Augmenting Family Businesses in Craft Tourism Through Entrepreneurial Skills Development Among Southern Africa Rural Women

Abstract

This chapter explores the different ways in which rural family businesses managing craft tourism ventures in the Sengwe (Zimbabwe) and Makuleke (South Africa) have acquired and developed their entrepreneurial skill sets. The human capital theory was applied to explain how different elements impact entrepreneurial skills development among rural family businesses which are spearheaded by women. A qualitative approach was adopted, and data was collected using face-to-face interviews and participant observations. The personal interviews provided the participants with a platform to share their experiences relating to how their entrepreneurial skills have evolved while participant observation revealed the application of entrepreneurial skills. Participants were drawn to the study using snowballing technique as the craft tourism entrepreneurs are concentrated in the informal economy and lack formal registration. Thematic content analysis was used to present rural women-driven family businesses’ narratives; and deductions were made highlighting how the entrepreneurial skills were developed. Evidence from the study indicates that education improved the written communication skills and recordkeeping skills of women entrepreneurs in family businesses, while oral communication skills and product development skills were improved by tacit processes. The research examines rurality and gender contexts to give explanations on how the entrepreneurial skills that sustain craft tourism of family ventures have been developed. This provides future direction to policymakers on how entrepreneurs’ skills can be enhanced for family businesses which are driven by women. The study recommends that on-site technical assistance should be availed to rural women entrepreneurs to facilitate peer-to-peer modelling.