Interplay Between Entrepreneurial Training, SME's Performance and Moderating Factors

Abstract

In developing countries such as Ghana, the economic landscape is changing, with a move from foreign direct investment to self-employment and entrepreneurship. There is growing acceptance that some elements of entrepreneurship can be taught and learned. Entrepreneurship is an important educational innovation that provides the impetus to learning about learning. Entrepreneurship and Education Training (EET) programmes are seen as a means to stimulate increased levels of economic activities. The study explored the relationship between entrepreneurial training interventions and performance of small scale automobile firms in Ghana. The study also evaluated the influence of entrepreneurial training interventions on the absorptive capacity of SME owners’ in Ghana. Data was collected from small scale automobile business owners and managers in Kumasi Metropolis in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. The convenient sampling method was used to select eight hundred and ninety-six (896) respondents for the study. The data was analyzed meaningfully following the appropriate protocols by categorizing and coding. The Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 21.0, SMART PLS 3.2.8 and Microsoft Excel 2007 were used in analyzing the data. The study reveals that; there is a significant relationship between entrepreneurial training interventions and performance of small scale automobile firms in Ghana. The also revealed a significant relationship between the moderating variables and SME performance.