Conceptions of entrepreneurship among students at a South African university

What different conceptualizations of entrepreneurship do South African university students articulate, how do these relate to their own livelihood strategies, and how do they differ from those promoted by universities and policymakers? To answer these questions, this thesis is a multi-level case-study analysis bringing together insights from policymakers, university staff, and students at a South African university with approximately 80% of enrolled students from low-income backgrounds. The theoretical framing of this thesis draws on structure and agency theory, including other bodies of literature concerned about subversion, reproduction and self-regulation. The design includes analysis of the National Development Plan 2030 and National Youth Policies 2015/2020–2030 and findings from 30 semi-structured interviews comprising students, policymakers, and university management stakeholders. The policy players interviewed express mixed views, depending on their positions and roles. Some saw the promotion of entrepreneurship as a way for policymakers and the university stakeholders to avoid dealing with the problems faced by students. Others felt that entrepreneurship was an approach to help students help themselves. The findings explore the different student understandings of entrepreneurship and responses to their university’s promotion. Lack of cash, poverty and hardship are the socio-economic issues dominating their understandings and responses to entrepreneurship. These students struggle to afford basics such as clothes, toiletries, food, and textbooks, despite funding from National Student Financial Aid Scheme. This funding is not enough to meet all their needs. For some students this justifies an interest in entrepreneurship. The findings highlight the differences and tensions in the conceptualizations (understandings) and articulations (responses) of entrepreneurship among students, policy, and the university. A detailed case-study of one student, “Kat”, offers further insight on how students subvert policy and their university structure in actioning their micro enterprises. The contribution of this thesis is a demonstration of how students at university are using agency to subvert the rigid policy promotions of entrepreneurship, and contrasts this with the lived experiences of students. Theoretically the thesis contributes to literature a firm confirmation on how entrepreneurship is conceptualised and practiced differently in society. This thesis rattles the cage of entrepreneurship literature that has since adopted a one-sided approach to the phenomenon. As such it amplifies the voice of students both political and from a standpoint of advocacy. It questions the state’s popularization and promotion of entrepreneurship in South African higher education whilst not accommodating the varying conceptions, motives and practices of entrepreneurship amongst students. This thesis proposes a three-legged transformative model for entrepreneurship. The model suggests that entrepreneurship be treated with a more transformative lens and from a livelihood perspective in both research and policy.