An exploratory study on how an accelerator program influences entrepreneurial learning: case of the Sri Lankan government accelerator

Abstract

Entrepreneurs navigate through various phases of their new venture, starting with an idea, leading towards exploiting an opportunity and finally, for some managing the growth of the new venture or for others exiting the venture through harvest or closure. For first time entrepreneurs in particular, it is important to learn the multi-disciplinary skills of entrepreneurship during this process. While a body of literature on entrepreneurial learning exists, learning the implications and applications of these discrete learning constructs has not been explored in the context of the entrepreneur’s learning journey. However, the entrepreneurial journey and the resulting entrepreneurial learning during the journey must be seen as a continuum not as a series of isolated entrepreneurial learning constructs. This research examines how entrepreneurial learning is influenced in the context of a government accelerator program. This entrepreneurship program is vital, in the context of Sri Lanka, where the government is placing priority on the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector as the nation recovers economically from a 30 year civil war and the tragic effects of a tsunami. ICT is already among the top (five) 5 foreign exchange earners in Sri Lanka and the government actively focuses on supporting ICT entrepreneurs. The research methodology adopts an exploratory research design, using the case of the “one and only” government ICT entrepreneur accelerator in Sri Lanka. The primary means of data collection in this study was through semi-structured and open-ended interviews with stakeholders and texts from an on-going learning journal maintained by the participants in the accelerator program. Data was then analysed through concept mapping and thematic analysis following a perspective on theory building Entrepreneurial learning is relatively recent research area, in which publications on empirical and conceptual approaches began to appear from around the late 1990’s. While there is a body of knowledge available on entrepreneurial learning, researchers have called for further qualitative research in order to better understand the entrepreneurial learning process empirically. The study is the first of its kind to analyse and document the influence of a government accelerator on entrepreneurial learning. Firstly, the study findings reveal how the entrepreneurs perceive entrepreneurial learning in the given context. Secondly, the findings discuss how the entrepreneurial learning constructs are intervened during the temporal entrepreneurial process. Lastly, the thesis establishes the evidence that the government accelerator influences to strengthen the entrepreneurial mindset of entrepreneurs, supports building learning networks for entrepreneurs and facilitates the creation of a learning culture in their respective infant organisations. Based on these findings, the thesis identifies seven (7) propositions embedded in the government accelerator program when researching to seek the answers for the two research questions. The study contributes towards the theory of entrepreneurial learning on how government accelerators shape and influence entrepreneurial learning, particularly in the developing world. The study also integrates entrepreneurial learning theories by developing a conceptual model of how the facets of entrepreneurial learning are inter-related. This study makes recommendations on how future researchers could replicate, extend, and modify the findings. It also makes specific recommendations to governments and policy makers wishing to establish entrepreneurial accelerator programs.