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Assessing the Business Accelerator Model in Egypt A market-based approach towards supporting entrepreneurship in developing countries: Assessing the business accelerator model in Egypt Thesis submitted in accordance with the requirements of the University of Liverpool for the degree of Doctor of Business Administration By Walid M. Eid Supervisors: Dr. Caroline Ramsey Professor Ossie Jones Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences April 2016 0 Table of Contents Chapter 01 Introduction _______________________________________________ 5 1.1: Research Background ___________________________________________ 5 1.2: Defining Entrepreneurship _______________________________________ 6 1.3: Research aims and objectives _____________________________________ 9 1.4: Conclusions ___________________________________________________ 10 Chapter 02 Literature review ___________________________________________ 12 2.1: History of entrepreneurship _____________________________________ 12 2.2: Types of entrepreneurship ______________________________________ 16 2.3: Entrepreneurship according to economic levels _____________________ 17 2.4: Entrepreneurship and public policy ______________________________ 18 2.5: Entrepreneurship and economic performance ______________________ 19 2.6: Economic levels and entrepreneurship ____________________________ 22 2.7: Entrepreneurship models and frameworks _________________________ 26 2.8: Entrepreneurial models according to comparable data across different countries _________________________________________________________ 34 2.9: The role of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the private sector in promoting entrepreneurship ______________________________________ 39 2.10: The evolvement of incubators and accelerators ____________________ 44 2.11: Conclusions __________________________________________________ 48 Chapter 03 Research Design and Methodology ____________________________ 50 3.1: Introduction __________________________________________________ 50 3.2: Entrepreneurship support through NGOs _________________________ 52 3.3: Research Methodology _________________________________________ 56 3.4: Sampling and Research participants ______________________________ 61 3.5: Methods of data collection, analysis and representation ______________ 65 3.6: Conclusions ___________________________________________________ 67 Chapter 04 Data Collection and Analysis _________________________________ 69 4.1: Introduction __________________________________________________ 69 4.2: About the accelerator (Flat6labs) _________________________________ 69 4.3: The interview questions and process ______________________________ 72 4.4: Data analysis from institutional and entrepreneurial perspective ______ 77 4.4.1: Influence to start a business ____________________________________ 77 4.4.2: Starting through an accelerator _________________________________ 83 4.4.3: Perceived challenges to starting a business ________________________ 88 4.4.4: Overcoming challenges through an accelerator ____________________ 92 4.4.5: Advantages and disadvantages of the accelerator ___________________ 95 4.4.6: Recommending startup accelerator from sponsored entrepreneurs _____ 102 4.4.7: Real experience versus expectations ____________________________ 103 1 4.5: Summary ____________________________________________________ 105 Chapter 5 Discussion ________________________________________________ 110 5.1: Introduction _________________________________________________ 110 5.2: Motivation to start a business ___________________________________ 114 5.3: Business accelerators as an engine to entrepreneurship development: deciding to start a business through an accelerator _____________________ 120 5.4: Accelerators and entrepreneurial challenges ______________________ 123 5.5: Advantages and Disadvantages of Accelerators ____________________ 127 5.6: Conclusions __________________________________________________ 130 Chapter 6 Review of Findings and Conclusions___________________________ 134 6.1: Introduction _________________________________________________ 134 6.2: Research overview ____________________________________________ 134 6.3: Key findings _________________________________________________ 136 6.4: Research Implications _________________________________________ 140 6.4.1: Implications for potential opportunity entrepreneurs _______________ 141 6.4.2: Implications for accelerators __________________________________ 142 6.4.3: Implications for investors ____________________________________ 144 6.4.4: Implications for policy makers ________________________________ 144 6.4.5: Implications for scholars _____________________________________ 145 6.5: Limitations of the research _____________________________________ 146 6.6: Future research ______________________________________________ 147 Chapter7 Reflections of the scholar-practitioner __________________________ 148 7.1: Introduction _________________________________________________ 148 7.2: Constructing _________________________________________________ 149 7.3: Planning Action ______________________________________________ 150 7.4: Taking Action ________________________________________________ 150 7.5: Evaluation ___________________________________________________ 151 7.6: Conclusion __________________________________________________ 152 References ________________________________________________________ 153 2 List of Tables Page TABLE 1: SUMMARY OF INTERVIEWS ............................................................................ 75 TABLE 2: PARTICIPANTS’ PROFILE ................................................................................ 78 TABLE 3: INFLUENCE TO START A BUSINESS ................................................................. 82 TABLE 4: DECIDING TO START THROUGH AN ACCELERATOR ......................................... 87 TABLE 5: PERCEIVED CHALLENGES PRIOR STARTING A BUSINESS ................................. 91 TABLE 6: OVERCOMING CHALLENGES THROUGH A STARTUP ACCELERATOR ................ 94 TABLE 7: ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF THE ACCELERATOR ...................... 100 TABLE 8: RECOMMENDING AN ACCELERATOR ............................................................ 104 TABLE 9: EXPERIENCE VERSUS EXPECTATIONS ........................................................... 107 List of Figures Page FIGURE 2.1: TIMMONS’ MODEL OF ENTREPRENEURIAL PROCESS ................................... 28 FIGURE 2.2: SHANE’S MODEL OF THE ENTREPRENEURIAL PROCESS ............................... 28 FIGURE 2.3: MOT CONCEPTUAL MODEL OF THE INTERACTION OF GARTNER’S OPPORTUNITY-BASED APPROACH TO ENTREPRENEURSHIP ............................................. 30 FIGURE 2.4: OYSON AND WHITTAKER’S ENTREPRENEURIAL OPPORTUNITY FORMATION QUADRANT .................................................................................................................... 31 FIGURE 2.5: MOORE’S ENTREPRENEURIAL BEHAVIOUR MODEL .................................... 32 FIGURE 2.6: FERREIRA ET AL’S (2012) MODEL OF ENTREPRENEURIAL INTENTION ........ 33 FIGURE 2.7: ENTREPRENEURIAL BEHAVIOUR MODEL (MISRA AND KUMAR 2000) ........ 34 FIGURE 2.8: BABSON ENTREPRENEURSHIP ECOSYSTEM PROJECT ................................. 39 FIGURE 2.9: FINANCING BASED ON COMPANY’S DEVELOPMENT ................................. 43 FIGURE 4.1: FLAT6LABS SERVICES ............................................................................... 69 FIGURE 4.2: FLAT6LABS ACCELERATION PROCESS ........................................................ 72 FIGURE 6.1: THE ACCELERATOR’S MODEL ENCOURAGING INDIVIDUALS TO ACT ENTREPRENEURIAL ...................................................................................................... 143 3 Abstract This research aims at exploring the accelerator business model in Egypt, a developing country, and its role as a for-profit organisation in empowering and strengthening opportunity entrepreneurs. After selecting an accelerator for the study, interviews were conducted to demonstrate how the business model operates. Six entrepreneurs that were sponsored by the accelerator were selected according to the nomination of the accelerator. A series of in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with the six participant entrepreneurs to gain an understanding about the benefits of being sponsored by the accelerator. In addition, a non-governmental organization was selected to explore how the accelerator model, a for-profit organisation, represents a new and different pathway in promoting opportunity entrepreneurship other than other traditional forms of support. 4 Chapter 01 Introduction 1.1: Research Background As an entrepreneur and a member of the business community in Egypt since 1995, I have engaged in several programmes with different business development non- governmental organizations (NGOs) aimed at strengthening the role of the private sector in Egypt. I found a strong personal interest in programmes that were focused primarily on entrepreneurship development in Egypt. Through engaging actively in some initiatives with the sponsorship of international NGOs and funding bodies, I have obtained better insight into the challenges and obstacles that face entrepreneurs in Egypt. I also better understand the various challenges to entrepreneurship around the globe in developing and developed countries. My interest in entrepreneurship has been further extended by becoming one of the founders of Entrepreneur’s Business Forum (EBF), an Egyptian based NGO established in 2006 and aimed at supporting potential and existing opportunity entrepreneurs.
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