NRU :: Browsing by Author "Dawa, Samuel"

Browsing by Author "Dawa, Samuel"

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African Entrepreneurial Ecosystems: Form, Function & Structure Special Issue
(Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Emerging Economies, 2022) Dawa, Samuel
While opinion and evidence of the economic development and growth trajectory of most African countries is mixed and at times contradictory (Carmody et al., 2020; Cramer et al., 2020) , there is clear evidence that a large youthful population (Chigunta, 2017) and a strong desire for and interest in entrepreneurship, as evidenced by successive Global Entrepreneurship Monitor Reports will lead to the continued rise of startup businesses and entrepreneurial activity on the continent. Since the early conceptualisation of entrepreneurial ecosystems (Bahrami & Evans, 1995), building on the work of Moore (1993) who brought the ecological term into the social sciences, there is an understanding that ecosystems represent ‘a biotic community, encompassing its physical environment, and all the interactions possible in the complex of living and nonliving components’ (Acs et al., 2017, p. 1). Despite periods of theoretical interest in entrepreneurial ecosystems, the field does not boast a unifying definition or a robust theoretical framework. While ecosystem components have been identified and mapped—both regional and nationally in many African countries, there is a continued call for localisation of form, function and structure to accommodate the uniqueness of each context. This is even more relevant to the African continent, which is often seen a single homogenous market rather than a heterogeneous descriptor of 54 individual nations.
Antidiarrhoeal effects of methanol leaf extract of Carissa edulis Vahl. (Apocynaceae) in albino rats
(International Journal of Academic Research and Development, 2018) Dawa, Samuel; Sodipo, Olufunke A.; Yakubu, James; Abdulrahman, Fanna; Balami, Victor M.
The research aims at evaluating the chemical contents of methanolic leaf extract of Carissa edulis. The leaf of Carissa edulis was collected air-dried, ground to powder and extracted with methanol by cold extraction method to give a percentage yield of 28.03% w/w. The antidiarrhoeal effect of the methanol leaf extract on castor oil-induced diarrhoea, intestinal charcoal meal transit and castor oil-induced enteropooling were determined. The leaf extract of Carissa edulis produced a significant dose dependent protection (p<0.05) against the castor oil-induced diarrhoea with the highest protection of 53.50% obtained at the highest dose tested (800mg/kg). The extract showed a significant intestinal charcoal meal transit (p<0.05) as it had 15.80%, 41.90%, and 50.30% inhibition respectively when compared to distilled water, the negative control (0% inhibition). Atropine however produced a significant increase (p<0.05) in intestinal charcoal meal transit at 76.50% inhibition. There were no significant differences (p>0.05) between the extract doses 200, 400, 800 mg/kg administered. The methanol extract at 200, 400, and 800 mg/kg showed 27.00%, 40.80% and 51.40% fluid accumulation respectively. The positive control loperamide (5 mg/kg) had 79.50% inhibition of intestinal content when compared to the negative control (distilled water treated rats) which had 0% inhibition. The results obtained from this study revealed that the leaf of Carissa edulis possesses antidiarrhoeal effect.
Employment in the tourism industry: A pathway to entrepreneurship for Ugandan youth
(Routledge, 2016) Dawa, Samuel; Jeppesen, Søren
The world tourism industry has grown steadily as a result of the rising incomes of the global middle class and increased awareness of new travel destinations. Given that it is a services-based industry, tourism comprises labour-intensive growth sectors that employ a considerable (and growing) number of people. Accordingly, the industry also holds potential for young people in terms of providing entrepreneurial opportunities and/or employment. The sustained growth of the tourism industry has also meant that an increasing number of travellers now visit destinations in Africa, including Uganda. The country’s numerous tourist attractions have enabled it to benefit from the increased number of foreign tourists – which reached close to one million in 2010 (World Travel and Tourism Council, 2011) – as well as from the rapidly growing local demand for services. The industry comprises three main subsectors: hotels and lodging, tour operators, and suppliers of associated goods and services. While the activities of all three subsectors are closely intertwined, this chapter focuses on hotels and lodging and their suppliers. Although the hotels and lodging subsector offers a number of entrepreneurial opportunities, youth entrepreneurship is limited as most young people are unlikely to have the requisite financial resources to start even a small bed-andbreakfast. Accordingly, the most active participants in the hotels and lodging subsector in Uganda are foreign firms and local investors with substantial means. Still, young entrepreneurs have a wide range of options available in terms of supplying goods and services such as food, beverages, equipment, information and communication technology (ICT), and janitorial and transport services. This chapter seeks to contribute to the literature on youth employment and entrepreneurship by focusing on the nature of youth participation in the tourism industry in Kampala, Uganda’s capital city. In this study we seek to gain an insight into how and why young people engage in the sector and their aspirations for the future.
