PROF. THEA

Books By Prof.Thea

Prof. van der Westhuizen has authored several books that encapsulate her research findings and practical insights on entrepreneurship. These works are aimed at academics, practitioners, and anyone interested in youth and entrepreneurship development. Below is a list of her books with brief descriptions and links for more information or purchase:

Youth Entrepreneurship Publications

📘 Youth Entrepreneurship: An Ecosystem Theory for Young Entrepreneurs in South Africa and Beyond (2023)

Youth Entrepreneurship: An Ecosystem Theory for Young Entrepreneurs in South Africa and Beyond (Palgrave Macmillan, 1st ed. 2023) – ISBN 9783031443381 – This scholarly book presents a comprehensive framework for understanding and developing youth entrepreneurship ecosystems link.springer.com. It addresses both internal factors (like entrepreneurial mindset and skills) and external factors (such as institutional support and policy) that affect young entrepreneurs. Prof. van der Westhuizen introduces models including SHAPE, YES, and SALAR as key components of the ecosystem amazon.com. The book details the longitudinal study she conducted, which showed how a structured support network can improve students’ entrepreneurial orientation over time amazon.com. It serves as a valuable resource for researchers and educators by providing a tested framework and evidence from the South African context. (Available via SpringerLink and major book retailers. Selected chapters open access.) amazon.com

📗 Practical Tools for Youth Entrepreneurs: An Applied Approach for South Africa and Beyond (2024)

Practical Tools for Youth Entrepreneurs: An Applied Approach for South Africa and Beyond (Palgrave Macmillan, 2024) – ISBN 9783031443619 – This book is a hands-on companion to the theoretical ecosystem book above. It is published as open access to reach a wide audience play.google.com. In Practical Tools, Prof. van der Westhuizen shares actionable strategies, exercises, and frameworks that young entrepreneurs and those who support them can directly use. Part One of the book delves into internal development, explaining the “Triple H” (Heartset, Mindset, Handset) approach to cultivating entrepreneurial attitude and behavior play.google.com. Part Two provides external tools, including the SHAPE Four-Quadrant Business Model Canvas tailored for youth startups and guidance on leveraging models like dropshipping for easy business launch play.google.com. By the end, readers have a “toolkit” – from creativity boosters to business planning templates – all contextualized for emerging markets and young innovators play.google.com. (Download for free on Google Play Books or SpringerLink.)

Each of these books contributes to the knowledge base on youth entrepreneurship, combining South African and global perspectives. They have been well-received: for instance, reviews praise Youth Entrepreneurship: An Ecosystem Theory… for filling a critical gap in entrepreneurship literature by providing an evidence-based model amazon.com, and the Practical Tools book has been downloaded widely due to its open-access status and actionable content.

Book Links and Resources:
The Springer titles can be accessed via their DOIs: Youth Entrepreneurship (DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-44339-8) and Practical Tools (DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-44362-6). Springer’s pages include free previews of chapters and the “About the Author” section link.springer.com.

For a quick overview, see the book listings on Google: Google Scholar listing of books or Google Play (where Practical Tools is listed as free).

If you’re interested in specific tools from the books, Prof. van der Westhuizen occasionally shares extracts on her LinkedIn (e.g., the SHAPE Business Model Canvas template) and in workshops. She encourages readers to reach out with feedback or for collaboration on further research arising from these publications.

A multi-award-winning academic and entrepreneur who thrives at the nexus of academia, industry, and community.

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