A Gauteng province-based case study to explore the influence of business incubation process on entrepreneurial performance and growth post incubation

Abstract

Business incubators in the Gauteng province are supported by key economic stakeholders and are strategically positioned in areas of industry-specific activities. However, given the support provided by incubators to incubatees, little is known regarding the influence and impact of business incubation services on the performance and sustainability of businesses once they leave or graduate from business incubation programmes. This research study sought to explore if the influence and resources provided during business incubation processes enabled entrepreneurs to develop and grow their business in the market post-incubation. The study further explored whether business incubators equip incubatees with sufficient resources for continued existence in the market post business incubation. The research study applied the theory of business incubation and the theory of entrepreneurial value creation. The theory of business incubation provided an input approach in the identification of business incubation phases which are (a) idea formulation, (b) decision to proceed, (c) resource gathering, (d) launch of a new enterprise and (e) firm development. The entrepreneurial value creation theory served as an output identification process in the stages of entrepreneurial growth which are (a) entrepreneurial opportunity, (b) entrepreneurial competence and (c) entrepreneurial reward. The interpretivist study followed a qualitative methodology and triangulated using a literature review, interviews with post-incubatees and focus group-sessions with incubation managers, practitioners and programme and policy developers. The findings indicated that all post-incubatees interviewed are still operating their businesses although some have diversified from their original business concepts. Although post-incubatees’ businesses are still in operation, they continue to experience numerous challenges such as market barriers and lack of funding for capital and operational needs. These challenges could have been identified and resolved during the business incubation phases. A further finding was that business incubators lack monitoring and evaluation systems to assess and track the performance of post-incubatees’ businesses after they have left or graduated from a business incubation programme, meaning, the influence of business incubators was previously never measured. Interviews were conducted with ten post-incubatees and three focus group sessions were convened with incubation practitioners and policy developers. The study contributes to the body of knowledge in that the theory of business incubation and the theory of entrepreneurial value creation established a connection between the inputs supplied throughout the business incubation phases and the entrepreneurial outcomes generated within the value creation process. The study developed two frameworks; the first framework was on the influence of business incubation services on the performance of businesses during a business incubation process. The second framework was on the influence of business incubation services of the performance of businesses after leaving or graduating from a business incubation programme. These frameworks aim to assist in the impact assessment and enhancement of business incubation support services during and post-incubation which can be used in a theoretical and practical context. The study proposes that future business incubation support and research should not only be limited to a qualitative methodology, but a quantitative methodology and should also be utilised in future to measure the influence of business incubation process on entrepreneurial performance and growth post incubation.