Entrepreneurial Competences and Growth of Female-owned Enterprises the Mediation Role of Absorptive Capacity
(International Journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship, 2021) Dawa, Samuel; Namatovu, Rebecca; Mulira, Fiona; Kyejjusa, Sarah; Arinaitwe, Mercy; Arinaitwe, Alice
from the resource-based view to examine the relationship between entrepreneurial competences and firm growth. The study employed a cross-sectional research design. Data was collected from 232 women entrepreneurs operating in Kampala's two biggest markets. The data were analyzed to test the mediation effect of absorptive capacity on the relationship between entrepreneurial competences and firm growth, a Sobel test and Bootstrap estimation were analytical approaches that were used. This paper argues that for female entrepreneurs, the venture growth process is not simply dependent on inimitable resources such as competences as these are first not readily available to female entrepreneurs and second, only provide a temporary competitive advantage. Rather, venture growth also involves the ability to continuously identify and exploit knowledge resources through absorptive capacity which may be limited by the socio-cultural context within which the female entrepreneur operates in sub-Saharan Africa. The novelty of the research resides in support for the mediating role of the ability to recognize the value of new information, assimilate it, and apply it to commercial ends. The study shows that female entrepreneurs use externally generated knowledge as a mechanism to grow their firms and this is impacted by the socio-cultural context within which they operate. The study further improves our understanding of the resource-based view by suggesting that a black box exists in the relationship between resources and performance. It is shown that possession of one resource facilitates the acquisition of other resources and propose that the role of resources continuously unfolds as a firm develops.
Entrepreneurs with disabilities need attention too
(TrustAfrica, 2013) Namatovu, Rebecca; Dawa, Samuel
The study examines entrepreneurship amongst persons with disabilities in Kampala, Uganda. According to Mukiibi & Mulya (2000) it is difficult to empower disabled persons at grassroots levels in Uganda. There is limited information about entrepreneurs with disabilities (EWDs), despite a number of them being self-employed and starting successful businesses. As a result, the contribution of EWDs to the economy, and society in general, remains unrecognized.
Entrepreneurs with Disability in Uganda
(Investment Climate and Business Environment Research Fund, 2012) Namatovu, Rebecca; Dawa, Samuel; Mulira, Fiona; Katongole, Celestine
This report addresses entrepreneurship activity among Persons with Disability in Uganda and their potential to contribute to economic development. Data was collected from Entrepreneurs with Disabilities (EWDs) in Kampala using mixed methods research. In the study we sought to answer questions about the environment, business activities EWDs are involved in, attitudes towards business, their motivations, challenges and growth aspirations. Key findings were that the majority of the EWDs are involved in retail trade. Most of them had started their own businesses using their own savings and had previously closed a business because it wasn’t profitable. Most of their businesses weren’t registered because they said they didn’t need to yet the majority of those whose businesses were registered said registration was easy and beneficial to the running of their businesses. The results also show that two thirds of the EWDs did not have any business skills training with the majority that received training saying that it was through apprenticeship. Two thirds of the EWDs claimed not to belong to any association thus starving their businesses of the benefits of these networks. A large majority of the EWDs hoped to grow their businesses with most of them hoping to hire between 1 and 5 employees in the next 5 years.
Entrepreneur’s Intrapersonal Resources and Enterprise Success among Micro and Small Scale Women Entrepreneurs
(Journal of Enterprising Culture, 2015) Katongole, Celestine; Munene, John C.; Ngoma, Muhammed; Dawa, Samuel
The study explores the relationship between intrapersonal resources (formal schooling, formal entrepreneurial education and training, and informal entrepreneurial training and education) and success of micro and small enterprises (MSEs). Using Structural Equation Modeling, the study tested the mediating role of entrepreneurial competence in this relationship on a sample of 303 women drawn from the tourism and hospitality sector. The results reveal that entrepreneurial competence plays a mediating role in the relationship between intrapersonal resources and enterprise success. The results also show that informal entrepreneurial training is important in complementing formal entrepreneurial training and education towards enterprise success. It is also shown that formal schooling has a weak relationship with entrepreneurial competence but has varying relationships with both financial and non-financial success.
Motivation, competences and the moderating role of business discontinuance on the entrepreneurial effect of self-employment
(Int. J. Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 2017) Namatovu, Rebecca; Dawa, Samuel
This paper interrogates the dynamic relationship between motivation, competences, business discontinuance and the entrepreneurial effect. Arguing that self-employment has the potential to reduce unemployment in subsequent periods, this study uses mixed models to exhibit the moderating role of business discontinuation on the entrepreneurial effects of self-employment. It depicts this with data from 2013 on 10,003 youth entrepreneurs from nine Sub-Saharan countries. The empirical results confirm the existence of a significant moderating effect on motivation and the entrepreneurial effect. We also find that this effect is higher in younger males with more years of formal education.
