An empirical investigation of entrepreneurial environment in Sudan
| Date | 12 July 2013 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/WJEMSD-03-2013-0021 |
| Pages | 168-177 |
| Published date | 12 July 2013 |
| Author | Yagoub Ali Gangi,Elfadil Timan |
| Subject Matter | Public policy & environmental management |
An empirical investigation
of entrepreneurial environment
in Sudan
Yagoub Ali Gangi
Ahamed bin Mohammad Military College, Doha,
Qatar and School of Management Studies, University of Khartoum,
Khartoum, Sudan, and
Elfadil Timan
Department of Business Administration, Gerzira University, Medani, Sudan
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate how potential entrepreneurs perceived the
entrepreneurial environment in Sudan.
Design/methodology/approach – It evaluates economic, political, legal and administrative, socio-
cultural, educational, and infrastructure and public suppor t conditions affecting entrepreneurship
development. Furthermore, it examines attitudes of government, Sudanese society, and Sudanese
business community towards enhancement of entrepreneurial environment. Data are collected from
236 national potential entrepreneurs through questionnaires. Respondents are asked 45 questions to
assess their perception of the main six factors composing the entrepreneurial environment.
Findings – The study revealed that the entrepreneurs perceived economic, education and
infrastructure conditions as fair (neither strong nor poo r). However, they perceived political, legal,
administrative, social and cultural conditions as poor. Factors that contributed in shaping these
conditions are government policies, and social and cultural beliefs of Sudanese society.
Originality/value – The study is the first contri bution to the literature on the S udan
entrepreneurship environment.
Keywords Sudan, Entrepreneurialism, Entrepreneurial environment
Paper type Research paper
1. Introduction
Entrepreneurship has remained a hot issue in academia for the last thre e decades, due
to its essential role in modern economies. It is considered and empirically approved by
many researchers as an engine of economic growth, source of employment, and means
of societal development (Go
´mez-Haro et al., 2011; Bosma and Levie, 2010; Bosma et al.,
2009). Since entrepreneurship development is importan t for the development of
the economy, most of countries of the world have launched initiatives to promote
entrepreneurship among their societies and Sudan is no exception. In 1992, the
Sudanese Government decided to implement private sector led growth in liberalized
economic conditions. Since that time subsequent governments have continued to stress
the importance of the private sector for the development of its economy. This was
clearly stated in the Ten Year Comprehensive Strategy (1993-2003), and the Five Year
Plan (2005-2010).
The national government which was formulated after the Comprehensive Peace
Agreement (CPA) in 2005 has expressed a vision favoring an economic growth broadly
based on the private sector. The essence of this vision is the encou ragement of
entrepreneurs to establish businesses and make choices in the process of competition
that raise their productivity, and as a result, enhance economic growth, create
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
www.emeraldinsight.com/2042-5961.htm
World Journal of Entrepreneurship,
Management and Sustainable
Development
Vol. 9 No. 2/3, 2013
pp. 168-177
rEmeraldGroup PublishingLimited
2042-5961
DOI 10.1108/W JEMSD-03-2013-00 21
168
WJEMSD
9,2/3
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