Abstract

Objective: The main objective of this article is to study the individual obstacles to entrepreneurship of young Congolese graduates and to present some possible solutions to overcome them. Methodology: This study was conducted in the city of Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The sample was made up of 588 young Congolese graduates of higher education and university, aged 15 to 35. The data collected in the research was analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results: The results reveal the individual barriers to entrepreneurship among young Congolese graduates, the main ones being: lack of entrepreneurial skills, lack of entrepreneurial experience, self-financing difficulties, lack of professional experience and lack of relationships business. Practical Implications: Knowledge of individual barriers and the means to overcome them can have important implications for the creation, development and growth of small, micro and medium enterprises for young entrepreneurs in general and for young graduates in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The fight against these obstacles can help encourage the realization of entrepreneurial projects through the creation of businesses by young Congolese graduates. Originality/Value: Youth entrepreneurship in the Democratic Republic of Congo is little studied. This research is an independent and comprehensive analysis of individual barriers among young graduates in one of the understudied entrepreneurial developing countries

Keywords

Youth entrepreneurship, individual barriers, personal obstacles, young Congolese graduates, business creation, DRC