Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development-A Case of Botswana Dr. Kuruba Gangappa, Senior Lecturer, Dr. Gilika Mpho, Lecturer Faculty of Business, Department of Management, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana Online published on 15 April, 2014. Abstract Entrepreneurship is viewed as the starting point for any business development. Like any other professional skill, entrepreneurship provides insights to market opportunities and ways to acquire and utilize resources for business productivity and growth. It is a creative and innovative skill and adapting response to environment. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary presents an Entrepreneur as one who organises, manages, and assumes the risk of a business or enterprise. Entrepreneurship assumes greater importance for business development which accelerates economic growth especially in developing economies. Small Business development promotes the transfer of capital from individuals and government resulting in the generation of wealth in the country. (CEDA-Annual report-2009) Botswana by virtue of its economy that depends heavily on trading activity advocates the importance of entrepreneurship through its developmental plans. Although the other sectors like mining, Tourism and Livestock preservation/development are part of the process in the economic development of the country; there seem to be a continuous heavy dependence on Trading/small business enterprises for a quick economic growth. Of late, Botswana experienced an enormous growth and expansion in small business enterprises especially retail business. Taking into account the importance of entrepreneurship, the paper analyses the following: Historical back ground of Small Business in Botswana Present situation of trading activities Entrepreneurship initiatives by different stake holders Role of Government in the promotion of entrepreneurship Growth of Small Businesses over a period Impact of Small Business development on the economy Way forward.
Top Keywords Small Business, Entrepreneurship, Growth of economy, Business Development. Top |