The International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Ahead of Print.
Despite that the commercialization of academic research at universities in the form of spin-offs is increasingly acknowledged as a source of innovation across the globe, few universities in Africa have created spin-offs. Consequently, we examine the extent to which different organizational factors impact the development of academic spin-offs in the South African context. Primary data is collected from public universities via a structured questionnaire and hypotheses are evaluated using structural equation modelling. The findings reveal that organizational factors in terms of research mobilisation, external collaboration, unconventionality, and the perception of bureaucratic university policies all positively and significantly influence academic spin-offs. A complex picture of predictors influencing academic spin-offs emerges in terms of the different model pathways. Conducting research and empirically evaluating a model in an African emerging market context, offers new and valuable insights, which can enlarge theory and enhance understanding of academic entrepreneurship in general.
Author Archives: Boris Urban
Investing in a Social Venture to Generate Social Impact or Financial Return
Business Perspectives and Research, Ahead of Print.
Recognizing that the current literature provides a fragmented depiction of impact investor decisions, this article empirically examines if impact investors are focused on financial returns or instead on the social impact generated by social enterprises. To address this research objective a sample of impact investors are surveyed in South Africa, where there is an increasing demand for impact investors to fund initiatives that address the country’s many underlying structural deficits and wicked problems. Findings, based on correlational and regression analyses, indicate that variation in the impact investment decision is explained by the financial return motive. This finding resonates with the argument that investors are primarily focused on financial competitiveness and return on their investment. Developing a strong body of evidence that validates the effectiveness of policy in supporting impact investing is pivotal, particularly when given the lack of sustainability of many social enterprises in African and emerging economies.
Recognizing that the current literature provides a fragmented depiction of impact investor decisions, this article empirically examines if impact investors are focused on financial returns or instead on the social impact generated by social enterprises. To address this research objective a sample of impact investors are surveyed in South Africa, where there is an increasing demand for impact investors to fund initiatives that address the country’s many underlying structural deficits and wicked problems. Findings, based on correlational and regression analyses, indicate that variation in the impact investment decision is explained by the financial return motive. This finding resonates with the argument that investors are primarily focused on financial competitiveness and return on their investment. Developing a strong body of evidence that validates the effectiveness of policy in supporting impact investing is pivotal, particularly when given the lack of sustainability of many social enterprises in African and emerging economies.
Earnings generation and strategic alliance-building and as a means of achieving scalability of social enterprises in South Africa
The International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Ahead of Print.
While scaling of social impact is a key element in social entrepreneurship (SE), many social enterprises fail to scale-up their impact meaningfully. This is an opportunity to investigate earnings generation (EG) and strategic alliance-building (SAB) as potential predictors of scalability of social enterprises. The study context is South Africa where SE has much relevance due to the many social ills, which plague the country. Initially, the study instrument is tested for validity and reliability, whereupon hypotheses are tested using multiple regression analyses. Results show that EG is a significant and positive predictor of social enterprise scaling. This finding is important considering that many social enterprises in South Africa are challenged by financial resource constraints. This study, conducted in an African emerging market context, allows social entrepreneurs to more deeply understand the relevance of EG and SAB in their scaling efforts. Indeed, developing a strong body of evidence that validates the effectiveness of policy in supporting social enterprise scaling is pivotal for both theory and practice.
While scaling of social impact is a key element in social entrepreneurship (SE), many social enterprises fail to scale-up their impact meaningfully. This is an opportunity to investigate earnings generation (EG) and strategic alliance-building (SAB) as potential predictors of scalability of social enterprises. The study context is South Africa where SE has much relevance due to the many social ills, which plague the country. Initially, the study instrument is tested for validity and reliability, whereupon hypotheses are tested using multiple regression analyses. Results show that EG is a significant and positive predictor of social enterprise scaling. This finding is important considering that many social enterprises in South Africa are challenged by financial resource constraints. This study, conducted in an African emerging market context, allows social entrepreneurs to more deeply understand the relevance of EG and SAB in their scaling efforts. Indeed, developing a strong body of evidence that validates the effectiveness of policy in supporting social enterprise scaling is pivotal for both theory and practice.