Anzisha Prize Research
Aligned with our theory of change, existing literature, research we have conducted, and a decade’s worth of experience working with very young entrepreneurs (aged 15 to 25), Anzisha’s research agenda is guided by the following core research questions:
1. Age and Entrepreneurship
What is the relationship between age and entrepreneurship in the African context?
This question could include specific sub-themes, for example decisions to pursue entrepreneurship, stages of entrepreneurial development, job creation and poverty reduction.
2. Transitions into Entrepreneurship
What types of interventions are most effective in supporting transitions from school or university into entrepreneurship?
Interventions of interest may target very young entrepreneurs and/or their ecosystems.
3. Young Entrepreneurs and Job Creation
What impact do very young entrepreneurs have on job creation for African youth?
We are particularly interested in job creation for African youth who are under 25 years of age.
To support our ongoing learning in these areas, Anzisha invests in two commissioned research projects each year. Funding of $10,000 is available per study.
We accepted two research proposals for the 2020-2021 period. The following studies are currently underway:
Researcher: Dolapo Adeyanju
Assessing the Impact of Entrepreneurship on Job Creation and Poverty Reduction among Very Young Nigerian Youth
Many studies tend to focus on factors determining entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial intention among younger youths rather than measuring the impact of their participation in entrepreneurship on economic outcomes such as job creation and livelihood outcomes. This study intends to address this research gap to broaden knowledge of the subject and provide empirical evidence which could drive practical policymaking on youth entrepreneurship in Nigeria and Africa.
Researcher: Ouafaa Hmaddi
Benefits of Early-Stage Resource Acquisition: How and for Whom? A Randomized Field Experiment in Morocco
Beyond performance hypotheses, the researcher posits that certain bundles of resources appear more likely to generate learning that increases the likelihood of pivoting whereas other configurations may lead to highly focused learning, which may decrease strategic reorientation. With this focus, the study seeks to enable deeper scholarly understanding of how entrepreneur’s resource acquisition affects their performance and strategic orientation.
- Researcher(s) must be citizens or permanent residents of an African country. We are particularly interested in funding research in the following countries: Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal and Uganda.
- Researcher(s) must have or be busy with a post-graduate degree in the social sciences (any disciplines).
- Graduate students are eligible to apply and may make use of the data collected for their research projects required for their qualification, with permission from Anzisha.
- Researcher(s) must have worked on at least two other research projects prior to this one (please provide details in CV).
More Anzisha Research
The Anzisha Prize has conducted literature reviews, surveys, desktop research, stakeholder consultations, and more to produce a decade's worth of research.
Recent research includes studies on:
- Youth entrepreneurship for sustainable job creation in francophone Africa
- The impact of entrepreneurship on job creation for young people in Ghana
- Entrepreneurs and job creation in Tanzania
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