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A qualitative analysis of the incubation process in South African public business incubators : an internal perspective
Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2025.
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2026
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| _version_ | 1867613843919732736 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Solomon, Goosain |
| author2 | Lind, Per Magnus |
| author_browse | Lind, Per Magnus Solomon, Goosain |
| author_facet | Lind, Per Magnus Solomon, Goosain |
| author_sort | Solomon, Goosain |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/134826 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:42:35.472Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| publishDateRange | 2026 |
| publishDateSort | 2026 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/134826 A qualitative analysis of the incubation process in South African public business incubators : an internal perspective Solomon, Goosain Lind, Per Magnus Boshoff, Christo Human, Gert Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Dept. of Business Management. Business incubators -- South Africa New business enterprises -- Management -- South Africa Entrepreneurship -- South Africa Small business -- Management -- South Africa Government aid to small business -- South Africa Public-private sector cooperation -- South Africa UCTD Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. Solomon, G. 2025. A Qualitative Analysis of the Incubation Process in South African Public Business Incubators: An Internal Perspective. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/4158e6b0-55ff-4f9e-9755-f4ce8a274c52 ENGLISH SUMMARY: The Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprise (SMME) sector's crucial role in contributing to economic development through its contributions to GDP (34%), employment (60%) and innovation is widely acknowledged. Despite this, small businesses often face survival challenges due to resource constraints. In response, globally, governments invest in support and development initiatives aimed at enhancing small business success. Business incubation, an approach that emerged in the USA during the 1950s as a response to economic decline, is one such initiative. At its core, business incubation fosters the growth and sustainability of small enterprises by providing both tangible and intangible resources through structured support and mediation services. This process aims to increase the chances of survival for small businesses, which are often hindered by resource constraints. Therefore, governments globally invest in small business support and development initiatives to underpin the success of small businesses. Business incubation, a specialised small business support and development mechanism, is one such initiative. Its origins are traced back to the 1950s in response to a declining economy in the USA. At the core of business incubation lies the growth and development of small businesses and the business incubation process (BIP). Relative to developed nations, the BIP is an under-researched area in developing countries, in particular in South Africa. At the time of conceptualisation of this study, business incubation is perceived as underperforming relative to international best practices. This research addresses the dearth of research on the BIP in South Africa. In response to the research question, the study reports on the nature of the BIP based on an exploratory study of the BIP in public business incubators in South Africa. The study takes a resource-based perspective, and the resource-based theory is used as the theoretical frame of reference to interpret the dialogue between the incubator management and the incubatees as the key actors in this process. Data was collected using semi-structured interviews with incubator management and incubatees of 22 publicly funded business incubators. A merit of the study is its internal perspective, which raised the voice of incubatees as key stakeholders in the incubation process. The findings concur that the symptoms of incubators are synonymous with businesses in survival mode. Key findings include: inconsistency in the selection process; a lack of stakeholder engagement; sub-optimal incubatee quality; an absence of a technology strategy; an absence of an assessment strategy as well as inconsistency in assessment practices; deficiencies in the incubator staff with respect to business incubation; trust level erosion by perceived service delivery; resources and administration strategies are incubator-centric, such as technology; and an incongruency between the needs of the incubatees and the capability of incubators. Advanced incubatees are not effectively supported by incubators because of the limited capability of incubators. This research contributes at scholarly, practical and policy levels. On a scholarly level,1 the contribution of this study is threefold. Firstly, it advances the research space contextually as it provides insights into the BIP in South Africa, a developing context. Secondly, it advances the literature by illuminating and adding to the selection process and the business support process. Thirdly, it contributes by engaging incubatees as active stakeholders rather than passive beneficiaries and thereby methodologically calibrating the discourse of business incubation in South Africa. On a practical level, the study provides models to enhance the BIP, in particular, selection and resource transfer, and at the policy level, a review of the incubator strategy and selection process is recommended. In this way, the robustness of the BIP can be strengthened. Recommendations are provided firstly for the incubator management, secondly for further research, and lastly for policy administrators. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Geen opsomming beskikbaar. Doctoral 2026-01-09T12:32:28Z 2026-01-09T12:32:28Z 2025-12 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/134826 Stellenbosch University 493 pages : illustrations, includes annexures application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Business incubators -- South Africa New business enterprises -- Management -- South Africa Entrepreneurship -- South Africa Small business -- Management -- South Africa Government aid to small business -- South Africa Public-private sector cooperation -- South Africa UCTD Solomon, Goosain A qualitative analysis of the incubation process in South African public business incubators : an internal perspective |
| title | A qualitative analysis of the incubation process in South African public business incubators : an internal perspective |
| title_full | A qualitative analysis of the incubation process in South African public business incubators : an internal perspective |
| title_fullStr | A qualitative analysis of the incubation process in South African public business incubators : an internal perspective |
| title_full_unstemmed | A qualitative analysis of the incubation process in South African public business incubators : an internal perspective |
| title_short | A qualitative analysis of the incubation process in South African public business incubators : an internal perspective |
| title_sort | qualitative analysis of the incubation process in south african public business incubators an internal perspective |
| topic | Business incubators -- South Africa New business enterprises -- Management -- South Africa Entrepreneurship -- South Africa Small business -- Management -- South Africa Government aid to small business -- South Africa Public-private sector cooperation -- South Africa UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/134826 |
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