An Assessment Of The Role Of Entrepreneurial Action In Influencing Growth Of Rural Farm Enterprises: A Case Of Selected Districts In Zambia

ABSTRACT

Human actions involved in identifying and exploiting opportunities for start-ups and enterprise growth have been studied for some time now (Bird & Schjoedt, 2009; Gartner, Carter, & Reynolds, 2010). But how these actions are triggered and what role they play particularly in rural enterprise growth is a matter that has remained relatively un-researched. Despite the understanding that enterprise growth/failure is an outcome of the entrepreneurial processes, which are emergent from a complex interaction within and between the entrepreneur, the environment, the enterprise and the product or service (Bouchikhi, 1993), many rural farm enterprises have largely remained small with little revenue for many years. In this study, a mixed design based on non-parametric and thematic data analysis and approaches were employed to explore the appreciation and experiences of one thousand one hundred and seventy-two (1172) rural farmers on the role of entrepreneurial actions in growing rural farm enterprises. The data collected were analysed with assistance of the SPSS software. Study results postulated that entrepreneurial actions among rural farmers appeared to be triggered by certainty or assurance of resources to use for a valued entrepreneurial decisions. It was further found that entrepreneurial actions among non-entrepreneurial persons may not benefit the persons to grow their enterprises. The implication of these findings are that the rural farm entrepreneurs need to be engaged in groups that enhance knowledge sharing besides enhancing their self- driven access to discretionary production resources within short period of time of muting an entrepreneurial action. The study also proposed a framework for entrepreneurial studies, policies and practice.

Key words: Entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial action, rural entrepreneurship, enterprise growth and rural farm enterprise.