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Social entrepreneurs’ conceptions of incubator-based learning

Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2020.

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Other Authors: Marks, Jonathan
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: University of Pretoria 2021
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access_status_str Open Access
author2 Marks, Jonathan
author_browse Marks, Jonathan
author_facet Marks, Jonathan
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv © 2019 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria.
description Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2020.
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institution University of Pretoria (South Africa)
language English
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:36:48.396Z
license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
publishDate 2021
publishDateRange 2021
publishDateSort 2021
publisher University of Pretoria
publisherStr University of Pretoria
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source_str UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
spelling oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/79768 Social entrepreneurs’ conceptions of incubator-based learning Marks, Jonathan ichelp@gibs.co.za Bucci, Aleia UCTD Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2020. Research on entrepreneurial learning tends to focus on formal environments while entrepreneurs typically learn in non-formal environments such as business incubators. Despite this, incubators are rarely designed with learning in mind. Recent calls for the application of learning theories in incubation research along with a lack of prior studies on the subject led to informal learning theory as the lens to understand the qualitatively different ways in which social entrepreneurs experience learning within an incubator. The research was conducted in South Africa, characterised dichotomously by a relatively advanced economy with an immense social need. Through twenty phenomenographic interviews, eight conceptions of incubator-based learning were found: learnability, business concepts, entrepreneur concepts, practical application of knowledge, business transformation, personal transformation, having a champion, and co-created learning. Previous phenomenographic research has focused on formal learning environments but utilising the methodology in a non-formal learning environment led to two differences in commonly held conceptions of learning – no evidence of memorisation and two additional collective-focused conceptions. The eight conceptions were then used to create a model of the informal learning experience of social entrepreneurs within incubation programmes, contributing to the theory by demonstrating that this learning experience is different than informal learning experiences in other contexts. Further analysis showed the conceptions are experienced in five varying ways, characterised as learning by the archetypes of Maximiser, Transformer, Collaborator, Student, and Consumer. As a concept, learning archetypes are not new, but the creation and application of learning archetypes in the context of incubation programmes is novel. A phenomenographic outcome space mapped the characteristics of each archetype across each conception, visualising how different archetypes experience each conception, and therefore the overall experience of learning, in a distinct way. Incubators can utilise the findings to better support social entrepreneurs’ learning by providing content relevant to social entrepreneurs, focusing on participants’ identities as learners, and offering flexible and customisable programmes. Additionally, to create a more collaborative learning environment, incubators should consider relationship dynamics and learning potential when selecting participants. Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) DPhil Unrestricted 2021-05-04T09:29:00Z 2021-05-04T09:29:00Z 2021 2020 Dissertation Bucci, A 2020, Social entrepreneurs’ conceptions of incubator-based learning, DPhil Dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd <http://hdl.handle.net/2263/79768> http://hdl.handle.net/2263/79768 en © 2019 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. application/pdf University of Pretoria
spellingShingle UCTD
Social entrepreneurs’ conceptions of incubator-based learning
title Social entrepreneurs’ conceptions of incubator-based learning
title_full Social entrepreneurs’ conceptions of incubator-based learning
title_fullStr Social entrepreneurs’ conceptions of incubator-based learning
title_full_unstemmed Social entrepreneurs’ conceptions of incubator-based learning
title_short Social entrepreneurs’ conceptions of incubator-based learning
title_sort social entrepreneurs conceptions of incubator based learning
topic UCTD
url http://hdl.handle.net/2263/79768