Comparing the effectiveness of public and private support to youth entrepreneurs : a qualitative inquiry

Abstract

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY : The purpose of this study was to explore the needs of youth entrepreneurs while comparing the effectiveness of support offerings provided by public and private entrepreneurial support centres (ESCs). DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH : The study used a generic qualitative research design. Data was collected through the use of semi-structured interviews. To provide a balanced perspective of effectiveness, the participants comprised eight facilitators and eight recipients who are linked to two public and two private ESCs. FINDINGS : The findings suggest that youth entrepreneurs require mentorship, business-related skills, networking skills, resources, and support to address their context-created needs. Private ESCs address these needs, with the exception of providing finance (which they do, but only in the form of stipends and bursaries). In contrast, public ESCs provide more physical resources, networking, and business-related skills. The findings also indicate that, compared to public ESCs, private ESCs take the lead in providing effective support offerings to youth entrepreneurs. RECOMMENDATIONS/VALUE : The findings of this study have provided invaluable insights into the support provided to youth entrepreneurs by private and public entrepreneurial support centres. As a result, the findings inform young entrepreneurs about which support centres are best suited to assist them in their entrepreneurial endeavours. MANAGERIAL IMPLICATIONS : The managerial implication of this study is that it provides public and private entrepreneurial support centre managers with the necessary information, to enable them to better align their support offerings to meet the needs of youth entrepreneurs.