A Phenomenological Exploration of Self-Directed Learning Among Successful Minority Entrepreneurs

Abstract

This transcendental, phenomenological study explored the Self-directed learning (SDL) of 10 successful minority entrepreneurs. Two SDL theories serve as lenses for the study, Spear and Mocker's (1984) Organizing Circumstance and Brockett and Heimstra's (1991) Personal Responsibility Orientation model. Five themes emerged from the data: (1) learning to hide minority status to gain success, (2) making a self-directed learner, (3) reacting to SDL triggers and the organizing circumstance, (4) identifying outside resources for learning, and (5) taking personal responsibility. The phenomenological essence of the lived experience with SDL fueled the participant's desire to become entrepreneurs. Tenets of SDL facilitated intuitiveness, resourcefulness, self-empowerment, and subsequent business success. Findings suggest successful minority entrepreneurship is pluralistic in nature and entrepreneurial programs should have a broader scope and incorporate meaningful SDL in conjunction with formal business training activities.