Literature review on digital entrepreneurship in South Africa: a human capital perspective

Abstract

This paper aims to assess the current status of digital entrepreneurship in the South African environment by analysing people's knowledge and behaviour towards the fourth industrial revolution. Numerous studies have been conducted regarding social, corporate and women entrepreneurship. In addition, the current literature on digital entrepreneurship needs to be more specific and depends on the field. Previous studies highlight digital entrepreneurship from various dimensions, such as global growth, women and gender, regulatory challenges and their impact on economic growth. Furthermore, studies assessing human capital's influence on digital entrepreneurship still need to be completed. Individuals and businesses must embrace digital entrepreneurship and consider the impact of human capital on business success. Therefore, there is urgent to consider the human capital factors in digital entrepreneurship. The study uses a library search and analysis of previous literature on digital entrepreneurship, regardless of its impact on economic growth. This study found that a lack of technological knowledge and a low number of mobile social media users are the main factors that affect the development of digital entrepreneurship in South Africa. The discussion provided in this paper would strengthen the body of knowledge on the effects of human capital on digital entrepreneurship and act as a reference for empirical research.