Title: Reflecting upon the entrepreneurship initiatives in new emerging African nations: zooming the cultural lens on education systems in two former German colonies

Authors: Wilfred Isak April

Addresses: Faculty of Social Sciences, Lincoln University, New Zealand; P.O. Box 3011 Windhoek, Namibia, 9000, Africa

Abstract: This paper seeks to explore and develop an understanding why there are significant differences in terms of entrepreneurial development amongst the West African nation of Ghana and the Southern African nation of Namibia. More importantly, this paper aims to create understanding as to why Ghana which was the first African nation to receive independence in sub-Saharan Africa from colonial rule; a country which was a primary role model for many African states has such a low level of literacy which could hinder entrepreneurial development, in comparison to Namibia which is one of the last nations to gain its independence. This is a continuing debate, and this paper is only one of the few experiments which were conducted among African nations. Any changes which occurred in Ghana and Namibia after colonisation should be viewed within the cultural context within which each of these nations and the cooperation which exist amongst the citizens of each nation.

Keywords: Ghana; Namibia; Germany; colonisation; education; entrepreneurship; culture; former German colonies; entrepreneurial development; literacy levels; post-colonial.

DOI: 10.1504/WREMSD.2010.036672

World Review of Entrepreneurship, Management and Sustainable Development, 2010 Vol.6 No.3, pp.163 - 174

Published online: 05 Nov 2010 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article