DETERMINANTS OF IMMIGRANT ENTREPRENEURS’ BUSINESS SURVIVAL: SECURITY AND BUSINESS SKILLS IMPERATIVES

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.37335/ijek.v12i1.222

Keywords:

Survival, Business, Resilience, Immigrant, Entrepreneurship, Skills

Abstract

This study sought to determine the major drivers of immigrant business survival in OR Tambo District Municipality in South Africa. While the study adopted Aldrich and Waldinger’s Interactive Theory, the positivist (quantitative) research approach was used to determine how relevant data were collected and analysed. A sample of 100 immigrant entrepreneurs was selected through a convenient random sampling technique. Correspondingly, a survey instrument was used to collect the required data from the sample, while descriptive statistics, correlation, principal component analysis, factorial ANOVA, and regression tools were applied to analyze the data and generate results. This study found the use of burglary bars for security, understanding what people need, satisfying the customers’ needs, and accumulation and use of personal savings as the major strategies being used amongst immigrant entrepreneurs in keeping their businesses afloat. Besides, demographic and locational attributes such as the high educational status of the business owner, being single in South Africa, having longer years of trade in the country, trading in the urban area, and being of East African origin are positively associated with business survival in the study area. Surprisingly, the study did not support the conventional assumption that staying longer in an area may translate to business survival. The major implication of this study borders on implementing relevant policies and practices to transfer these business survival skills across (Small Micro and Medium Enterprises (SMME) operators, especially the local entrepreneurs in the country, to enhance their resilience and survival. This study contributes to the body of knowledge and literature regarding relevant issues related to SMME start-ups in South Africa. It also provides policy-appropriate variables for short and medium-term intervention designs in the development and sustainability of the SMME industry in the country.

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Author Biographies

Philile Mavimbela, Department of Social Sciences, Facult of Law Humanities and Social Sciences, Walter Sisulu University, Mthatha, South Africa

Ms Mavimbela was a postgraduate researcher in the Department of Social Sciences at Walter Sisulu University. Her main field of research and interests include the sociology of work, labour, and industry. She is particularly interested in business incubation and entrepreneurship at the level of SMMEs.

Emeka Obioha, Department of Social Sciences, Faculty of Law Humanities and Social Sciences, Walter Sisulu University, Mthatha, South Africa

Prof. Obioha is a full Professor of Sociology in the Faculty of Law, Humanities and Social Sciences at Walter Sisulu University. His main fields of research interest include, social control, social order, development capabilities, among others. He has published extensively in these areas in addition toother sociological problems in the society.

Olubunmi Obioha, Department of Management Sciences, Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, Sol Plaatje University, Kimberley, South Africa

Dr. Obioha is a Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences at Sol Plaatje University. Her main fields of research interest include business law, entrepreneurial law, business ethics, and corporate governance. She is particularly interested in the functioning of business organisations. Dr. Obioha has published in these areas of interest and related fields.

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Published

2024-06-27

How to Cite

Mavimbela, P., Obioha, E., & Obioha, O. (2024). DETERMINANTS OF IMMIGRANT ENTREPRENEURS’ BUSINESS SURVIVAL: SECURITY AND BUSINESS SKILLS IMPERATIVES. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Knowledge, 12(1), 110–127. https://doi.org/10.37335/ijek.v12i1.222

Issue

Vol. 12 No. 1 (2024): International Journal of Entrepreneurial Knowledge

Section

Articles

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International Journal of Entrepreneurial Knowledge (ISSN 2336-2960) is published by the Center for International Scientific Research of VŠO and VŠPP in cooperation with the following partners:

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