Entrepreneurship Training and Education

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Introduction

In the field of entrepreneurship, the researcher observes that research in the area of entrepreneurship training and education has limited studies conducted in the developing world, particularly in Africa. The researcher is further interested in critically analysing entrepreneurship training programmes for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) for both start-ups and existing businesses which have had global application, used in developing countries and in specific African countries. Both public and private funds has been channelled to the development and wide implementation of two selected globally used entrepreneurship training programmes. The doctoral study will focus on the International Labour Organisation and Empretec training programmes developed for training potential and existing entrepreneurs. The country context is Zimbabwe where these two global programmes have been implemented for more than 20 years.
Deeper analysis on the extent to which these entrepreneurship training curricula have been effective in delivering to their training objectives, results and benefits derived trained entrepreneurs The problems that persist in Zimbabwe are the general lack of entrepreneurship training, its quality and standard resulting in a skills gap and the high business failure rates with poor business performance of SMEs. The effectiveness and efficacy of some of the entrepreneurship programmes in achieving their objectives for business start-up and growth raises a number of questions in relation to structure, content, methodology and outcomes The purpose of the study seeks to investigate the role and the extent to which entrepreneurship training programmes support businesses to start up, grow and contribute to employment.
The study will be beneficial to policy makers, academics and donors, governments and private sector who sponsor the provision of entrepreneurship training programmes as well as those funding SMEs. The study will benefit both the ILO and Empretec programme in making appropriate revisions to the training approaches and content for more programme effectiveness and impact.
The promotion of an entrepreneurship culture in the Zimbabwean context becomes more critical The specific aim, objectives, research questions are detailed in this chapter. Chapter outlines the literature review, background to the study, the problem statement, research questions and objectives, relevant literature review, hypotheses, constructs, concepts, the research methodology Zimbabwe has experienced economic downturn, hyperinflation and political instability over the past 15 years.
The problems of high unemployment, lack of skills training, proliferation of necessity businesses and poor business performance remain a challenge. The purpose of this study is to investigate entrepreneurship training for business start-up and growth of micro, small and medium (MSME) sized businesses Specifically, the study is concerned with examining the role of entrepreneurship training programmes and the extent to which these support small business start-up, growth and job creation in Zimbabwe The underlying logic and hypothesis behind this study relates to the postulation by other researchers that there is “a relationship between entrepreneurship education with entrepreneurial activity in an economy” (Martinez, Levie, Kelley, Sæmundsson & Schøtt, 2010:43).

