Summary
Contents
Case Studies in Needs Assessment offers insights about the practice of needs assessment in dynamic, real-world organizations and communities. This book invites both novice and seasoned analysts to look over the shoulders of practitioners, to examine needs assessment practice in action, to grasp the real-world issues that arise, and to understand a variety of needs assessment strategies and challenges. Each case in this book examines the implementation of needs assessment in a specific situation, bridging needs assessment theories and actual practice. The book is organized around five major approaches: knowledge and skill assessment, job and task analysis, competency assessment, strategic needs assessment, and complex needs assessment. The last chapter summarizes lessons learned from all the case studies: it describes the insights and tricks of the trade that Darlene Russ-Eft and Catherine Sleezer gained from commissioning and reviewing these cases.
Small Business Enrichment Training Needs Assessment
Small Business Enrichment Training Needs Assessment
Abstract
Entrepreneurial training for small business organizations can be crucial to the continued economic development of a region by enhancing the competence of small business principals (Lans, Hulsink, Baert, & Mulder, 2008). This assessment explored the current training programs of a rural region’s small business community (200 small organizations), identified current training gaps, and examined implications of future training needs. Below is an overview of the case.
Where the Needs Assessment Was Conducted | Who Conducted the Needs Assessment | Focus of Needs Assessment | How Data Were Collected | How Data Were Analyzed |
Small business organizations (about 200 organizations) in a rural community on the west coast of United States | Small Business Enrichment Program (SBEP) engaged an external evaluator | Focused on determining entrepreneurs’ needs and desires for training | Explored available training programs; examined historical data; two surveys of small business organization clients and SBEP statewide directors and staff; interviews of 15 small business owners | Descriptive statistics reported for quantitative data; content analysis of qualitative data identifying themes |
Background
The Small Business Enrichment Program (SBEP) is a statewide nonprofit organization providing entrepreneurs with necessary supports to convert innovative ideas, products, and services into successful businesses. The list of assistance provided by the SBEP includes general business advising, financial planning support, marketing assistance, bookkeeping assistance, employee management, accessing capital, and mentoring/training. Services are provided by qualified mentors and instructors for an annual average of 200 clients.
The sponsor of the training needs assessment was the SBEP, which is housed within a community college in a rural region of a western state. Historically, SBEP training offerings were provided based on perceived, rather than formally researched needs. A need for more strategic approaches to planning and providing business training was recognized by the director. Previous research has shown that successful entrepreneurial training is action oriented, supportive of experiential learning, problem solving, project based, creative, and involving peer evaluation (Jones & English, 2004). Focusing on the above attributes, the principal purpose of this assessment was to establish, through analysis of extant and newly garnered data, the training needs of the region’s small business organizations (SBOs). Second, nontraining business needs were also identified.
Staffing
An external consultant evaluator was engaged to conduct the assessment. The evaluator holds a master’s degree in the field of adult education and subscribes to principles of The Standards for Educational Evaluation, and The American Evaluation Association (2013). The consultant worked closely with the program director and other primary stakeholders to engage and query a representative sample of those impacted by the assessment’s solutions.
Significance, Impact, and Value
This assessment was significant in that it analyzed business training needs for a population of approximately 200 SBOs. Given that 50% of small business start-ups fail in the first 5 years and 66% by 10 years (United States Small Business Administration, 2015), training and support are crucial for enhancing the success rate of SBOs (Katz, 2007). Therefore, the assessment’s primary intent was to provide rich data for the provision of SBO training interventions.
Return on Investment
According to data published by the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy (2014), SBO births have the largest impact on gross state product, state personal income, and total state employment of any other factor. They concluded that state efforts to promote small business formation and success are more fruitful for generating economic growth than virtually any other policy option.
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