UNIVERSITY EXAMINATIONS

May/June 2024

AIS3717

Information and Knowledge Entrepreneurship

100 Marks

Opening date and time: 20 May 2024 @ 09:00

Submission date and time: 22 May 2024 @ 22:00

EXAMINERS:

First Examiner: Dr AN Zimu-Biyela

Internal Moderator: Prof L Dube
External Moderator: Prof V Jiyane
Instructions:

This question paper consists of eight (8) pages and five (5) questions.
Select and answer only four (4) questions.
Number your questions correctly.
Ensure that you use authoritative, scholarly resources to support and substantiate your answers.
DO NOT copy information verbatim from any source/s without acknowledging the source by means of
proper referencing. In-text references should be provided, as well as a reference list at the end of your
answer file. All sources referred to in your answers must also be captured as bibliographic entries in your
reference list.
Use the prescribed Harvard Referencing Technique for all references.
Upload your answer files in a single PDF file. If you submit more than one answer file, then only the last
file uploaded and submitted will be marked.
DO NOT password protect the examination answer file.

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ADDITIONAL STUDENT INSTRUCTIONS

• Students must upload their answer scripts in a single PDF file on the official myExams
platform (answer scripts must not be password protected or uploaded as “read-only”
files).
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that the correct answer script file has been uploaded.
• Incorrect file format and uncollated answer scripts will not be considered.
• Incorrect answer scripts and/or submissions made on unofficial examination platforms
will not be marked and no opportunity will be granted for resubmission.
• A mark awarded for an incomplete submission will be the student’s final mark. No
opportunity for resubmission will be granted.
• A mark awarded for illegible scanned submission will be the student’s final mark. No
opportunity for resubmission will be granted.
• Only the last file uploaded and submitted will be marked.
• Submissions will only be accepted from registered student accounts.
• Students who have not utilised invigilation or proctoring tools will be deemed to have
transgressed Unisa’s examination rules and will have their marks withheld.
• Students must complete the online declaration of their work when submitting. Students
suspected of dishonest conduct during the examinations will be subjected to
disciplinary processes. Students may not communicate with other students or request
assistance from other students during examinations. Plagiarism is a violation of
academic integrity, and students who do plagiarise or copy verbatim from published
work will be in violation of the Policy on Academic Integrity and the Student
Disciplinary Code and may be referred to a disciplinary hearing. Unisa has zero
tolerance for plagiarism and/or any other forms of academic dishonesty.
• Non-adherence to the processes for uploading examination responses will not qualify
the student for any special concessions or future assessments.

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• Queries that are beyond Unisa’s control include the following:

a. Personal network or service provider issues

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• Students experiencing technical challenges should contact the SCSC on 080 000
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examinations by contacting the Student Communication Service Centre (unisa.ac.za)
for the list of additional contact numbers. Communication received from your myLife
account will be considered.

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 SELECT AND ANSWER ANY FOUR (4) OF THE FOLLOWING FIVE QUESTIONS.

QUESTION 1 [25]

Read the following scenario and answer the questions that follow.

Pinkie Moloi is a student in Computer Science Engineering at the

University of South Africa. She has been innovative and creative in
developing educational computer application programs that are used
nationally and internationally.

1.1 Given the fact that Pinke has developed her innovation under the name of her
university, which type of entrepreneurship can be associated with her innovative
initiative? Briefly explain the advantages of the identified entrepreneurship type.
Substantiate your answer. (5)

1.2 Explain the concepts of product and service innovations and identify the ones that
Pinkie has produced. (10)

1.3 Discuss five (5) traits, characteristics and skills of successful entrepreneurs and
infopreneurs that can be associated with Pinkie. (10)

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QUESTION 2 [25]

Read the following scenario and answer the questions that follow.

The Student Creating Wealth (SCW) programme is the flagship

infopreneurship programme of the Graca Machel Trust, designed to build
student infopreneurs’ confidence, skills and networks, so as to scale their
businesses and to facilitate the transition from income generation to
wealth creation. Since 2010, the programme has impacted 500 student
infopreneurs in Southern & East Africa.

As an applicant to the programme, you are supposed to develop a proposal in which you
have to address the following elements.

2.1 Explain the infopreneurship or knowledge entrepreneurship business venture you

wish to start and why? Include a clear explanation of the anticipated target market
and the research methods to be used to identify customer needs. (10)

2.2 Develop your prototype or minimum viable product and explain the method that will
be used to promote the product to your customers. (15)

QUESTION 3 [25]

Read the following scenario and answer the questions that follow.

Lerato Moloi is an Information Science student at the University of South

Africa. She has recently received the best student author award, which she
intends to use to start an online bookshop.

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3.1 Advise Lerato about two (2) business structures that she can use to register her
business. Include the advantages of these two business structures in your answer.
(10)

3.2 Discuss three (3) types of intellectual property rights for which Lerato can apply to
protect the originality of her literary work that she authored and the logo that she
designed for her bookshop. (15)

QUESTION 4 [25]

Read the following scenario and answer the questions that follow.

Alison School is an online school that offers Archives and Records

Management training programmes. Alison and her husband, Richard,
have owned the school as business partners since 2020. Alison has
qualification in Archives and Records Management, whereas Richard
has qualifications in Computer Engineering and Marketing
Management. Because of Alison’s excellent online teaching skills and
Richard’s advertising and online marketing skills, the school has seen
high numbers in student registrations and, ultimately, high profits.

However, the year 2023 saw a decrease in profits, because numerous

online training programmes in Archives and Records Management
began to emerge. Consequently, student numbers dropped. In addition,
the government business loan was stopped, because the couple were
not up-to-date with their dues for the South African Receiver of Revenue
(SARS).

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Given the context of the given scenario, write a report in which you explain how the
political, economic, social, technological and environmental (PESTEL) factors have
affected the business of Alison School and how you think they can be improved.

QUESTION 5 [25]

5.1 Explain the concept of triple helix ecosystem and its importance within the context
of African entrepreneurship. (10)

5.2 Discuss the concepts of productive, unproductive and destructive entrepreneurship.

Provide examples of each type of entrepreneurship to support your explanation.
(15)

TOTAL: [25 x 4 = 100]

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Please ensure that you include the declaration below in the final document that
you submit for assessment. You can either type it over or scan and copy it in.

Declaration Statement

I declare that this is my own, original work prepared specifically for the May/June 2024
examination for AIS3717 and that all the sources I have used or quoted have been
indicated and acknowledged by means of complete references.

…………………………………..
(Signature)

…………………………………..
(Name)

………………………………….
(Date)

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