Attitudes towards social entrepreneurship among Enactus students at the Durban University of Technology

Abstract

Background South African universities have taken a keen interest in integrating entrepreneurial education into their curriculum. Entrepreneurship has been defined as the exchange of goods or services to satisfy a need, with the intention of creating wealth. However the emergence of socio-economic imbalances has led to a desperate need for innovative and sustainable solutions. Social entrepreneurship (SE) has become popular in recent years because of its ground-breaking innovations that are distinctively different from traditional business models. By definition, SE is a process undertaken by an individual with the intent to address existing and future socioeconomic issues such as health disparities, environmental neglect and poverty. While SE is less well known within the field of economic development, valuable information can be gathered through the research of what people think of and associate with SE in that context. Methodology A cross-sectional descriptive quantitative research survey design was used to collect data from 34 students from the Enactus team, sampled from the six faculties of the Durban campuses of Durban University of Technology (DUT). Data were collected using a self-administered online survey, adapted from a questionnaire by Luiz and Mariotti (2011). Data from both instruments were analysed using SPSS version 26.0. Results A significant number of respondents 81.1% (n = 34) agreed that there is a likelihood that they would start a social business to assist the upliftment of people in the future. The majority of respondents 90.3%, (n = 37) agreed that DUT does have a programme on SE available to Enactus DUT team members. This result indicates a significantly positive attitude towards SE and helping others (p < .001). Recommendations A comprehensive definition of SE should be taught to students during orientation workshops, upon joining the Enactus team. This will give new members an idea of what the team is involved in and what is expected of them. Career opportunities should be highlighted by stakeholders known by Enactus South Africa during national competitions and other business presentations, for the benefit of team members exiting the programme upon graduation. Conclusion The results of this study indicate that involvement in SE is affected by positive attitudes towards, and knowledge of, SE. Some students are not fully exposed to Enactus campus activities and may miss the opportunity to be involved in SE due to a lack of knowledge on SE and absence of entrepreneurial activities in the curriculum. Steps need to be taken to ensure that all students are made aware of the existence of Enactus on campus and the institution overall should integrate SE into the academic curriculum.