Religious Beliefs and Entrepreneurial Behaviors in Africa: A Case Study of the Informal Sector in Uganda
(Africa Journal of Management, 2018) Namatovu, Rebecca; Dawa, Samuel; Adewale, Adeyinka; Mulira, Fiona
Religion plays a major role in Africa’s polity and its influence on thebusiness landscape of the continent has been acknowledged in literature. This study contributes to the discourse by investigating and explaining how religious beliefs shape entrepreneurial behaviors in Uganda’s informal sector. Using a qualitative methodology, we explored how entrepreneurs in the context use or adopt religious beliefs in their entrepreneurial activities. By spanning a diverse set of entrepreneurial activities in the informal sector − food vendors, fabricators, hawkers, and recyclers among others − we conducted 49 in-depth interviews. Our findings reveal that the entrepreneurs relied on their religious beliefs in defining and coping with a penurious context. Further to this, we explain how religious beliefs galvanize business behaviors and calibrate the entrepreneurial identities of respondents in the context. To facilitate future work, the study highlights how knowledge gaps in the cultural and social setup of the informal economy will produce new insights in entrepreneurship research. It concludes by guiding policymakers and educators to engage and involve faith-based institutions in the entrepreneurship promotion agenda.
Rural Youth Entrepreneurs in East Africa: A view from Uganda and Kenya
(Investment Climate and Business Environment Research Fund (ICBE-RF), 2012) Namatovu, Rebecca; Dawa, Samuel; Mulira, Fiona; Katongole, Celestine; Nyongesa, Stella
This report is a result of a project titled Entrepreneurship empowering marginalized groups. The project was made possible through funding from the IDRC Trust Africa Investment Climate and Business Environment- Research Fund. The overall objective of the project was to explore the entrepreneurship initiatives that marginalized groups which included women, rural youth and the disabled are engaged in. From earlier studies it is evident that governments are aware of the looming youth problems especially the rising unemployment and entrepreneurship is being considered as a measure to mitigate the crisis. This report is intended to document the rural youth entrepreneurship situation in East Africa, the Ugandan and Kenyan contexts in particular, looking at why rural youth engage in entrepreneurship and what benefits arise there from. The report explores several facets of entrepreneurship as it compares rural youth activities and behaviors in Uganda and Kenya. It examines the socio economic environment in which these young people operate. Further, the report highlights the current policy gaps in youth entrepreneurship by exposing the unique challenges they face and assessing if the initiatives that have been devised have indeed worked. Proposals to achieve entrepreneurship for sustainable growth are then outlined.
Social Networks and Growth of Female-Owned Ventures: A Sub-Saharan Africa Perspective
(Journal of Developmental Entrepreneurship, 2015) Dawa, Samuel; Namatovu, Rebecca
We examine the influence of the dimensions of social networks on the growth aspirations of female entrepreneurs. Using multi stage stratified random sampling, 540 women were surveyed in the five geographic regions of Uganda. Drawing on social network theory, point bi-serial correlation and logistic regression analysis were carried out to test our hypotheses. Although we find a relationship between belonging to a social network and growth, we also find that the relationship between the other indicators of social networks, including social support, discussion of business ideas, equality of network members and growth, are not statistically significant. We propose this may be because the challenges that face female entrepreneurs in this context negate the influence of social networks on growth. On the other hand, we posit that the metrics used to measure entrepreneurship related constructs are biased not only against women but even the developing country context.
Transnational Entrepreneurship in Sub-Saharan Africa: An Absorptive Capacity Theory of Knowledge Spillover Entrepreneurship Perspective
(Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Emerging Economies, 2020) Marks, Jonathan; Dawa, Samuel; Kanyemba, Shungu
The study seeks to explain how migrants’ access, understand and recognise the value of new knowledge in enhancing transnational entrepreneurship. This is important as it provides insights into how knowledge is accessed and employed in different contexts to recognise entrepreneurial opportunities. Using the absorptive capacity theory of knowledge spillover entrepreneurship, this study contributes to previous research which has focussed on the scope and boundaries of this phenomenon at a firm or institutional level, but not at the level of the transnational entrepreneur (TE). Furthermore, this study contributes by examining the role of human capital and the prior knowledge and experience that migrants use and acquire in transnational entrepreneurship. A qualitative approach based on phenomenology was adopted in this research. A purposive sample of four TEs living in South Africa and running businesses in Zimbabwe were investigated. The results show that the possession of requisite human capital along with concern for the home country facilitates the acquisition of new knowledge. This new knowledge, when integrated with prior knowledge and cultural compatibility between home and host countries, influences the immigrant’s intention to form new ventures and return to the home country. This study explains the role of human capital and the mechanisms that are implemented in acquiring knowledge resources and their subsequent transformation into a business entity.
