Entrepreneurial Passion, Creativity, and Intentions: Insights from Students at Historically Black Institutions in South Africa

High unemployment rates have recently been reported in South Africa. Graduate unemployment is also reported to be rising, particularly for graduates from Historically Black Institutions (HBIs). It is worrying that the rate of entrepreneurial activity by youths is reported to be low in South Africa when compared to other middle-income countries, yet the nation is battling with rising unemployment. Despite the country’s progress in higher education access, a mismatch persists between the skills graduates acquire and the needs of the labour market, worsening unemployment, particularly among young people. Regional disparities further complicate the issue, with provinces such as the Eastern Cape experiencing disproportionately high levels of unemployment, while urban provinces such as Gauteng and the Western Cape offer more opportunities for employment and entrepreneurial activity. Understanding the impact of entrepreneurial passion and creativity on higher education students’ entrepreneurial intentions may help reduce the effects of unemployment and improve entrepreneurial activity in South Africa.

The primary objective of the study was to investigate the effects of entrepreneurial passion and creativity on entrepreneurial intentions of students at a Historically Black University in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The secondary objectives were to investigate the effect of entrepreneurial passion on entrepreneurial intentions of students, and to investigate the effect of creativity on entrepreneurial intentions of students.

The theories that underpinned the study are the theory of entrepreneurial event, the theory of Planned Behaviour and the Nature and Experience of entrepreneurial passion theory. These theories provide a unique lens through which it is possible to understand the factors that drive students to pursue entrepreneurial ventures, particularly in relation to the emotional, cognitive, and contextual influences on decision-making. The study followed a positivist approach, using a quantitative research approach and a descriptive research design. A sample of 376 students was drawn from students at a university in the Eastern Cape Province using the convenience sampling method. A structured online questionnaire with four sections was administered through students’ e-mails. To test the hypotheses, simple linear regression and multiple linear regression analyses were used.

The results showed that both entrepreneurial passion and creativity have a significant positive effect on the entrepreneurial intentions of students. The findings of the study showed that entrepreneurial passion and creativity positively influence entrepreneurial intentions among students. In educational contexts, these results suggest that incorporating entrepreneurial mentorship, practical business exposure, and creativity-enhancing activities into the curriculum can significantly boost students' entrepreneurial intentions. In policy settings, these findings underscore the importance of creating supportive environments for young entrepreneurs, such as access to funding, training, and mentorship. Tailored policies that promote entrepreneurship through targeted support in both urban and rural regions can help bridge the gap and encourage a more entrepreneurial culture across the country.

Based on the findings, recommendations were suggested to the HBIs, students, governments as well as other organisations that support entrepreneurship in higher education institutions. The recommendations to HBIs include that institution management should focus on implementing policies and strategies that foster students’ entrepreneurship intentions and attitudes. Students should also be encouraged to create employment for themselves and others so as to curb the rise in graduate unemployment.

Future studies should include more Historically Black Institutions (HBIs) for a more feasible analysis of ways the entrepreneurial passion and creativity of students can be nurtured to positively affect their entrepreneurship intentions. Furthermore, future studies may also look into why students with guardians who own a business or with an entrepreneurial background are more inclined towards starting businesses than those without entrepreneurial backgrounds.