Presses

  • Open Books @ DUT

    DUT Library provides this platform for the publication of DUT's open-access monographs and textbooks.

  • DISS

    Temporary press for the review of the chapters in Disruptive Innovations in Student Success.

  • Book: Inclusive Entrepreneurship: Leveraging Indigenous Economic Activities for African Societal Development

    Inclusive Entrepreneurship: Leveraging Indigenous Economic Activities for African Societal Development


    Africa is riddled by various structural challenges that have proven to suppress entrepreneurs’ success. In the midst of high unemployment and a lack of government support systems, many entrepreneurs opt to engage in business activities mainly to survive, “survivalist entrepreneurs”. Such a picture of the
    business environment that is characterized by a dysfunctional ecosystem, missed opportunities to innovate, and degenerating entrepreneurial activities suffering.

    The book document lessons and strategies to support and grow entrepreneurial
    activities that are cognisant of indigenous business practices, future-fit, and inclusive for a pan-African society. This book aligns with the research agenda of the Research Chair led by Prof. Pfano Mashau. The book aims to advance cutting-edge
    scholarship that strengthens Africa’s entrepreneurial ecosystems, promotes inclusive growth, and equips institutions and enterprises to thrive in a rapidly evolving global economy.


    This book brings scholars to document evidence-based academic arguments. Africa stands at a pivotal moment in its socioeconomic development trajectory. Rapid urbanization, demographic expansion, digital transformation, and industrial
    restructuring demand entrepreneurial models that are not only innovative but inclusive, sustainable, and future-oriented.


    It is noteworthy to acknowledge that over 60% of Africa’s population is under the age of 25; the continent faces both a demographic dividend and a potential employment crisis if inclusive economic pathways are not deliberately constructed
    (African Union, 2015). Entrepreneurship has increasingly been positioned as a
    strategic vehicle for job creation, innovation, and structural transformation across African economies (Acs et al., 2018; Naudé, 2010). However, much of the existing entrepreneurship discourse remains rooted in Western theoretical paradigms
    that insufficiently account for Africa’s institutional diversity, informal economies, governance complexities, and sociocultural dynamics. A future-fit and inclusive entrepreneurship framework for a Pan-African society must therefore integrate
    contextualized innovation models, indigenous knowledge systems, and policy-aligned enterprise development strategies that respond to both continental integration objectives and local development realities.


    Furthermore, rapid technological change associated with the Fourth and emerging Fifth Industrial Revolutions presents both opportunities and disruption for African enterprises. Artificial intelligence, digital platforms, fintech ecosystems, and crossborder digital trade are reshaping production systems, labour markets, and value chains (Schwab, 2016; UNCTAD, 2021).


    While these transformations can expand market access and financial inclusion, they also risk deepening inequality where digital infrastructure, skills development, and regulatory frameworks remain uneven. Inclusive entrepreneurship must
    therefore prioritize digital readiness, innovation ecosystems, and institutional collaboration, particularly through university– industry–government partnerships, to ensure that emerging technologies enhance competitiveness without marginalizing vulnerable populations. Aligning entrepreneurship scholarship
    with Africa’s industrialization ambitions and digital transformation agendas is critical to achieving sustainable, broad-based growth.


    At a policy level, continental frameworks such as Agenda 2063 and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) underscore the urgency of fostering regionally integrated, innovation-driven economies capable of competing globally (African Union, 2015; World Bank, 2020). Yet structural challenges (youth unemployment, gender inequality, municipal capacity constraints, and limited SME scalability) continue to impede inclusive development.
    Therefore, this edited volume seeks to contribute to this emerging body of scholarship by advancing interdisciplinary, policy-relevant, and empirically grounded insights that support the design of future-fit entrepreneurial ecosystems capable of driving inclusive transformation across a Pan-African society.
    This book seeks to explore how entrepreneurship across the continent can bring together theoretical, empirical, policy-oriented, and practice-based contributions that collectively reimagine entrepreneurship for a Pan-African future.