Informations et ressources scientifiques
sur le développement des zones arides et semi-arides

Titre : Change agency by grassroots entrepreneurs : An exploration of the transformative impact on sustainable development in Sub Saharan Africa

Auteur : van Hemmen, W.

Université de soutenance : Eindhoven University of Technology

Grade : Master Thesis Innovation Sciences 2021

Résumé
The story of Africa’s development is a difficult one. Over the past centuries its development was slow compared to countries on other continents. And many policies and programs aimed at fostering development of African countries have failed. However, there are some promising signs. Currently the GDP growth of some African countries is among the world’s fastest and the term ‘Africa Rising’ has been aired. Simultaneously, concerns are being voiced that the growth is distributed unfairly, that the income inequality in these Sub-Saharan Africa countries is only increasing, and poverty is not declining. This points to a need for a much more fundamental and inclusive transformation. A possible potential force for this transformation may lie in grassroots entrepreneurship which operates at the Base of the Pyramid and concerns more local solutions, initiatives and knowledge. The way in which grassroots entrepreneurship can contribute to fundamental transformation is through change agency. By exercising change agency, entrepreneurs navigate or maneuver between different logics, rules, cultures, institutions, and/or more, exploiting gaps and changing the rules for their own and others’ benefit. This paper is the result of a literature analysis aimed to better understand how grassroots entrepreneurs can have a great impact on the transformation through their change agency, in the developing world in general and in the context of Sub Saharan Africa specifically. It draws on socio-technical transitions research for insights about different innovation activities that can be seen as efforts by actors to exercise change agency. This information is used to design a framework with which the literature collection on grassroots entrepreneurship is systematically scrutinized for evidence of different activities that entail change agency. In addition, key drivers and motivations of social entrepreneurs for engaging in these activities, as well as the developmental outcomes and impacts on social transformation are explored. Features that are specifically important in the African setting found to include careful navigation and bridging, cooperation with communities, and developing and mobilizing further support. The thesis ends with identification of challenges and barriers that impede larger-scale impact of grassroots initiatives and furnishes recommendations for policy to address these, and it offers reflections on useful avenues for further research.

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