Understanding Women Micro and Small Business Entrepreneurs in Uganda
(Investment Climate and Business environment Research Fund Report, 2012) Namatovu, Rebecca; Dawa, Samuel; Katongole, Celestine; Mulira, Fiona
This report focuses on micro and small entrepreneurial activity among women in Uganda. We presentand discuss findings that were adduced on the entrepreneurial environment, motivations, aspirations andData were sourced from around the country using mixed research methodology. A survey was carried out,in depth interviews were under taken with entrepreneurs and experts on women entrepreneurship. Focusgroup discussions were also conducted in all the parts of the country yielding a very rich data set. Mostof the women entrepreneurs were under 35 years of age and married with a minority having attained aneducation of ordinary level. The report also shows that the younger women entrepreneurs had the highest number of startup andinfant businesses while their older counterparts had the majority of established businesses. Most womenentrepreneurs are engaged in trade with the majority not employing anyone.The majority had been home makers before starting their current ventures. For those who had previouslybeen in business almost all had previously closed a business. Most of these women entrepreneurs saidtheir businesses were registered in some form, with those that were not registered blaming it on costand the perception of the irrelevance of registration. The majority of the respondents had never received entrepreneurial training. Of those who had, apprenticeship was the most common type of training. An overwhelming majority of the respondents stated that it wasn’t easy to access funds to start or operate their enterprises with at least half of them using savings from a previous business or employment to start their enterprises. The study also found that the majority of the women entrepreneurs did not belong to any formal or informal association with the main reason being lack of knowledge of any such associations and high subscription fees. Yet those who belonged claimed a wide range of benefits of these associations specifically financial support. Most of the enterprises of the respondents were dependent on rudimentary hand tools. The majority of the respondents started their businesses of their own accord with survival and need to increase wealth as the main reason for startup. Most chose their current line of business because it was either what they could afford or because it was all they knew how to do. With an overwhelmingmajority asserting thatthey intended to expand their enterprise, it was no wonderthat a large number of the respondents said they wouldn’t give up their business if a job opportunity was presented. Despite this, knowledge of business development services in their communities was said to be lacking. The studyidentifiedchallenges facedbywomenownedenterpriseswhichincludedimproperimplementation of government policies, lack of funding and skills training, absence of BDS-Business development services and use of rudimentary tools, non-engagement in social networks and discriminatory cultural practices, high cost of doing business and cumbersome registration procedures. The study advances several recommendations to mitigate the existing circumstances including enlightment of women entrepreneurs on benefits of training and business registration; affirmative action in vocational institutions enrolment and award of government contracts and more interaction between government and women entrepreneurs; development of flexible financial products; improvement of basic infrastructure. Throughout the report case studies of typical micro and small women entrepreneurs are presented and quotes from experts in the field of women entrepreneurship are used to highlight the study objectives.
Young Entrepreneurs in Sub-Saharan Africa
(Routledge, 2017) Dawa, Samuel
Young people are highly visible throughout urban and rural areas of sub-Saharan Africa, engaging in a wide range of income-generating activities. Young women operating from open-sided shacks or tabletops can be seen selling a range of goods from fruit and vegetables to cosmetics, and offering services such as plaiting hair and sewing clothes. Young men more commonly deal in manufactured goods, including electronic gadgets, and offer services such as car washing and charging mobile phones, though they are also increasingly entering into former female domains (Overå, 2007). These young people are predominant among the “ordinary” entrepreneurs of the global South (Jeffrey & Dyson, 2013) proving themselves skilful at finding economic niches, managing scarce resources, and seizing profitable opportunities within constrained economic environments. Economic restructuring and the transformation of labour markets have resulted in limited employment opportunities for young people whose unemployment rates can be two to three times higher than the norm (World Bank, 2012). Young people are often depicted as having become increasingly marginalised, causing idleness and frustration which, it is believed, can lead to involvement in crime, organised violence, and protests (Garcia & Fares, 2008; World Bank, 2006, 2012).1 Consequently, entrepreneurship is increasingly being promoted as a key tool to combat the youth unemployment crisis and as one of the main drivers of economic and social transformation in sub-Saharan Africa (Africa Commission, 2009; World Bank, 2006). In light of their limited possibilities to gain formal sector jobs in the public or private sector, young people are being encouraged to be “job creators” rather than “job seekers”, thus becoming self-employed “entrepreneurs” (Langevang & Gough, 2012).

Browsing by Author "Dawa, Samuel"

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