Exploring Entrepreneurial Leadership as a Viable Long-Term Panacea for Alleviating Unemployment in Zimbabwe

This paper explored entrepreneurial leadership as a viable long-term panacea for alleviating unemployment in Zimbabwe. The study was guided by objectives that included, to explore the importance of entrepreneurial leadership in address unemployment of Zimbabwe, to examine the characteristic entrepreneurial leadership and to come up with alternative entrepreneurial leadership strategies that can promote employment in Zimbabwe. Literature review in this study looked into entrepreneurial leadership theories that included management theory, relationship theories, behavioural theories and trait theories. Research methodology was guided with the pragmatism research philosophy and descriptive research design. A sample size of 250 was utilised in this study. 152 questionnaires were issued to selected SEDCO employees, IT employees and to ministry of Small to Medium enterprises and only 130 were returned to achieve an 86% response rate. Basing on the findings, the study concluded that entrepreneurial leadership plays a role on eradicating unemployment. H1 was accepted while rejecting H0 proving a positive Relationship between entrepreneurial leadership and unemployment as shown by a p-value of 0.000 significant at 5%. Recommendations were made that entrepreneurial leadership to embrace technology, involve employees in decision making as well as align their goals to strategic plan. The study recommends other researchers to look into impact of leadership roles on organisational performance.