The Emerging Properties of Business Accelerators: The Case of Botswana, Namibia and Uganda Global Business Labs

Abstract

Entrepreneurship is an engine for economic development worldwide (Kelley, Singer, & Herrington
2016). For developing economies, the importance of entrepreneurship is associated with increased
productivity and reduction in the rising unemployment rates, particularly among the youths.
Consequently, several models and support programmes have been designed to facilitate successful
entrepreneurial activities amongst youth. The article discusses the business acceleration model of the
Global Business Labs (GBL) which is replicated in Botswana, Namibia and Uganda based on a Swedish
model, between 2012 and 2015 but failed in Mozambique and Zambia. Using a multiple case study
method, this article presents the results of a cross-country case analysis of the GBL programme with
a view to understand the emergence of a business accelerator. Despite replication of the programme
in respect of concepts, materials and operational systems, the cases reveal variations in operational
experiences and acceleration performance across the five countries. Using the emergence theory,
the article highlights these differences. The major contribution of the study to theory, in determining
how business accelerators come into being, includes the duality of intentions and exchange between
key stakeholders and the resource burst as a triggering mechanism in developing countries. The study
further informs development of a model for successful business acceleration launch and subsequent
performance for developing economies.
Keywords
Entrepreneurship, business incubation, business acceleration, unemployment, performance