Assessing the Performance of Business Incubators: Recent France Evidence

Abstract

Based on original data collected from a recently implemented national program on incubators, this paper provides a first attempt to assess the performance of business incubators in France following their launch in 1999 and covering the period 2000-2009. The paper runs with the general believe that the jury is still out in terms of the overall effectiveness of these venture investments (Mian, 2011). The findings indicate that ten years after their creation, business incubators in France generally evolve without much difficulty and are well embedded in the regional innovation system. The findings also reveal that business incubators continue to create innovative entrepreneurial firms, however, they may need to further increase the professionalism of their activities that exhibit some limits regarding selection, business support, networking and graduation.

Anecdotal Evidence of the Role of Incubation in the Growth of Business Start-Ups in Uganda

“…Such incubators are started with diverse objectives and quite often admit different business start-ups aligned to their original objective. Incubators have evolved over three generations starting with job creation and real estate focus, to intangible services and high-tech (information and communication technology and other technologies) (M' Chirgui, 2012).…”

“…Although incubators are motived by increasing the capacity of business start-ups, they are of various types. Nunberger (2017) and M' Chirgui (2012) note that incubators are of three categories: multi-purpose incubators admitting all kinds of business satisfying criteria for entry; specialized incubators which focus on a particular activity, or industry, or sector; and virtual incubators working online. The benefit of allowing incubators in various industries is that it brings innovations which eventually breed the creation of new business ideas.…”

“…The other notable categories of incubators are based on the services they offer as the main target of the start-ups. M' Chirgui (2012) provides two specific categories -economic development and technology. Aernoudt (2004) identifies mixed incubators, economic development incubators, technology incubators, social incubators and basic research incubators.…”

Application of the elements of marketing mix by business start-ups during incubation: A case of Makerere University in Uganda

“…Globally in the recent years, several academic and business practitioners have switched to the use of business incubation model to develop and stimulate the growth of their businesses (M" Chirgui, 2012). This dramatic change in the model has been brought about by the emergence of the Silicon Valley and the Boston Route 128 in the USA and Cambridge"s Silicon Fen in the UK (Mian, 2011).…”

“…This dramatic change in the model has been brought about by the emergence of the Silicon Valley and the Boston Route 128 in the USA and Cambridge"s Silicon Fen in the UK (Mian, 2011). Although this is an era of economic globalization, both developed and emerging economies are grappling with high rates of unemployment especially among the youths (M" Chirgui, 2012). In Uganda, the majority (78%) of the population are young below 30 years and are employed in small businesses due to lack of jobs (Kristensen et al, 2016).…”