A qualitative perception analysis of the Business Ownership Service System (BOSS) program: A performance-based small business training program

This study is a qualitative historical documentation and perception analysis of the Business Ownership Service System (BOSS) Program and its response to the training needs of laid off workers in Southern California during the period 1993 through December 1995.;The post-Cold War years saw changes in the national economic picture. The downsizing of military, defense, and aerospace industries in Orange and Los Angeles counties caused educated workers to be laid off. These workers had retraining options that included learning performance-based, small business skills as taught by business owners. In 1993, a collaboration of community agencies: Orange County Small Business Development Center, Santa Ana College, and business owners, funded by grant monies, initiated a skill-based, short-term entrepreneurship training project. This training project was the Business Ownership Service System (BOSS) Program.;The BOSS Program evolved from a pilot that trained 22 students in entrepreneurship into a fully-articulated small business ownership system of skills which graduated 141 new business owners by December 1995.;The objective of the BOSS model was to focus the students' attention on developing a Business Plan. This was the curriculum backbone. Small business owners delivered training in their areas of expertise. Students learned real-world concepts, skills, and practiced business ownership tools alongside these business professionals.;Perceptions of graduates reinforced the value of Business Plan creation and the practice of business skills prior to starting business. Graduates valued the use of business practitioners as trainers as a significant Program feature. Seven conclusions from this study are: (1) Small business ownership is a self-employment alternative to seeking re-employment in industry. (2) Industry downsizing effects immediate social and economic need for job retraining for those jobs which are impacted. (3) Effective rapid-response workforce training requires collaboration: community colleges, businesses, funding sources, and community. (4) Continuous improvement process is highly effective in retraining adults. (5) Business professionals as trainers, not academics, are necessary for success of rapid-response, skill-based training. (6) BOSS model components can be proactively used in anticipating training needs of business. (7) The BOSS Program is a reliable model for workforce training in other industries.