Feedback Form
Home Features Mastermind Forums About Advertise Blog Network Contact Be An Author

Methodology: Constraints of growth-oriented enterprises in the southern and eastern African region

Methodology: Constraints of growth-oriented enterprises in the southern and eastern African region

The study involved nine Focus Group Discussions with altogether forty participants in three countries - Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Six people were invited and confirmed participation for each Focus Group Discussion. Knowing that the entrepreneurs might cancel on short notice due to reasons beyond their control, our expectation was to have five persons in each focus group. The groups ended up having four to six people. They were told in advance that the meetings would take roughly two hours. Only one case discussion actually finished in two hours. Most case discussions, with the consent of the participants, went on for three hours or more.

Growth-oriented enterprises were identified through consultants contracted in each of the three countries. The consultants were instructed to find enterprises in various kinds of activity and of various sizes. More precisely, they were asked to identify manufacturers, service providers, and merchandisers in each of the following three categories. Enterprises that:

a) employed 5-15 people, and were about to embark on a growth path;

b) were presently in the process of growing and employed 10 to 30 people;

c) had recently gone through the growth process, and employed at least 30 people, but no more than 60.

These three categories were chosen for various reasons. Category a) enterprises were expected to provide the researchers with an idea of what constraints the enterprises expected to encounter as they were about to grow. Category b) enterprises were to provide the researchers with insights into what constraints they were actually experiencing as they were growing. Enterprises in Category c) would provide the researchers with additional information about constraints experienced in the growth process and with insights of how such constraints could be overcome.

Due to last minute cancellations the number of manufacturers in the final sample was somewhat larger than the number of service providers and traders. However, as no major differences were found among the constraints identified by these three groups of enterprises, this situation is not likely to have had any impact on the results of the study.

Using a brief questionnaire developed by the regional project office, the researchers collected profiles of the enterprises. The office used these profiles to decide whether a business would fit into any of the categories mentioned above. For example, for a company to be categorized as being "about to embark on a growth path", the questionnaire would have to indicate that they intended to expand their business within the next year and provide a rough, but credible plan of how this was to be achieved. For those that did fit into the categories outlined above, an invitation was extended to take part in a Focus Group Discussion. The focus group discussions were held with representatives of enterprises in the same category. Only the top managers, who had been with the company for a substantial period of time, were invited to these discussions. In most cases, as it turned out, the participants were also the founders.

Constraints of growth-oriented enterprises in the southern and eastern African region
Journal of Developmental Entrepreneurship, Oct 2002 by Trulsson, Per





Methodology Constraints of growthoriented enterprises in the southern and eastern African region - To learn more about this author, visit Journal of Development Entrepreneurship's Website.

Like this article? Share it with your friends

Article Feedback
 Article Feedback No article feedback found.
  Leave Your Feedback
article feedback

Article Feedback

To learn more about the Evan Elite Author Program please contact us.

About The Author


Journal of Development Entrepreneurship
(Visit Journal of's Website) The Journal of Developmental Entrepreneurship (JDE) provides a forum for the dissemination of descriptive, empirical, and theoretical research that focuses on issues concerning microenterprise and small business development, especially under conditions of adversity.

Journal of Development Entrepreneurship is a Platinum author on EvanCarmichael.com
About The Author

View Author Blog
View Author Blog

View Author Video
View Author Video

Free Downloads


Journal of Development Entrepreneurship's

Complete
List Of
African-Accounts
Articles

Name
Email
If you enjoyed this article, get Journal of Development Entrepreneurship's Complete List of African-Accounts Articles For FREE!

More Journal of Development Entrepreneurship
References Constraints of growthoriented enterprises in the southern and eastern African region
Conclusion Constraints of growthoriented enterprises in the southern and eastern African region
90 The Entrepreneurial Firm Organization Form Entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship in Africa
10 What is known and what needs to be done Entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship in Africa
160 What Needs to be Done Scaling Up Entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship in Africa
40 The African Entrepreneur RaceEthnicity Entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship in Africa
100 The Entrepreneurial Firm Networks Clusters and the Octopus Entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship in Africa
References Exploring entrepreneurship in a declining economy
60 The African Entrepreneur Behavioral Patterns Entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship in Africa
Respondent Profile Exploring entrepreneurship in a declining economy
Free Downloads


 
 
 


Evan Elite Authors
John Brennan  
Jeff Foster  
Staging Diva  
Evan Elite Authors

Become An Author
Have you written articles that would be of value to entrepreneurs? Become an expert on our site by publishing them! Expose yourself to a wide audience, drive more traffic to your website and get more sales! Click Here for details.
Become An Author

Evan's Latest Video
Modeling the Masters: Learn the true secrets behind Walt Disney's business success factors & grow your company! Video produced by Phanta Media
Evan's Latest Video

Business Opportunities
"Learn straight from Evan how you can Make a Full Time Income (And More) from a Website"

How to Start An Online Business

Click Here To Learn More
Business Opportunities



Evan's Newsletter
Get advice & tips from famous business owners, new articles by entrepreneur experts, my latest website updates, & special sneak peaks at what's to come!
Name:
Email:
Evan`s Newsletter

Free Downloads
Solving Problems Icon Solving Problems
Inspiration Business Plan Icon Inspiration Business Plan
Woman business success Icon Woman business success
Instant Business Letter Icon Instant Business Letter
Speed Business Networking Icon Speed Business Networking
Free Downloads - Complete List

Entrepreneur Tools and Guides
Choose A PR Topic
Choose A PR Topic
Press Release Builder
 
More PR Resources
More PR Resources
Press Release Builder
 
Entrepreneur Tools and Guides

SEO For Africa
SEO For Africa
Ophelia Forson Mankessim, Ghana,
Ophelia Forson
Mankessim, Ghana
SEO For Africa

If I Were A Startup...
Jeff Roick, $1.4 to $6.5 Mil in 2 years
Jeff Roick
$1.4 to $6.5 Mil in 2 years
Travis Hartley, 426% Growth in 2 Years
Travis Hartley
426% Growth in 2 Years
If I Were A Startup... - Complete List

Famous Entrepreneurs
Rupert Murdoch, Fox Network
Rupert Murdoch
Fox Network
Robert Johnson, B.E.T.
Famous Entrepreneurs - Complete List

Entrepreneur Advice
Seth Godin, Ideavirus Author
Seth Godin
Ideavirus Author
Zig Ziglar, See You At The Top
Zig Ziglar
See You At The Top
Entrepreneur Advice - Complete List

Popular Articles
(Premium Authors)

     Is Ford’s auto-xchange the “Real Deal?” (Survey Response 1)
By Jon Hansen
     Are Multiple Supply Chains Important Survey Response 2
By Jon Hansen
     Are Multiple Supply Chains Important (Survey Response 1)
By Jon Hansen

Have A Suggestion?
Toronto Salsa Classes / Toronto Salsa Lessons Email us your ideas on how to make our website more valuable! Thank you Sharon from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for your suggestions to make the newsletter look like the website and profile younger entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez and Sean Combs!
Have A Suggestion?

More Evan Carmichael
More Information