• TABLE OF CONTENTS
• Acknowledgements
• Summary
• Declaration of original work
• List of Figure
• List of Tables
• Acronyms and Abbreviations
• Chapter 1: Introduction and background to the study
  • 1.1 Introduction
  • 1.2 Background and Literature Review
  • 1.2.1 The role and importance of small and medium enterprises in job creation and growth, globally and in Zimbabwe
  • 1.3 The Zimbabwean Economy
    • 1.3.1 Macro-economy
    • 1.3.2 Population demographics
    • 1.3.3 The labour market and entrepreneurial activity in Zimbabwe
  • 1.3.4 Government policies and SME support frameworks in Zimbabwe
  • 1.4 The Zimbabwe Enabling Environment
  • 1.5 Definitions of Constructs and Concepts
    • 1.5.1 Entrepreneurship
    • 1.5.2 The entrepreneur
    • 1.5.3 Small business and entrepreneurial venture
    • 1.5.4 Entrepreneurship training and education
    • 1.5.5 Entrepreneurship training models
  • 1.6 Entrepreneurship Training and Education Programmes in Zimbabwe
  • 1.6.1 “Start and Improve Your Business” and “Empretec” training programmes
  • 1.7 Problem Statement
  • 1.8 Purpose of Study
  • 1.9 Research Aims and Objectives
  • 1.9.1 The study objectives
  • 1.10 Research Questions
  • 1.11 Hypothesis
    • 1.12 Research Methodology
    • 1.12.1 Research design and descriptors
    • 1.12.2 Population and sampling procedures
  • 1.13 Importance and Benefits of the Study
• 1.14 Outline of chapters
• Chapter 2 Entrepreneurship Training and Education
  • 2.1 Introduction
  • 2.2 Entrepreneurship
  • 2.3 Entrepreneur
  • 2.4 Entrepreneurship Education and Training Theory
  • 2.5 Entrepreneurship Education
  • 2.6 Entrepreneurship Training
  • 2.7 Learning
  • 2.8 Skills
  • 2.9 Entrepreneurship Training Programmes: – content, structure, methodology
  • 2.10 Government Policies on Education, Training and Skills Development
• Chapter 3 Entrepreneurship Process and Models
  • 3.1 Entrepreneurship Training Programmes
  • 3.2 Theoretical frameworks for Entrepreneurship, Training and Education
    • 3.2.1 Education and Learning theory
    • 3.2.2 Skills and competence theory
  • 3.2.3 Methodology theory
  • 3.3 Entrepreneurship intervention Types
  • 3.4 Success and failure of SMEs
  • 3.5 The Entrepreneurial Process
    • 3.5.1 Entrepreneurial Process Stage
    • 3.5.2 Entrepreneurial Process Stage
    • 3.5.3 Entrepreneurial Process Stage
    • 3.5.4 Entrepreneurial Process Stage
  • 3.6 Entrepreneurship Training Models
    • 3.6.1 The Entrepreneurial Performance Model
    • 3.6.2 The Entrepreneurial Education Model
    • 3.6.3 The Education Improved Entrepreneurial Performance Model
    • 3.6.4 The Training for Entrepreneurship Model
    • 3.6.5 SIYB and Empretec Entrepreneurship Training Programme Content, Knowledge and Skills
  • 3.7 The Start and Improve Your Business Programmes (SIYB)
    • 3.7.1 SIYB programme background
    • 3.7.2 SIYB training manuals, materials and methodologies
    • 3.7.3 SIYB Programme structure
    • 3.7.4 SIYB training quality, impact, effectiveness and sustainability
    • 3.7.5 SIYB programme economic outcomes
  • 3.8 The Empretec Programme
    • 3.8.1 Empretec programme background
    • 3.8.2 Training materials, content and methodology
    • 3.8.3 Programme structure, Empretec Centers- partner organisations and Master Trainers
      • 3.8.4 Empretec programme impact, effectiveness and sustainability
• Chapter 4 Research Methods
  • 4.1 Research Methodology
  • 4.2 Research Design and Descriptors
    • 4.2.1 Purpose of study
    • 4.2.2 Research problem
    • 4.2.3 Research questions and hypotheses
    • 4.3 Population and Sampling procedures
    • 4.3.1 Sampling frame
    • 4.3.2 Sampling method
    • 4.3.3 Sample Size
  • 4.4 Data Collection
    • 4.4.1 Research Instrument, Pilot Testing
    • 4.4.2 Measurement Scales
  • 4.5 Data Analysis and Presentation of Results
  • 4.6 Reliability and Validity
  • 4.7 Factor analysis
  • 4.8 Descriptive and inferential statistics
    • 4.8.1 Chi-Square
    • 4.8.2 T-test
    • 4.8.3 ANOVA
    • 4.8.4 MANOVA
  • 4.9 Ethical Considerations
  • 4.10 Nature and Form of Results
  • 4.11 Conclusion
• Chapter 5 Research Findings, Analysis and Discussion
  • 5.1 Introduction
  • 5.2 Descriptive Statistics
  • 5.2.1 Gender Composition of respondents
    • 5.2.2 Gender composition per training programme
    • 5.2.3 Average age
    • 5.2.4 Languages
    • 5.2.5 Level of education
    • 5.2.6 Regional location of respondents
    • 5.2.7 Technical skills
  • 5.3 Business Information
    • 5.3.1 Business Ownership
    • 5.3.2 Legal form of business
    • 5.3.3 Number of years in business
    • 5.3.4 Number of employees at start and currently
    • 5.3.5 Business sector
    • 5.3.6 Business premises
    • 5.3.7 Annual sales, profit and business assets
    • 5.3.8 Access to finance
    • 5.3.9 Satisfaction with training programmes
  • 5.3.10 Respondents expectations from training programmes
  • 5.4 Factor Analysis/Factorial design
    • 5.4.1 Validity and reliability
    • 5.4.2 Determining factor structure
    • 5.4.3 Rotated factor analysis knowledge and skills before training
  • 5.5 Testing the Statistical and Substantive Significance
    • 5.5.1 Statistical procedures and techniques
    • 5.5.2 Hypothesis testing and results
    • 5.5.3 General comments of respondents
  • 5.6 Conclusion
• Chapter 6 Conclusion and Recommendations
  • 6.1 Introduction
  • 6.2 Overview of the Literature Study
  • 6.3 Research Objectives Revisited
  • 6.4 Results and Hypothesis Revisited
    • 6.4.1 Personal and business demographic profile
    • 6.4.2 Factor analysis
    • 6.4.3 Hypothesis testing revisited
  • 6.5 Contribution of the study
  • 6.6 Limitations of the study
  • 6.7 Recommendations
  • 6.8 Managerial Implications of the Study
  • 6.9 Summary and Conclusion
  • References
  • Annex 1: SME survey questionnaire

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