PhD Defence Denver Berman-Jacob

Abstract

This dissertation looks at how entrepreneurs in South Africa's clothing and textile industry are finding ways to navigate a changing economy. While emerging economies are often described as moving steadily forward thanks to global trade and policy reforms, the reality is far more uneven. The same forces that create opportunities can also weaken industries, expose fragile institutions, and deepen poverty and inequality.

The study explores this complexity by focussing on both formal businesses and informal entrepreneurs. It first traces the historical and political shifts that reshaped the South African manufacturing sector. It then shows how established firms respond to premature deindustrialisation and market pressures by rethinking their strategies, sometimes turning to non-market practices and broader networks for survival. Finally, it highlights how necessity-driven entrepreneurs in the informal economy draw on their skills, connections, and resilience to carve out livelihoods, despite limited resources.

Rather than seeing economic change as a smooth, upward path, the dissertation reveals it as a contested, fragile, and deeply shaped by human ingenuity. It shows that entrepreneurship in emerging economies is not only about profit, but also about persistence, adaptation, and finding agency in difficult conditions.