Entrepreneurs' attitudes to training and support initiatives: evidence from Ireland and The Netherlands

Increasingly, academics, practitioners and governments recognise the need to examine the role and effectiveness of entrepreneurship training and support. Studies to date have examined the importance of training and other skill development opportunities in promoting entrepreneurship in the context of different sectors, regions and countries. An important theme to emerge from the research is the failure of some programmes to take on board the cultural, educational and social background of the “entrepreneurs”, leading to ineffective training and support. This paper investigates the effectiveness of training and support initiatives for entrepreneurs in Ireland and The Netherlands, examining the experiences of 57 entrepreneurs from the services, manufacturing and high technology sectors in Ireland and The Netherlands. The results highlight the value of non‐formal support structures, such as mentoring and networking, and question the value of traditional formal business education and training strategies.