Common Paper
27.9.2011
In the course of the next decade approximately five hundred million young people will enter the labor market. However, many of them have great difficulties in finding an appropriate job. This paper focuses on the link between entrepreneurship and civic education in Germany and Southern African countries.
In the course of the next decade approximately five hundred million young people will enter the labor market. However, many of them have great difficulties in finding an appropriate job and are not able to make use of their skills and qualifications. In general the unemployment rate amongst young people is twice to three times as high as it is for adults (OECD 2008: 30). Due to the global recession, the prospect of employment by established companies is further hampered. The young people's limited access to the labor market often results in a vicious cycle of pover-ty and social exclusion.
By not being able to participate in their respective economies, these youth are at risk of not reaching their full potential, and in doing so, straining the economy and relevant social structures. This is due to the fact that the government's investment in education and training will bear no fruits if young people do not move into productive jobs that enable them to pay taxes and support public services. Furthermore, poor employment at the beginning of a young person's career may have negative effects on job prospects in later life. Not only does it impede opportunities to gain work experience and practice expertise but it also prevents young people from establishing a functional network of business contacts.
An essential prerequisite for this endeavor is an innovative education system which emphasizes the development of skills and attitudes that make up an entrepreneurial mind-set such as lateral thinking, questioning, independence and self-reliance among young people. In addition to this, young entrepreneurs should be provided with further education during vocational training, business incubation and the start-up phase of their businesses.
This paper focuses also on the link between entrepreneurship and civic education in Germany and Southern African countries. The entrepreneurs' status as self-employed risk takers within their communities makes them positive role models. Entrepreneurs who have gained knowledge on the subject of civic education are more likely to be good corporate and civic citizens. If these entrepreneurs act in a corporate and socially responsible manner they have the potential to become what is commonly referred to as "multipliers". In this role they are able to promote the virtues of the civic educated life on a broader basis than other citizens and can therefore make an important contribution to society. Due to their energy and innovative approach to problems it is especially important that young entrepreneurs participate in their communities and broader society in a responsible way.
The first section of the paper focuses on the characteristics, necessary capabilities and motivation to start up a business of young entrepreneurs in Germany and Africa and the impact of youth entrepreneurship on the society as well as on young entrepreneurs. Personal interviews with a range of young businessmen and -women will complement theoretical findings and give insights in different businesses and the personalities of their founders as well as in country-specific political, social and economic realities.
In the third chapter, the focus lies on the opportunities and barriers to business creation by young people which will be analyzed using the PESTEL-scheme. This scheme takes into account political, economic, social, technological, environmental and legal factors that young entrepreneurs have to take into account when starting up their businesses.
The following section compares economic policies for promoting youth entrepreneurship in Germany and identifies new markets of interests for young entrepreneurs. A special focus lies on finding ways of promoting responsible and sustainable business management through civic education. Finally the authors deal with the potential of youth entrepreneurship policy and try to find new strategies for facilitating youth entrepreneurship within the German-African Partnership.
Common Paper: Youth Entrepreneurship in Germany and Africa - Promotion Through Partnership, long Version
(PDF-Version: 5.189 KB)- Common Paper: Youth Entrepreneurship in Germany and Africa - Promotion Through Partnership: Major Findings (PDF-Version: 471 KB)
