Le leadership entrepreneurial et le multiculturalisme : cas des Très Petites Entreprises dans la Région du Centre

Abstract

As a “miniature Africa”, Cameroon has a rich range of natural environments within its borders and an exceptionally diverse range of human groups. Companies are therefore called upon to operate in a business environment where various cultures meet. This creates problems of communication and understanding. Similarly, according to the 2019 INS statistics on the creation of sole proprietorships and one-person businesses, the way in which they are managed is a reconstitution of the ethno-tribal coalition tribale (Fouda et Kamdem, 2007; Oumarou et Toko, 2006). Based on the premise that entrepreneurial leadership is a combination of leadership and entrepreneurhip spirit (Shane & Venkataraman, 2000), and According to the Larousse dictionary, multiculturalism is the coexistence of several cultures, often encouraged by a proactive policy, this work aims to analyse, understand and explain the characteristics of entrepreneurial leadership that contribute to the strengthening of multiculturalism in the Cameroonian context. All this leads us to ask the question of how entrepreneurial leadership participates in strengthening multiculturalism in Cameroon. To answer this question, we have put forward the general hypothesis that the characteristics of entrepreneurial leadership would positively impact the strengthening of multiculturalism in Cameroon. The operationalization of this hypothesis allowed us to formulate three research hypotheses which are: RH1 the identification of entrepreneurial opportunities by a leader positively impacts the strengthening of multiculturalism in Cameroon RH2 the evaluation of entrepreneurial opportunities by a leader positively impacts the strengthening of multiculturalism in Cameroon RH3 the exploitation of entrepreneurial opportunities by a leader positively impacts the strengthening of multiculturalism in Cameroon. To test this research hypothesis, a field study was conducted with 5 participants, 4 of whom were men and 1 of whom was a woman, in very small enterprises, all located in Center Region. Data were collected through an interview guide. The content analysis was carried out and gave rise to the results that the identification, evaluation and exploitation of entrepreneurial opportunities contribute to the strengthening of multiculturalism in Cameroon. After identifying the various writings in the literature that deal with leadership, entrepreneurship and multiculturalism and from which the theoretical framework that supports the research questions was developed, the conceptions of entrepreneurship and culture allow for a better understanding of the issues at stake. These results are discussed in terms of Bertalanffy's general systems theory (1968), Kurt Lewin's field theory (1997) and Crozier & Friedberg (1977). Finally, these responses lead us to suggest that business leaders appropriate the concepts of balance at the same tme as those of competence with regard to the economic viability of their enterprises.