Mid-career management transition : from corporate manager to entrepreneur

The aim of this study is to gain a thorough understanding for the reasons whyand how some mid-career managers are able to leave corporateorganisations to start their own companies in SA and what perceived factorsmake them successful. SA needs to develop entrepreneurs so as to achievea 6% growth rate, in order to overcome unemployment and poverty. Twelve semi-structured interviews were conducted with successfulentrepreneurs, who had already made the transition from corporate managerto entrepreneur. The feedback was analysed using a combination ofnarrative, content and constant comparative analysis. Convenience andsnowball sampling generated a participant base that had extensive corporateexperience, were well educated, had each been in entrepreneurship for manyyears and employed more than 1240 employees. The key findings were: (1) changing career career reasons directly affectwhether a mid-career entrepreneur (MCE) will engage in an entrepreneurialactivity, as this is the basis of entrepreneurial intention, (2) motivationhuman motivations directly influence who pursues entrepreneurialopportunities, and who persists and survives when challenges arise, (3)career development both human capital and social capital are essential forsuccess, and (4) entrepreneurialism mid-career entrepreneurs gainconsiderable experience while in corporate which assist them to be asuccessful entrepreneurs. Years of corporate experience are the foundationfor a MCE, as it provides knowledge, experience, networks and confidence. Copyright © 2007 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 Please cite as follows: Midlane, R 2007, Mid-career management transition : from corporate manager to entrepreneur, MBA dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd < http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-03232010-155006/ > G10/159/ag