Introduction

The National Women's Business Council (2012) reported that there are 1,521,494 African American women-owned businesses in the United States. However, 97.5 % of these businesses are a sole proprietorship, with one employee. Additionally, the empowerment of entrepreneurs with self-efficacy in leadership competencies is important to the effectiveness of entrepreneurial education programs. Moreover, there is limited information on entrepreneurial self-efficacy and entrepreneurial intentions. However, evidence suggests that women professed lower levels of confidence and preparedness in their ability to succeed as entrepreneurs. Furthermore, the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (2015) study reported that key attitudes related to entrepreneurship entailed perceived opportunity, perceived capability to start a business, fear of failure, intention to start a business, and perceived ability to have a successful business.

Research Purpose of Inquiry

The purpose of this research is to explore the impact of entrepreneurial education on leadership self-efficacy of African American women-owned early-stage businesses. The educational program to be studied is designed to help entrepreneurs create jobs and economic opportunities by providing greater access to education, capital, and business support services in the New York Tri-state area. The 11-week, 100-hour program curriculum designed for early- stage women-owned businesses focuses on several aspects of entrepreneurial proficiencies to include leadership. Furthermore, this study will further explore the effect of these learning experiences of African American alumni of the early-stage program designed for women in order to assess the impact of the program on leadership self-efficacy.

Rationale

Many of the African American women-owned early-stage small businesses that have been accepted and completed the program have shown potential for growth. A few of the business owners have expressed fear of their businesses not being sustainable, going out of business, not having enough capital, and hiring and leading successful teams, before starting the program. However, I would like to explore further the impact the program has had on their leadership self-efficacy upon graduating the program. All program participants take a self-efficacy assessment prior to and upon completing the program. With the data collected from the pre- and post- assessments and interviews from program alumni will help me to determine the true value of the educational program and to develop a curriculum that would impact the leadership self-efficacy and business success of African American women-owned businesses.

Issues of Positionality

Based on my role as the Education Services director of the entrepreneurial education program explored for the research understudy and the many interactions I have with the women-owned businesses I am responsible for the development, oversight, and implementation of the curriculum. Moreover, the study will contribute to the research on African American women-owned early-stage businesses and leadership efficacy. Additionally, I am an African American woman and small business owner. As I pursue this research topic, I have some assumptions about the leadership self-efficacy of African American women-owned businesses and the existing curriculum designed for the entrepreneurial education program. The curriculum designed is more academic and does not consider varied educational abilities, ethnic backgrounds, and or regional perspectives. However, the location that I have oversight of has made changes to the curriculum to meet the needs of the participants in small increments. My assumptions are based on my experience as an adult educator and curriculum developer for over twenty years, my ethnic background, my role in the program, and a small business owner.

Research Questions

The research study aims to explore how an entrepreneurial education program impacts the leadership self-efficacy of African American women-owned early-stage businesses by addressing the following research questions:

How do the women in this study compare with the demographic profiles of African American women-owned businesses who have participated in the educational program designed for existing businesses positioned for growth?

What types of program learning experiences positively impact leadership self-efficacy among African American women-owned early stage businesses?

What factors contribute to the leadership self-efficacy of a select group of African American women-owned early stage businesses?

Results of this research may fill the gap of research regarding women-focused or African American women-owned businesses participating in entrepreneurial education programs.

References

Babson College & Baruch College (2015). Global entrepreneurship monitor.

National Women's Business Council (2012). Fact sheet: Black women-owned business [Fact Sheet].

Retrieved from: https://www.nwbc.gov/sites/default/files/Black%20Women%20Entrepreneurs.pdf.