Ditshegetsi tsa dikgwebo mo porofenseng ya Gauteng di tshegediwa ke bannaleseabe ba botlhokwa ba ikonomi mme ba beilwe ka kelotlhoko ma mafelong a rileng a intasetirii. Le fa go ntse jalo, ka ntlha ya tshegetso e e tlamelwang ke ditshegetsi go batshegediwa, ga go itsiwe go le kalo mabapi le tlhotlheletso le khuetso ya ditirelo tsa go tshegetsa dikgwebo mo tirong gammogo le ka moo dikgwebo di ka kgonang go ikemela ka dinao morago ga go aloga mo mananeong a tshegetso a. Patlisiso eno e ne e batla go sekaseka gore a tshegetso le didirisiwa tse di neng di tlamelwa ka nako ya dithulaganyo tsa go tshegetsa dikgwebo di kgontshitse bagwebi go tlhabolola le go godisa dikgwebo tsa bone mo mmarakeng morago ga go tshegediwa. Patlisiso e ne ya tswelela go sekaseka gore a ditshegetsi tsa dikgwebo di tlamela batshegediwa ka didirisiwa tse di lekaneng go tswelela go nna teng mo mmarakeng morago ga go tshegediwa ga dikgwebo tsa bone. Patlisiso e dirisitse tiori ya go tshegetsa dikgwebo le tiori ya go tlhama boleng jwa dikgwebo. Tiori ya go tshegetsa dikgwebo e ne ya tlamela ka mokgwa wa go tsenya tshedimosetso mo go tlhaoleng dikgato tsa go tshegetsa dikgwebo tseo e leng (a) go tlhama dikakanyo; (b) tshwetso ya go tswelela; (c) kokoanyo ya didirisiwa; (d) go thankgololwa ga kgwebo e ntšhwa; le (e) tlhabololo e e tiileng. Tiori ya go tlhama boleng jwa dikgwebo e ne ya dira jaaka thulaganyo ya go supa dipholo mo dikgatong tsa kgolo ya dikgwebo tse e leng (a) tšhono ya kgwebo; (b) bokgoni jwa kgwebo; le (c) tuelo ya kgwebo. Patlisiso ya tlhaloso e ne ya latela mokgwa wa boleng le go dira dikarolo tse tharo ka tiriso ya tshekatsheko ya dikwalo, ditherisano le batshegediwa morago ga tshegetso le dithulaganyo tsa setlhopha se se tsepameng le batsamaisi ba go tshegetsa, badiragatsi le batlhabolodi ba lenaneo le pholisi. Diphitlhelelo di supile gore batshegediwa botlhe morago ga tshegetso ba ba rerisitsweng ba santse ba tsamaisa dikgwebo tsa bone le fa ba bangwe ba bone ba farologane go tswa mo dikgopolong tsa bone tsa fa ba ne ba tlhama dikgwebo. Le fa dikgwebo tsa morago ga go tshegediwa di santse di dira, di tswelela go itemogela dikgwetlho di le dintsi tse di jaaka dikgoreletsi tsa mebaraka le tlhaelo ya matlole a ditlhokego tsa matlole le tsa tiro. Dikgwetlho tse di ka bo di supilwe le go rarabololwa ka nako ya dikgato tsa go tshegetsa dikgwebo. Phitlhelelo e nngwe e ne e le gore ditshegetsi tsa dikgwebo di tlhoka ditsamaiso tsa go baya leitlho le go sekaseka go latedisa tiragatso ya dikgwebo tsa morago ga go tshegediwa morago ga gore di tswe kgotsa di aloge mo lenaneong la go tshegetso ya dikgwebo,se se rayang gore tlhotlheletso ya ditshegetsi tsa kgwebo e ne e sa ke ya lekanngwa mo nakong e fetileng. Ditherisano di ne tsa tshwarwa le batshegediwa ba le lesome morago ga tshegetso mme go ne ga bidiwa dithulaganyo di le tharo tsa ditlhopha tse di tsepameng le badiragatsi ba tshegetso le batlhabolodi ba pholisi. Patlisiso e na le seabe mo mmeleng wa kitso ka gore tiori ya go tshegetsa dikgwebo le tiori ya go tlhama boleng jwa dikgwebo di tlhomile kgolagano magareng ga ditsenngwateng tse di tlametsweng mo dikgatong tsotlhe tsa go tshegetsa kgwebo le dipoelo tsa kgwebo tse di tlhagisitsweng mo teng ga thulaganyo ya go tlhama boleng. Patlisiso e ne ya tlhama matlhomeso a le mabedi. Letlhomeso la ntlha le ne le ikaegile ka tlhotlheletso ya ditirelo tsa go tshegetsa dikgwebo mo tirong ya dikgwebo ka nako ya thulaganyo ya go tshegetsa dikgwebo. Letlhomeso la bobedi lone le ne le ikaegile ka tlhotlheletso ya ditirelo tsa go tshegetsa dikgwebo tsa tiragatso ya dikgwebo morago ga go tswa kgotsa go aloga mo lenaneong la go tshegetsa dikgwebo. Matlhomeso ano a ikaelela go thusa mo tshekatshekong ya ditlamorago le go tokafatsa ditirelo tsa kemonokeng ya go tshegetsa dikgwebo ka nako le morago ga go tshegediwa tse di ka dirisiwang mo molebong wa tiori le wa tiriso. Patlisiso e tshitshinya gore kemonokeng ya isago ya go tshegetsa dikgwebo le dipatlisiso ga di a tshwanela go lekanyediwa fela go mokgwa wa boleng (khwaletheithifi), mme le mokgwa wa bontsi (khwanthitheithifi) o tshwanetse go dirisiwa mo isagong go lekalekanya tlhotlheletso ya thulaganyo ya go tshegetsa dikgwebo mo tirong ya kgwebo le mo kgolong morago ga go tshegediwa.

