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Perceptions of Entrepreneurial Orientation and Livelihood Performance of Cocoa Farmers in Ghana: the Unique Effect of Proactiveness, Risk Taking and Innovativeness
Authors: Enoch Kwame Tham-Agyekum, Ernest Okorley, Kwadwo Amankwah, John-Eudes Bakang, Fred Nimoh, Joseph Kwarteng
Number of views: 63
Although the relationship between entrepreneurship and firm performance has received considerable attention in the organisational literature over the last several decades, little has been done concerning cocoa farmers’ entrepreneurial proclivity and livelihoods worldwide. The study’s main objective was to determine the association between entrepreneurial proclivity and livelihood performance of the cocoa farmers with a strong focus on the three sub-dimensions of entrepreneurial proclivity; risk-taking, innovativeness, and proactiveness. The study considered all the six Cocoa Regions in Ghana. A simple random sampling method was used to select a sample size of 600 cocoa farmers in Ghana. A structured questionnaire was used in collecting data for the study. The data collected was subjected to inferential analysis using the chi-square test of independence and linear regression to establish association and causality between the study’s variables. From the results obtained, there is sufficient evidence to conclude a statistically significant association between entrepreneurial proclivity (proactiveness, risk-taking and innovativeness) and livelihood performance (human capital, social capital, financial capital, physical capital and natural capital of cocoa farmers). However, risk-taking had a negative relationship; thus, as it increases, livelihood performance decreases, and vice versa. Given the poverty level among cocoa farmers in Ghana, the study recommends that entrepreneurial activities among cocoa farmers must be seriously encouraged to improve and sustain their livelihoods.