Mancala board games and origins of entrepreneurship in Africa

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0240790
• Publication Date: 2020-10-15T18:56:53Z
• Authors: Maxwell Mkondiwa
• Keywords: Null (SQL)

This study examines the correlational relationship between historical playing of indigenous strategic board games (also called mancala) and socio-economic complexity African ethnic groups as well incidence entrepreneurial pursuits. Anthropology literature suggests that these may be associated with groups—the so-called in culture hypothesis. I revisit this hypothesis better data motivated by anecdotal evidence, introduce a contemporary hypothesis, origins entrepreneurship hypothesis—that descendants societies played complex mancala are more likely to engaged non-farm self-employment today. compile first comprehensive database Africa matched ancestral characteristics data, for 18 countries, Afrobarometer survey data. Using do not find evidence either Despite null results, explore how related hypotheses studies can build on database.