Full Esteem Ahead? Mindset-Oriented Business Training in Ethiopia
Is there a mindset gap holding women back in business? Can entrepreneurship training instill a set of attitudes, behaviors, and strategies that are thought to underpin success in business such as motivation, perseverance, and self-confidence? This...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Working Paper |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
World Bank, Washington, DC
2019
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/247671560784088055/Full-Esteem-Ahead-Mindset-Oriented-Business-Training-in-Ethiopia http://hdl.handle.net/10986/31905 |
| Summary: | Is there a mindset gap holding women
back in business? Can entrepreneurship training instill a
set of attitudes, behaviors, and strategies that are thought
to underpin success in business such as motivation,
perseverance, and self-confidence? This study conducted two
randomized controlled trials to evaluate the effect of
mindset-oriented business trainings on the performance of
women-owned micro and small enterprises in Ethiopia. The
trainings were underpinned by psychology with a mission to
foster self-esteem and entrepreneurial spirit. Despite a
similar approach, however, the quality of delivery seemed to
matter as impacts of the trainings on business performance
were mixed. A key channel for an impact on profits is if the
training can actually effectuate the mindset change, with
only one training transferring higher levels of
entrepreneurial self-efficacy, personal initiative, and
entrepreneurial locus of control to the women, relative to a
control group. The study finds suggestive evidence that
psychological skills and mindset are better inspired by a
trainer who previously owned a business themselves and
therefore may have a better understanding of the
entrepreneurs' specific challenges. The study concludes
that psychological skills are important for women's
business success, and these skills can indeed be transferred
using training, assuming a shared identity match between
trainer and student. Service delivery appears to be critical
for inculcating these important skills. |
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