The influence of trainees' characteristics on the transfer of entrepreneurship training: Evidence from microfinance institutions in Tanzania

Abstract

While entrepreneurship training is essential for the growth and sustainability of enterprises, the literature identifies several challenges which contribute to insufficient transfer (application) of trained materials to enterprises. Yet, the extant literature on training transfer is inconclusive, with minimal focus on trainee personal characteristics and scarce visualization of transfer as a dimensional concept. The study addressed this gap by examining the influence of selected trainee demographics on dimensions of near, far and creative transfer of entrepreneurship training. Based on a survey of 418 trainees in Tanzanian community-based microfinance institutions, findings reveal that, each dimension of training transfer tested was influenced by a different set of demographic determinants. It was evident that elders were less enthusiastic about near and far application of entrepreneurship training. Males perceived slightly more training transfer in far and creative domains while those with higher education levels were more likely to apply training in all transfer dimensions. Those with exposure to entrepreneurship were more convinced of the value of applying the trained skills to near and creative domains. Consequently, the study advances Andragogy by showing the contextual nature of applicability of its principles, as well as the dependence of training transfer on contextual factors surrounding trainees.