A Literature Review of the Factors Leading to Success and Failure of Youth Entrepreneurship in South Africa

This paper focuses on both ‘success’ and ‘challenges’ that youth face when starting their own businesses, which resulted in entrepreneurial opportunities for youth. A literature review was conducted to identify the factors that lead to youth entrepreneurship success/failure. The final sample for the review consists of 62 articles that were found to be relevant to the study. Social cognitive theory was used to underpin the study. The findings identified success factors to include mentorship, skill development, and access to resources. However, systemic barriers such as limited funding, bureaucratic hurdles, and restricted market access impeded entrepreneurial growth. Rural youths were particularly disadvantaged due to geographic and infrastructural constraints. Moreover, mentorship and training programmes play a vital role in enhancing self-efficacy among aspiring entrepreneurs. These interventions often incorporate experiential learning and practical skill-building to empower individuals. Building on these findings, a multidimensional approach is required to sustain entrepreneurial interventions. Overall, the findings underscore the importance of tailoring entrepreneurship capacity development interventions to address the diverse needs and challenges of youths. Hence, it is essential to go beyond training to provide sustained support, including mentorship, funding access, and market linkages.