The influence of coaching experiences on entrepreneurial learning in incubator programmes - A study of the interplay between learning theories, the coach-coachee relationship and their environment
(2025) ENTN19 20251Department of Business Administration
- Abstract
- This thesis examines how coaching shapes the learning experience in incubator programs, drawing on the perspectives of both coaches and early-stage entrepreneurs. While coaching is often positioned as a core learning intervention within incubators, its actual role in entrepreneurial learning remains insufficiently understood. Based on eleven semi-structured interviews with participants from incubators in southern Sweden and Copenhagen, this study explores how learning unfolds within coaching relationships and how both parties perceive these experiences.
The findings are interpreted through the lens of experiential (Kolb, 1984), social (Bandura, 1977), and transformative (Mezirow, 1991) learning theories, each of which is reflected in the... (More) - This thesis examines how coaching shapes the learning experience in incubator programs, drawing on the perspectives of both coaches and early-stage entrepreneurs. While coaching is often positioned as a core learning intervention within incubators, its actual role in entrepreneurial learning remains insufficiently understood. Based on eleven semi-structured interviews with participants from incubators in southern Sweden and Copenhagen, this study explores how learning unfolds within coaching relationships and how both parties perceive these experiences.
The findings are interpreted through the lens of experiential (Kolb, 1984), social (Bandura, 1977), and transformative (Mezirow, 1991) learning theories, each of which is reflected in the coaching encounters. However, coachees often do not recognise these learning dynamics as such, focusing instead on immediate outcomes. This misalignment of expectations, combined with inconsistent coaching practices, varying coach expertise, and a lack of shared frameworks, can reduce engagement and limit the perceived value of coaching.
The study highlights the complexity of the coach-coachee relationship and underscores the roles of psychological safety, trust, and contextual relevance in fostering meaningful learning. It also shows that the broader incubator environment significantly influences coaching outcomes, yet often lacks coherence in its implementation of coaching.
This research contributes to entrepreneurial learning literature by clarifying how coaching, when contextually aligned and relationally grounded, can facilitate deeper learning processes. Practical implications include the need to professionalise coaching practices, ensure a better match between coaches and coachees, and communicate coaching goals more clearly. Overall, coaching should be integrated more deliberately into the entrepreneurial journey rather than treated as a generic support tool. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9207251
- author
- Mattner, Lena LU and Willner, Hanne LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- ENTN19 20251
- year
- 2025
- type
- H1 - Master's Degree (One Year)
- subject
- keywords
- Entrepreneurial coaching, Incubator programs, Entrepreneurial learning, Experiential learning, Transformative learning, Social learning, Coach-coachee relationship
- language
- English
- id
- 9207251
- date added to LUP
- 2025-07-01 13:56:19
- date last changed
- 2025-07-01 13:56:19
@misc{9207251,
abstract = {{This thesis examines how coaching shapes the learning experience in incubator programs, drawing on the perspectives of both coaches and early-stage entrepreneurs. While coaching is often positioned as a core learning intervention within incubators, its actual role in entrepreneurial learning remains insufficiently understood. Based on eleven semi-structured interviews with participants from incubators in southern Sweden and Copenhagen, this study explores how learning unfolds within coaching relationships and how both parties perceive these experiences.
The findings are interpreted through the lens of experiential (Kolb, 1984), social (Bandura, 1977), and transformative (Mezirow, 1991) learning theories, each of which is reflected in the coaching encounters. However, coachees often do not recognise these learning dynamics as such, focusing instead on immediate outcomes. This misalignment of expectations, combined with inconsistent coaching practices, varying coach expertise, and a lack of shared frameworks, can reduce engagement and limit the perceived value of coaching.
The study highlights the complexity of the coach-coachee relationship and underscores the roles of psychological safety, trust, and contextual relevance in fostering meaningful learning. It also shows that the broader incubator environment significantly influences coaching outcomes, yet often lacks coherence in its implementation of coaching.
This research contributes to entrepreneurial learning literature by clarifying how coaching, when contextually aligned and relationally grounded, can facilitate deeper learning processes. Practical implications include the need to professionalise coaching practices, ensure a better match between coaches and coachees, and communicate coaching goals more clearly. Overall, coaching should be integrated more deliberately into the entrepreneurial journey rather than treated as a generic support tool.}},
author = {{Mattner, Lena and Willner, Hanne}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{The influence of coaching experiences on entrepreneurial learning in incubator programmes - A study of the interplay between learning theories, the coach-coachee relationship and their environment}},
year = {{2025}},
}