An assessment of a women entrepreneurship programme at a business incubator : a case study approach

Abstract

Entrepreneurship has the capacity to reshape economies and industries worldwide. Women entrepreneurs are regarded as an underutilised force that can rekindle economic expansion and as such various programmes and interventions to enhance women’s empowerment emerged over the last couple of years. The effectiveness of these programmes and interventions has yet to be proven and research calls for more qualitative research analysis on the subject matter. This study used a case study approach to investigate the effectiveness of a short learning programme for women entrepreneurs in a business incubator environment. A mixed method of qualitative and quantitative research methods were used in order to gain in-depth knowledge on the study participants’ experiences. The purpose of the study was to gain insight into what constitutes effective programmes for women entrepreneurs and provide programme directors, benefactors and policymakers with guidelines in developing and implementing programmes that contribute towards job creation and women’s empowerment. The result indicate that the programme was effective in providing women participants with basic business management skills, entrepreneurial attitudes and leadership capabilities. Various areas for improvement were identified including the need for mentorship, networking and experiential learning techniques.