Knowledge Transfer and Family Business Sustainability in VaZezuru Entrepreneurship model: an Explorative study of Botswana VaZezuru Sub-culture

Abstract

This paper examined the intra and inter-family businesses knowledge/skills transfer approaches and their relevance to business sustainability. Businesses are established to save a purpose in the economy and as such their sustainability in terms of business strategies and activities that meet the needs of the enterprise and its stakeholders with future oriented mobilization and utilization of resources. In examining the complexities of family business sustainability, this paper provided an argument based on the family business sustainability model comprised of sustainability enabling factors which are realized through the introverted, extroverted, conservative and visionary/innovative strategies. A qualitative approach was adopted during the research, data was collected through interviews from a sample of ten (10) VaZezuru both males and females drawn using a purposive sampling method from an estimated population of around 4500 households. Also three (3) other stakeholders from some public offices, VaZezuru customers, suppliers and neighbours were interviewed. Findings of this research suggest that knowledge transfer, religious norms and values, and networking were the main family business sustainability enabling factors and family business sustainability is measured by longevity of businesses regardless of the business growth outcome.

Keywords: Family business, Knowledge transfer, Sustainability, Networking, Sustainability strategies,