Reabetswe Kgoroeadira
Bettany Centre for Entrepreneurial Performance and Economics,
Cranfield School of Management
Qualifications
Masters in Research - Cranfield University, United Kingdom
MBA - Kent Business School, United Kingdom
BSc Electrical Engineering - University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa
Background
I come from Soweto, a township in Johannesburg, South Africa (SA). I began my career as an Electrical engineer in South Africa and subsequently held a project management position at an executive level at SABMiller (SA) mainly responsible for formulation, planning and execution of capital projects.
During my spare time, I was also an external examiner in the school of Electrical and Information Engineering at the University of the Witwatersrand, member of the Presidential youth working group in the Presidency of South Africa, Member of the Institute of Directors as well as founder of the Soweto Mentoring Project – an initiative responsible for giving career guidance to final year high school learners as well as finding strategies for dealing with youth unemployment. Through this initiative, I was awarded a certificate of excellence by the Department of Education in recognition of my contribution to South Africa education. This work paved my general interest in the economics of entrepreneurship, where I generally became interested in finding out whether entrepreneurs could create the necessary jobs that South Africa so desperately needs.
Research Topic
Can the entrepreneurial sector help South Africa create a million jobs by 2015?
Research Issue
With Job creation being one of the biggest points on the national agenda, the current adopted public policies aimed at developing small enterprise in South Africa have failed to reach the set targets and desired outcome. This is simply because of the view that these policies are more of a “one size fit all” nature. Very little is said on whether there is an ideal policy mix to be adopted. Further, very little is said on what an achievable public policy ought to look like.
Research using simulation models – which have a long history within the field of economics – could be one way adopted to extend the scope of this enquiry; so as to incorporate several useful ‘real-world’ features of South African market.
Sector
Public Policy.
Research Methods
Quantitative research approach and analysis.
Theoretical Perspective
This research will follow a positivist paradigm; which is congruent with most of the research found in the field of economics.
Why I Chose Cranfield
Cranfield University had a huge advantage over other universities I had applied to in that it caters for practitioners. It was ever so refreshing to be in a 1st year MRes/PhD class with people who share similar experiences with me as opposed to other Universities where the majority of PhD students have little to no industry experience.
Published Papers
21-27 July 2010: Presenter and Discussant at the 19th European Doctoral Programmes Association in Management and Business Administration seminar, Soreze, France.