Evaluability assessment of the Gauteng science park incubation programme
Date
2016
Authors
Pangwa, Kutala Helen
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Abstract
Generally, we can trace the Science Park idea to the 1950s when Silicon Valley, with the support of Stanford University, transformed an agricultural valley into a semiconductor industry. Science parks offer infrastructure and incubation support to entrepreneurs for the development of new technology based companies (Lindelöf & Löfsten, 2002; Durão et al., 2005). Specifically, The Innovation Hub project in Gauteng province is an economic development intervention, modelled on the science park idea with the aim of promoting socioeconomic development and competitiveness of the province through innovation. The Innovation Hub project delivers its services through the incubation programme whose purpose is to provide a catalytic incubator that facilitates commercialisation of research and technology ideas into new business ventures. Similar to any other development intervention, it is important to determine whether the Gauteng science park incubation programme is delivering on its objectives of creating jobs and promoting small and medium enterprises, as mandated by the Gauteng government. This study examines the evaluability of the incubation programme based on the theory of change and results chain framework to determine if the programme can achieve its desired outcomes and if the programme has adequate information to enable a credible and meaningful evaluation of the programme. A qualitative study is undertaken to clarify a theory of change for the incubation programme based on the understanding of the programme stakeholders from the Department of Economic Development and the Gauteng Growth and Development Agency as well as the perspectives of The Innovation Hub Management Company’s internal managements. The study reveals that results-based management is not used within the incubation programme. The study tests if the theory of change of the programme is plausible, do-able and testable and we find that these conditions are currently not in place. The evaluability assessment recommends that the incubation programme improve by adapting results based management planning techniques to redesign as well as determine performance information for the programme. Programme implementation should improve with emphasis on providing a capacitated management team for the entrepreneurs and improving the services rendered in the programme.
Author: Kutala Pangwa Thesis title: Evaluability assessment of the Gauteng science park incubation programme
Description
Thesis presented in partial fulfilment for the degree of master of management (in the field of public sector monitoring and evaluation) to the faculty of commerce, law, and management, university of the Witwatersrand. March 2016
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Citation
Pangwa, Kutala Helen (2016) Evaluability assessment of the Gauteng science park incubation programme, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, <http://hdl.handle.net/10539/23699>