Effectiveness of Vocational Training Incubation Centres in Creating Sustainable Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Bulawayo Metropolitan Province

Benny Chitsa PhD, John Mpofu PhD and Grace Moyo
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Benny Chitsa PhD: Department of Psychology; Department of Education, Zimbabwe Open University
John Mpofu PhD: Department of Media and Journalism, Zimbabwe Open University
Grace Moyo: Candidate PhD UNISA: Department of Psychology,Zimbabwe Open University

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, 2021, vol. 05, issue 1, 125-132

Abstract: This mixed methods research used a multiple-case study with multilevel concurrent mixed sampling technique guided by a theoretical framework of Hackett and Dilts’s real options-driven theory of business incubation to explore the effectiveness of Vocational training incubation centers in creating sustainable SMEs in Bulawayo Metropolitan Province. Open and closed-ended questionnaires plus interview were employed for generating data from 20 participants (Vocational trainers and Principals or Heads of Departments). This study revealed that Bulawayo Vocational training incubation centres facilitated incubatees/trainees with business knowledge, skills and information services for them to start their own sustainable SMEs through the use of lectures, modules, hand-outs and inadequate practical lessons only. Results from the study also revealed that most of the Vocational training incubation centres failed to facilitate incubatees with educational centres like universities, colleges and industries as co-working spaces to create skilled and sustainable SMES. This study revealed that Vocational training incubation centres were not significantly effective in establishing sustainable SMEs due to inadequate business incubation skills and knowledge, lack of space and facilities for incubatees, poor linkages with internal and external network, lack of seed funds for incubatees and inconsistent support from stakeholders such as government, professional and skilled entrepreneurs, financial institutions and educational institutions. The study recommended that there is need for the government to link Vocational training centres with scientific institutions, international research centres, financial institutions, polytechnic colleges, universities and entrepreneur expertise to engineer the facilitation of sustainable SMEs in the country. There is need for the government to support Vocational training incubation centres’ initiatives with grants, soft loans and inputs to empower the effective facilitation of creating sustainable SMEs. There is a need for local city council to provide Vocational training incubation centres with enough space or big stands for incubatees to ensure the success of incubated start-ups hence effective facilitation of sustainable SMEs.

Date: 2021
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