The Enterprise Workshop Programme in Australia

Abstract

D R. VICTOR WAN is with the Department of Accountancy and Legal Studies at the University of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. The Enterprise Workshop Programme was established in Australia in 1981 as an initiative of the Australian government. Its objective is to provide entrepreneurship training with the main emphasis being placed on the development of business planning skills. To date, the workshop programme has been established in every state in Australia. The workshop programme is currently being funded jointly by the government and private sector organisations. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the nature and effectiveness of the enterprise workshop programme. Data from a recent survey were analysed under the headings of (1) evaluation by past participants, (2) economic benefits of the programme, and (3) comments from sources other than past participants. Within the limitations discussed in the paper, the results of the survey and other sources of evidence are indicative of community support and favourable perceptions of the programme results by the various groups involved. It is concluded that the enterprise workshop programme has been effective in fulfilling its training objective, particularly in the training of business planning skills. However, its effectiveness could be enhanced if more emphasis in the training is placed on the development of personal qualities, rather than concentrating largely on the development of business planning skills. Overall, the workshop programme is seen as having an important demonstrative role to play in entrepreneurship training in Australia, especially in the light of the dearth of entrepreneurship training facilities in the country.