Small business and the 2010 FIFA World Cup: The use of communication technology in South African micro-enterprise.

摘要

This dissertation reports on the use of communication technology among small and micro-scale entrepreneurs in Soweto, South Africa, as they prepare their businesses for the 2010 FIFA World Cup to be held in South Africa between June 11th and July 11th, 2010. Using ethnographic methods, the study explores the experiences and expectations of 57 small and micro-scale entrepreneurs who expect to benefit from the 2010 FIFA World Cup.;To demonstrate the use of communication technology, this dissertation presents the results of observation and interviews with participants who own or operate hospitality establishments in Soweto, including restaurants, taverns, bed and breakfast homes other accommodations, as well as entrepreneurs in other sectors, including those in construction, community television, and commercial sex work. The study explores the ways in which these business owners use mobile communication, the Internet, and fixed-line telephony to create and maintain connections with clients, both foreign and domestic, and other entrepreneurs within and outside of the community of Soweto. In addition, the dissertation explores the ways in which communication technology contributes to the negotiation and maintenance of identity in among participants and in South Africa.;Building on these data, the dissertation draws on Rogers' (2003) theory of diffusion of innovations, Deleuze and Guattari's (1987) theory of rhizomatics, and Bourdieu's (1986) theory of the forms of capital to situate the use of communication technology among participants. I argue that the entrepreneurial community is not a uniform, hierarchical structure, but an always growing and changing network of individuals connected by a multitude of social, cultural, and economic factors. Communication technology facilitates these connections and allows those who posses greater stores of "technological" capital to capitalize on the opportunities presented by the network. Individuals' ability to effectively utilize communication technology has come into focus during preparations for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, as entrepreneurs make connections to international and domestic visitors arriving for the event.;As the country negotiates a new place on the world stage following the 2010 FIFA World Cup, communication technology's contribution to building strong ties between entrepreneurs in Soweto and their domestic and international clientele will become a key component of operating a business in South Africa. This research provides an in-depth examination of the function of communication technology among a diverse group of participants.