What are the factors, problems and prospects of developing entrepreneurship studies in Armenia?

Dissertation

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to take the opportunity to thank my research supervisor , family and friends for supporting me and providing the assistance, without which this research would not have been completed.

DECLARATION

I , state that the data and information mentioned in this dissertation represents my own unaided work, and that this dissertation has not previously been submitted for academic examination towards any qualification. Furthermore, the data and information mentioned in the dissertation are my own findings.

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ABSTRACT

Armenia is one of the countries which fall under the category of transition economic system. The education facilities provided to the citizens are not adequate enough, let alone the development of entrepreneurship studies in the country. Though, there has been seen a recent trend among the students of Armenia to pursue entrepreneurship studies, but due to lack of financial and human resources, many students back away from this field of study. The universities are making efforts in increasing the number of students for entrepreneurship studies but are facing problems to motivate the students in selecting this particular path. This dissertation is based on identifying the factors which help in developing entrepreneurship studies in Armenia. It also focuses on determining the major problems and issues that universities had to face in delivering quality education to the students. In addition, the research will also aim to find out the future prospects of the entrepreneurship studies in Armenia which could help the universities in minimizing the gap between demand and supply of entrepreneurship studies in the country.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTi

DECLARATIONii

ABSTRACTiii

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION1

Purpose of the Research1

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW3

Strategies Used in the Business World: Armenia5

Entrepreneurship and Stages in Transition6

Applications and Business Models used in Armenia7

Geographic Information System7

Capability Maturity Model Integration8

Implementation of the leader program8

Major Constraints to Development8

Major Constraints of Armenia Today9

Prospects of Future Armenia9

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY11

Research Tools11

Research Design11

Sample Size12

Testing the Quality and Performance of Research Tools/Techniques13

Application of the Research13

Validity and Reliability14

CHAPTER 4: PRESENTATION OF FINDINGS16

Findings from Interviews16

Large Enterprises in Armenia18

Small and Medium Enterprises in Armenia20

Armenian Businessmen's Reaction to the Crisis22

Business Environment in Armenia23

Corruption25

Private Initiative26

CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS28

REFERENCES31

APPENDICES34

Appendix A - Tables34

Appendix B - Interview Questions35

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

Purpose of the Research

The main purpose of conducting the research is to identify the critical factors behind the developing prospects of entrepreneurial studies in Armenia. The study also includes determining the main problems that universities and business schools have to face in providing entrepreneurial studies. In the Soviet Union, the entire economy was state owned. However, before it seceded from the USSR, Armenia started to create a private economy. On November 30, 1990 the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Armenia adopted a decision “On the privatization of both industrial and non-industrial objects” which marked the beginning of the large-scale privatization of state property (Kwiek, 2008). The privatization of land and its distribution among the peasants began in March 1991. Privatization proceeded quickly and if at the end of 1990 only ...