Besigheidsinkubators in die Gauteng-provinsie word ondersteun deur belangrike ekonomiese belanghebbendes en is strategies geposisioneer in bedryfspesifieke areas. Gegewe die ondersteuning wat inkubators aan beginbesighede bied, is min egter bekend oor die invloed en impak van besigheidsinkubasiedienste op die prestasie en volhoubaarheid van besighede nadat hulle die besigheidsinkubasieprogram verlaat het. Hierdie studie het gepoog om vas te stel of die invloed van besigheidsinkubasieprosesse en die hulpbronne wat tydens die inkubasietydperk verskaf word entrepreneurs in staat stel om hul onderneming na die inkubasietydperk in die mark te ontwikkel en laat groei. Die studie het ook probeer vasstel of besigheidsinkubators beginbesighede toerus met voldoende hulpbronne om na die inkubasietydperk in die mark te bly voortbestaan. Die studie is gebaseer op die besigheidsinkubasieteorie en die entrepreneuriese waardeskeppingsteorie. Die besigheidsinkubasieteorie het 'n aanvangsbenadering verskaf vir die identifisering van die volgende besigheidsinkubasiefases: (a) ideeformulering; (b) die besluit om voort te gaan; (c) hulpbroninsameling; (d) bekendstelling van die nuwe onderneming; en (e) ontwikkeling van die onderneming. Die entrepreneuriese waardeskeppingsteorie het gedien as 'n uitsetproses om die volgende stadiums van entrepreneuriese groei te identifiseer: (a) entrepreneursgeleentheid; (b) entrepreneursbevoegdheid; en (c) entrepreneursbeloning. Die vertolkende studie is gebaseer op 'n kwalitatiewe metodologie en triangulasie met 'n literatuuroorsig, onderhoude met besigheidseienaars wat reeds die inkubasieprogram verlaat het en fokusgroepsessies met inkubasiebestuurders en -praktisyns en program- en beleidsontwikkelaars. Die bevindinge het aangedui dat alle besigheidseienaars wat reeds die inkubasieprogram verlaat het met wie onderhoude gevoer is steeds hul besighede bedryf alhoewel sommige hul oorspronklike besigheidskonsepte gediversifiseer het. Alhoewel besigheidseienaars wat reeds die inkubasieprogram verlaat het se besighede steeds in bedryf is, ervaar hulle steeds talle uitdagings soos markversperrings en 'n gebrek aan befondsing vir kapitaal- en bedryfsbehoeftes. Dié uitdagings kon tydens die inkubasiefase geïdentifiseer en opgelos gewees het. ’n Verdere bevinding was dat besigheidsinkubators nie monitering- en evalueringstelsels het om die prestasie van besighede te assesseer en na te spoor nadat hulle 'n besigheidsinkubasieprogram voltooi en verlaat het nie, wat beteken die invloed van besigheidsinkubators is nooit voorheen gemeet nie. Onderhoude is gevoer met tien besigheidseienaars wat reeds die inkubasieprogram verlaat het en drie fokusgroepsessies is gehou met inkubasiepraktisyns en beleidsontwikkelaars. Die studie dra by tot die korpus kennis deurdat die besigheidsinkubasieteorie en die entrepreneuriese waardeskeppingsteorie 'n verband gevestig het tussen die insette wat gedurende al die besigheidsinkubasiefases gelewer word en die entrepreneuriese uitkomste wat deur die waardeskeppingsproses gegenereer word. Die studie het twee raamwerke ontwikkel. Die eerste raamwerk is gebaseer op die invloed van besigheidsinkubasiedienste op die prestasie van besighede tydens die besigheidsinkubasieproses. Die tweede raamwerk is gebaseer op die invloed van besigheidsinkubasiedienste op die prestasie van besighede nadat hulle die besigheidsinkubasieprogram verlaat het. Hierdie raamwerke het ten doel om te help met die impakbepaling en verbetering van besigheidsinkubasie-ondersteuningsdienste tydens en na inkubasie en kan in 'n teoretiese en praktiese konteks gebruik word. Die studie stel voor dat toekomstige besigheidsinkubasie-ondersteuning en -navorsing nie net beperk moet word tot 'n kwalitatiewe metodologie nie, maar dat 'n kwantitatiewe metodologie ook gebruik moet word om die invloed van die besigheidsinkubasieproses op entrepreneuriese prestasie en groei na inkubasie te meet.