Science, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana

Abstract: Most of the studies that are based on motivation of entrepreneurs have not studied people who would have great potential to become entrepreneurs but do not have their own businesses. This study explored the relationship between individual motivational factors critical to business success and an individual|s intention to become an entrepreneur from such people. 56 responses from employees of the diamond cutting industry in Botswana, 17 computer science and 12 civil engineering students were analysed using PLS. Only one motivation factor (opportunity recognition) had a positive relationship with the intention to become an entrepreneur, while other motives could not be validated. Locus of control, self efficacy and intention to become an entrepreneur were validated for respondents who had some business background, indicating the relevance of business experience. These results suggest that training and incubation activities in Botswanas| mineral sector can enhance the motives of individuals in the entrepreneurial process.

Keywords: individual motivation; partial least square; PLS; nAch; need to achieve; risk taking; self-efficacy; locus of control; opportunity recognition; diamond-cutting; mineral based economies; Botswana; business success; computer science students; civil engineering students; training; incubation activities; higher education; universities; small and medium-sized enterprises; SMEs; entrepreneurs; entrepreneurship.

DOI: 10.1504/IJESB.2011.037343

International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 2011 Vol.12 No.1, pp.109 - 127

Published online: 11 Oct 2014 *

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