Title: Entrepreneurial orientation in Namibia: the Dolam community

Authors: Wilfred Isak April; Andrew Matonga

Addresses: University of Namibia, Private Bag 13301, Windhoek, 9000, Namibia ' University of Namibia, Private Bag 13301, Windhoek, 9000, Namibia

Abstract: This paper seeks to explore the various barriers expatriates faced in a large underdeveloped, yet, entrepreneurial community of Dolam in Windhoek, Namibia. It has been a very daunting task for the communities in Dolam in attaining entrepreneurial success since Namibian independence on 21st March 1990. This paper is built on the thesis that small businesses cannot grow or succeed unless they strive to be entrepreneurial and innovative. In addition, the paper explores the entrepreneurial orientation of expatriates in Dolam. In the past, expatriates have settled in numerous areas within Namibia and have seized business opportunities to establish their own enterprises, but growth of such start-ups has been limited or non-existent due to various limitations and challenges. This paper will further explore whether expatriates in Namibia are willing to take this as inherent and what factors could prevent their businesses from success. This research made use of questionnaires and face to face interviews to support its methodological approaches. This study revealed that expatriates in Namibia fared reasonably well on the entrepreneurial orientation dimensions, but the policy implications need great improvement, if the country wishes to benefit from the skills and knowledge of these entrepreneurs.

Keywords: entrepreneurship; Dolam; expatriates; Katutura; Namibia; knowledge spillover; foreign direct investment; FDI; small business.

DOI: 10.1504/IJESB.2018.094966

International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 2018 Vol.35 No.2, pp.187 - 202

Received: 21 Dec 2016
Accepted: 24 Jan 2017
Published online: 28 Sep 2018 *

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