Performance Evaluation of Some Selected Incubated Enterprises at Technology Incubation Centre, Kano, Nigeria.

Abstract

The performances pattern in terms of monthly turnover of three (3) selected enterprises which were arbitrarily designated as A, B and C from Technology Incubation Centre (TIC), Kano were evaluated from 2007 to 2010. Three critical stages of the enterprises’ incubation status were considered, that is their last twelve (12) months of resident incubation, next three (3) months of transition from resident incubation to post incubation and the subsequent first twelve (12) months of post incubation. A scatter diagram was then plotted as turnover versus time for the three (3) entreprises which produced unique relationships for each of the three (3) critical stages. It was observed that that all the enterprises showed a parabolic behaviour in terms of progress in the last twelve (12) months of resident incubation. However, the three (3) months transition period considered as the period from graduation to final relocation from the centre characterized by the  commencement of withdrawals of the subsidies enjoyed by the enterprises during the three (3) years in the TIC in facilities rent, utilities, marketing, ICT, technical/business coaching,etc, recorded a linear behaviour  with a sharp drop in turnover. However, on final relocation outside the TIC which is the commencement of post incubation, the turnover in respect of enterprise A began to steadily rise, enterprise B maintained a constant turnover, while enterprise C recorded a gradual drop that lead to its collapse. In summary, the results of the study call for the need by the stake holders of the Technology Incubation Programme in Nigeria (TIP), ie; Government at all tiers, Academia and the Industry/ Entrepreneurs to address the critial observations in the second (2^nd) and third (3^rd) stages through provision of facilities, grants, loans, etc including relocation to a befitting technology/innovation packs that will serve as a booster to their survival.

Keywords: Technology, Resident Incubation, Innovation, Enterprise, TIC/TIP.