Project evaluation practices, learning and collaborative organisation culture and firm growth of technology start-ups: evidence from developing economies

This study investigated how learning and collaborative organisational culture moderates the relationship between evaluation practices and firm growth among technology start-ups in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa. Grounded in the Theory of Change and Schein's Theory of Organisational Culture, data were collected from 304 owner-managers of tech start-ups across these four countries. Data processing utilised SPSS version 25 and SmartPLS version 3, with partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) as the main analytical tool. The findings reveal that tech start-up growth in Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa is significantly influenced by both formative and summative evaluations, with learning organisational culture playing a crucial role in shaping these impacts. Specifically, a culture that emphasises continuous learning, openness to new ideas, developmental support, collaboration, and regular feedback greatly enhances the effectiveness of formative evaluation, promoting adaptive and progressive growth. Therefore, fostering a culture that prioritises learning and collaboration is essential for maximising the benefits of evaluations and achieving sustainable growth in tech start-ups.