Exploring the Role of ICT in the transition from a Small Business owner to an Entrepreneur: A Dynamic Capabilities Perspective in a Developing Context

One of the preferred approaches to solving developing country (DC) challenges such as unemployment, poverty and redundant youth is through entrepreneurship and the use of ICT. Yet integrating ICT in business often presents another unnecessary challenge for Small Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) in DCs. In this paper we adopt a qualitative approach using the dynamic capabilities framework (DCF) to explore the role of ICT in transitioning SMME owners into entrepreneurs. The key findings suggest that younger SMME owners are more willing to innovate with ICTs yet lack the resources. The older SMME owners invest in ICT but struggle to make use of it. The research contributes to practice in suggesting how training in ICT to SMME owners, as part of stirring an entrepreneurial culture in DCs, needs to include these generational differences. For theory, the research shows that the DCF can sufficiently be used to understand growth in SMMEs in DCs.