Technological perspectives of a balanced scorecard for business incubators: Evidence from South Africa

Abstract

This study was deemed relevant in the current epoch given the need for rebuilding enterprises that were devastated by the Covid-19 pandemic. To ensure economic restoration, particular interest in small business start-ups and incubators has become especially important. In addition, measurements for effectiveness are critical since, without them, progress cannot be ascertained. The aim of this study was to assess the balanced scorecard and its applicability to business incubators in the context of the present technological explosion. Specifically, the study assessed the technological dimension of the balanced scorecard with the particular intention of establishing how technological tools affect the balanced scorecard. The study was based on phenomenological interviews to provide data that were relevant to the study objectives. A thematic analysis of the data collected supported literature perspectives that technological tools and platforms such as social media, robotics, expert systems, online as well as web platforms strengthen and improve the measurement of both financial and non-financial criteria for measurement on the balanced scorecard. Technological tools were found to improve data collection, management, and analytics thereby improving the quality and credibility of balanced scorecard measurement. The study recommends the accelerated adoption of technological tools for use within the balanced scorecard among incubators. It also recommends that the government should support incubators in their technological adoption measures as this has the potential of increasing economic development.

A bibliometric analysis of the development of business incubation literature in South Africa

“…The study also analysed the most productive authors with regards to business incubation in South Africa. Figure 2 shows that Lose stands out as the prominent author with seven publications (Lose & Khuzwayo, 2021;Lose, 2021;Lose & Kapondoro, 2020;Lose, Yakobi & Kwahene, 2020;Lose, Tengeh, Maziriri, & Madinga, 2016;, followed by Rogerson (Rogerson, 2017;Masutha & Rogerson, 2015;Masutha & Rogerson, 2014a;Masutha & Rogerson, 2014b) and Tengeh (Lose, Tengeh, Maziriri, & Madinga, 2016;Lose & Tengeh, 2015) who have 4 publications each, Masutha (Masutha & Rogerson, 2015;Masutha & Rogerson, 2014a;Masutha & Rogerson, 2014b), and Strydom (Strydom, Kempen & Tselepis, 2023;Strydom, Kempen & Tselepis, 2021;Strydom, 2021) have 3 publications each, Iwu (Dlamini, Iwu, & Ogunlela, 2023;Eresia-Eke, Iwu, Jaiyeola & Musikavanhu, 2019) and Schmitt (Schmitt, 2023;Schmitt, 2022) with 2 publications each and the rest of the authors as shown have one publication each. The dataset of 254 keywords was limited to a minimum number of three occurrences, whereas 31 items met the threshold.…”

The Impact of Balanced Scorecard on Customer relationship management performance: Evidence from Egypt

“…In which this performancemeasuring tool covers every aspect that then grouped into four main perspectives, namely: financial perspective, growth and learning perspective, internal business process perspective, and customer perspective. (Zeho, Setyowati, Hermawan, 2020;Lueg & Julner, 2014) According Lose & Khuzwayo (2021) the Covid-19 virus has threatened to exacerbate in many developing counties developmental issues, so it is essential to sort out how to re-enforce small company incubation. According to Guillen (2020), the virus is a problem that needs both immediate and longterm solutions.…”

The Critical Success Factors for Entrepreneurial Coaching in South African Business Incubators

“…Bruneel et al (2012) have categorised the models into three generations, with increasing offerings in each subsequent generation. South Africa currently has a mix of all three generations, with some business incubators failing to meet best practice standards (Lose & Khuzwayo 2021;Meyer & Meyer 2016). The critical skills South African entrepreneurs need include financial management, human resource management, Start-up, social and interpersonal, business leadership, business personality, marketing, technical, and business management (Mamabolo et al, 2017).…”