ENTREPRENEURSHIP CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES IN
ZIMBABWEAN UNIVERSITIES

ENTREPRENEURSHIP CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES IN
ZIMBABWEAN UNIVERSITIES

STEPHEN MWENJE

The thesis evaluated entrepreneurship curriculum implementation in Zimbabwean
universities. The thesis was prompted by shortfalls in capacitating students to create
entrepreneurial opportunities. The thesis was informed by the philosophy of pragmatism
and underpinned by theories of opportunity discovery and creation. Review of related
literature brought evidence on applicability of opportunity discovery and creation
theories. The study was a mixed method research that adopted a concurrent mixed
methods design. The population comprised of students and lecturers in 16 universities in
Zimbabwe. Two parallel samples were used. The quantitative sample was stratified and
random, with 94 lecturers and 235 students from all programmes, while the qualitative
sample was purposive, comprising lecturers and students from entrepreneurship degree
programmes. Questionnaires collected data for the quantitative inquiry while semi-
structured interviews and documentary reviews generated data for the qualitative inquiry.
Descriptive statistics presented and analysed quantitative data while thematic analysis
was used on qualitative data. Validity and reliability validated quantitative methods,
while trustworthiness validated qualitative methods. Triangulation synthesised theories
and methods while bracketing and member checking guided researcher’s values. Results
established limited incorporation of entrepreneurship curriculum into degree
programmes. Curriculum strategies were deficient in generating venture creation. The
study concluded that degree programmes fell short in capacitating students to search and
create entrepreneurial opportunities. The study proposed a model to incorporate
entrepreneurship curriculum into degree programmes. The study recommended that
university senates, deans and chairpersons develop action oriented entrepreneurship
curriculum. The study recommended research that consider university mandates.

ZOU

2018