An appropriate tool for entrepreneurial learning in SMEs? The case of the 20Twenty Leadership Programme

Abstract

The 20Twenty Leadership Programme was developed by Cardiff Metropolitan University as an executive education programme to be delivered within South Wales to small businesses. It is funded by the European Social Fund, administered by the Welsh European Funding Office and has the key aim of developing small and medium sized enterprises’ growth potential via a range of leadership and management skills, including a focus on ‘soft’ skills. The aim of this paper is to place the 20Twenty Leadership Programme within the wider context of entrepreneurship policy and small and medium sized enterprise training initiatives in particular, and then to examine the rationale and delivery methods of the Programme in relation to these. It also reflects on the Programme’s success (or otherwise) to date where possible. Finally, the paper seeks to suggest fruitful areas of further research both in terms of the 20Twenty Leadership Programme itself and also with regard to evaluation in relation to other parallel programmes and to small and medium sized enterprise training initiatives more generally.

Entrepreneurship and the determinants of firm survival within regions: human capital, growth motivation and locational conditions

“…One possible solution is to target support and education at those already operating enterprises to provide the human capital that is appropriate for widening opportunities and promoting a growth motivation (Clifton et al, 2015).…”

Contingency theory to study leadership styles of small businesses owner-managers at Santo Domingo, Ecuador

“…12 Exploring the behavior of small business ownermanagers in the face of particular situations could provide important insights for the survival of their businesses and the stability of their staff, a fundamental key in this kind of enterprises, could also be useful to design a training program to improve the leadership skills. 6 It has been possible to verify the existence of theoretical and practical orientation studies of leadership in small businesses. Such studies trying to explain the following: (1) the way to improve leadership competencies as a way to support the growth, expansion, and continued success of their enterprises; 13,39 (2) the role of leadership in affecting the effectiveness of strategy generation and execution; 42 (3) identify the factors that make a leadership style more efficient; 8 (4) the impact of leadership on fostering new product innovation; 7,9 and (5) understand and measure entrepreneurial leadership style.…”

“…12 Exploring the behavior of small business owner-managers in the face of particular situations could provide important insights for the survival of their businesses and the stability of their staff, a fundamental key in this kind of enterprises, could also be useful to design a training program to improve the leadership skills. 6…”

“…In particular, leadership in small business is identified as indispensable to ensure its growth and survival. [6][7][8][9][10] With a right behavior, leadership have the best opportunities to succeed, because a particular kind of performance at a particular context could encourage employees to share his creative ideas and opinions, provide a clear direction to accomplish purposes and objectives, and appeal to show the highest commitment with the outcome expected of their action. 7,[11][12][13][14] This study is anchored on contingency theories which fundamental underpinning is that there is no one best or unique style of leadership that transcends across all situations, 2,15,16,17,18 what is effective in some situations could have no effects or even dysfunctional effects in others.…”

“…In particular, leadership in small business is identified as indispensable to ensure its growth and survival. 6 –10 With a right behavior, leadership have the best opportunities to succeed, because a particular kind of performance at a particular context could encourage employees to share his creative ideas and opinions, provide a clear direction to accomplish purposes and objectives, and appeal to show the highest commitment with the outcome expected of their action. 7,11 –14…”