Title: Message in a bottle: business education's impact on African BOP entrepreneurs

Authors: John F. Tanner Jr.; Van D. Gray

Addresses: Strome College of Business, Old Dominion University, Constant Hall, Norfolk VA, USA ' Hankamer School of Business, Baylor University, One Bear Place, #98007, Waco TX 76798-8007, USA

Abstract: Developing human capital is a potentially powerful way to improve economies. The potential impact for those at the bottom of the economic pyramid (BOP) can be tremendous. This qualitative study of one general entrepreneurship curriculum aimed at BOP entrepreneurs, message in a bottle (McCormick and Gray, 2011b), suggests that marketing education can have the greatest impact on these entrepreneurs and their ability to sustain and grow their business. Further, the study addresses important research questions as to whether the curriculum achieves the stated goals of improving entrepreneur performance, even when delivered by someone other than a professional educator.

Keywords: bottom of the pyramid; BoP entrepreneurs; business education; entrepreneurship education; marketing; micro-credit; micro-lending; Malawi; Africa; human capital; marketing education; entrepreneurial performance.

DOI: 10.1504/AJESD.2015.071903

African Journal of Economic and Sustainable Development, 2015 Vol.4 No.3, pp.201 - 210

Received: 18 Feb 2015
Accepted: 18 Feb 2015
Published online: 23 Sep 2015 *

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