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Entrepreneurial identity and Its influence on technology adoption in small and medium enterprises
Mini Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2025.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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University of Pretoria
2026
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| _version_ | 1867613581039632384 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author2 | Magwegwe, Frank |
| author_browse | Magwegwe, Frank |
| author_facet | Magwegwe, Frank |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | © 2025 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. |
| description | Mini Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2025. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/108992 |
| institution | University of Pretoria (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:38:24.974Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| publishDateRange | 2026 |
| publishDateSort | 2026 |
| publisher | University of Pretoria |
| publisherStr | University of Pretoria |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository |
| spelling | oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/108992 Entrepreneurial identity and Its influence on technology adoption in small and medium enterprises Magwegwe, Frank ichelp@gibs.co.za Duba Kholofelo UCTD Entrepreneurship Digital technology Mini Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2025. This study examines the impact of entrepreneurial identity on the digital technology adoption of South African small and medium enterprises (SMEs). This study is significant because it goes beyond the structural barriers to examine the influence of personal identity on technology use. Owners of SMEs across various industries were interviewed using semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis was employed to determine key trends. It identified four primary identity archetypes, namely, Innovator, Pragmatist, Strategist, and Traditionalist, which helps explain why entrepreneurs with comparable challenges act differently when embracing technology. Innovators focused on using digital tools for growth, Pragmatist addressed the practical issues using digital tools, Strategists used technology to fulfil the long-term objectives, and Traditionalists liked stable solutions that could be trusted. Market pressure, competition and regulation further influenced identity, which demonstrated that resources and knowledge do not solely determine the decisions to be adopted. The main limitation of the research is that it is restricted in its sample size and specific to South African SMEs and therefore cannot be generalised. It is recommended that policymakers and support agencies design programs that match these identity types, such as innovation grants for Innovators and trust-building mentorship for Traditionalists. Future studies are needed to confirm these results with larger and more diverse samples and to investigate such effects as gender, age, and business industry. This study contributes to the formation of new policy, formation of theory, and creation of practical support that can lead to growth and change in SMEs and other emerging economies by illustrating the links between entrepreneurial identity and digital adoption. Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) MBA Unrestricted Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) SDG-09: Industry, innovation and infrastructure 2026-03-16T09:30:11Z 2026-03-16T09:30:11Z 2026-05-05 2025 Mini Dissertation * A2025 http://hdl.handle.net/2263/108992 en © 2025 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. application/pdf University of Pretoria |
| spellingShingle | UCTD Entrepreneurship Digital technology Entrepreneurial identity and Its influence on technology adoption in small and medium enterprises |
| title | Entrepreneurial identity and Its influence on technology adoption in small and medium enterprises |
| title_full | Entrepreneurial identity and Its influence on technology adoption in small and medium enterprises |
| title_fullStr | Entrepreneurial identity and Its influence on technology adoption in small and medium enterprises |
| title_full_unstemmed | Entrepreneurial identity and Its influence on technology adoption in small and medium enterprises |
| title_short | Entrepreneurial identity and Its influence on technology adoption in small and medium enterprises |
| title_sort | entrepreneurial identity and its influence on technology adoption in small and medium enterprises |
| topic | UCTD Entrepreneurship Digital technology |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/2263/108992 |