Entrepreneurial Case Study: iSpace's Expansion into Ghana Analysis

This case study examines iSpace, a venture investor and skill development company, founded by J. Ejison with the mission of training and developing skills within the Ghanaian community, focusing on technology and social enterprise startups. The analysis centers on iSpace's potential expansion into Ghana, considering the external environment and various entrepreneurial concepts. While iSpace has experienced steady growth and success, the study explores the opportunities and challenges associated with expanding into Ghana, including political stability, market size, infrastructure limitations, high interest rates, and social issues. The case concludes with a recommendation against investing in Ghana due to the high risks and barriers compared to the opportunities, suggesting that the infrastructure and financial climate may not be suitable for a startup requiring significant capital.

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Name of the Student
Name of the University
Authors Note

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Executive Summary:
The aim of the study is to understand about the business of iSpace Company and its
operational details and analyse the company base on the entrepreneur concepts. The scope of
the case analysis is to know about how the entrepreneurs are carrying out their vision with
optimal execution and the environmental analysis of Ghana for investment decision. The
case concluded that the iSpace should not go for the investing activity in Ghana.

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Table of Contents
Introduction:...............................................................................................................................3
Discussion:.................................................................................................................................3
Description of the Case:.........................................................................................................3
Analysis:.................................................................................................................................5
Recommendation:......................................................................................................................6
Conclusion:................................................................................................................................6
References:.................................................................................................................................7

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Introduction:
The following case study is based on ISpace Company which is act as venture investor with
the skill development programme. The following case has discussed all about the ispace
company and its founder J.Ejison based on the different concept of entrepreneur. The study
has analysed the company’s expansion plan to Ghana. There is brief analysis of the Ghana’s
external environment has done and on the basis of which recommendation has given to the
company.
Discussion:
Description of the Case:
Josiah Eyison is the co-founder of iSpace who was working as a business development
manager has planned to give the opportunity to the Ghanaians for earning decent incomes.
Eysion left the job to found iSpace. This shows that Eysion have the strong interest and
vision towards the entrepreneur (Burns, 2016). This promotes to give more efforts towards
the success of the business.
iSpace was incorporated in 2013. The mission of the start-up is to train and develop the skill
among the Ghana’s community. It focuses on the start-up related to technology and social
enterprise. iSpace provide the co-working space and it made private office for rent. The
foundation provides the 3D printing resources including high speed internet. Apart from the
basic offering iSpace provide variety of events to the start-up community. Eysion have the 10
years experience in the business development skill that helps in this field to achieve the
success for the business (Barringer, 2015).
In iSpace there are 14 members where 62 in-house entrepreneur, out of which 80 percent are
women. iSpace implement a simple selection process and do not look for the technician

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knowledge and skills. iSpace helps the start-ups to overcome the fear of failure and achieve
the high success rate.
The iSpace business model base on the concept ‘we help you and in turn you help us to help
other people’. It provides the financial support of $5000 to $ 10000 to start a scalable
business while the training fee is $615 per month. iSpace has created some successful
entrepreneur like Emma Tandoh has started a business of digital marketing firm and Nopa
sandow was an graduate who has helped by iSpace to start his own business of lost and
found. This based on the concept of financial and emotional concept where iSpace provide
finance to the start-up and then re incurred the money to invest in other start-up this give
iSpace a good return and become the existence of the business.
Impact hub, international meltwater foundation (MEST) and some government programme
are the main competitors of iSpace. Impact hub is mainly concern on the technology and
health which provide to assess the resources with $50 per month. It has 11000 enterprenure
all over the world. MEST, is a non-profit organisation that help to the start-up in success and
provide the finanacial support of $50000 to $200000. Although the iSpace has a number of
rival in this field Eysion has taken the risk to start a business that give iSpace reward in
returns. Since, iSpace has taken the innovative step that helps it to do business in a
competitive field (Kuratko, 2016).
ispace has grow to 14 staff from 2 in the last four years. Eyison has the intention to reach
these areas. To attract the more entrepreneurs it has concern upon the potential start-ups that
can be developed. It has a plan to expand to universities where a large opportunity from the
student. iSpace also start work with the government programme like ICT training which helps
the as the government employee are not properly equipped to teach. This also helps in the
growth of the iSpace (Drucker, 2014). Organisation and delegation concept for new business

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has states that successful business has characterised by the quick and stable growth. This
indicates to hire the other people expertise in this job. Since, iSpace has grown in the past
years and has gained a sustainable growth so it indicates that it is a well managed
organisation (Kirzner, 2015). This assigns the right people in the right place.
Analysis:
ispace has a good opportunity to grow and expand its business by starting its operation in
Ghana. The following are the opportunity from the external environment analysis-
 There are 25 million population lines in Ghana that is a large market can give
high demand
 Ghana is politically stable country.
 In 1992 Ghana created a free market economy so there is a lack of barrier in
the entry
 There is big challenge of employment and income issue that will promote the
company like iSpace to grow
 The government of Ghana also seen entrepreneurship is the source of
employment that need a start-up like iSpace
 There are 66 percent of the young engaged in entrepreneur that makes easy to
iSpace for generate customer
However, there are some major challenges in front of iSpace before enter into Ghana-
 There lack of internet connectivity as only 100000 people of Ghana are
connected through broadband internet service which gives a lack of
infrastructure development
 There is a high interest rate in Ghana for financial lone from bank that is as
high as 38 percent

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 The social issues like gender discrimination is high in Ghana
 The registration for a business is a time taking process that is bureaucratic
regulatory barrier
Recommendation:
Although the Ghana has the 25 million populations and there is political stability in the
country but there are only 120000 are studied in the college. There is bureaucratic
environment to do business. The interest and tax rate is high which is not suitable for the
start-up like iSpace that need a huge capital. The infrastructure of Ghana is not suitable to
invest. There some social issues like gender discrimination in the society (Storey,2016).
Since, the risk and barrier associate with this investment is high as compare to opportunity so
it would be better if iSpace do not approach this but in other hand if iSpace take the risk then
as per the concept there is a high return with better management system.
Conclusion:
From, the above case analysis of the iSpace it can be conclude that it is a start-up company
which provide the skill development programme and act as a venture investor. The company
has shown steady and quick growth but the idea to expand to its business into Ghana is may
not be suitable as there is lack infrastructure and high inflation in interest and tax rate that is
not suitable for iSpace.

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References:
Barringer, B. R. (2015). Entrepreneurship: Successfully launching new ventures. Pearson
Education India.
Burns, P. (2016). Entrepreneurship and small business. Palgrave Macmillan Limited.
Drucker, P. (2014). Innovation and entrepreneurship. Routledge.
Kirzner, I. M. (2015). Competition and entrepreneurship. University of Chicago press.
Kuratko, D. F. (2016). Entrepreneurship: Theory, process, and practice. Cengage Learning.
Storey, D. J. (2016). Entrepreneurship and new firm. Routledge.