Role of Business Incubation in Sustaining Small and Medium Enterprises in the Kingdom of Eswatini

Abstract

What do business incubators do? Do they play a significant role in enhancing the entrepreneurial competitiveness of small and medium enterprises (SMEs)? Could they play any significant role in the development of SMEs? What are the types of entrepreneurial skills and strategies offered by business incubators in the Kingdom of (Note 1) Eswatini? These are the pertinent questions that were taken on in this paper through a desktop literature analysis, to understand the role and impact of business incubators. Themes that emerged helped to gain better insight into the roles of business incubators as well as how they overcome identified challenges. This paper concludes that further study on the role of business incubators in Eswatini may take the form of an extensive, statistical approach using empirical data to unearth business incubators’ impact on SMEs’ competitiveness and sustainability. Further to this, it is suggested that available frameworks and policies from other successful countries be examined for the benefit of the Kingdom of Eswatini.

SMEs, Economic Growth, and Business Incubation Conundrum in South Africa. A Literature Appraisal

“…Following the difficulty in accessing adequate funds, BIs are bereft of quality human capital (Dlamini, 2021). As a result, they often fail to identify and offer programmes that meet the needs of incubatees (Tengeh & Choto, 2015).…”

“…Considering BIs' lack of specialised skills and competent management, it is not surprising that incubatees have reported a mix of negative experiences during incubation (Dlamini, 2021). With such negative experiences, it is likely that BIs are perceived as ineffective, with a poor work ethic and lacking in entrepreneurial skills (Nkwinika, 2008).…”