Team Academy as a Model for Training Co-operative Entrepreneurs

Abstract

The University of Iringa (UoI) runs the Team Academy Programme and traditional business administration programs to train undergraduate business students. The Team Academy in particular uses Rocket Model to impart practical business knowledge to students in the form of contextual learning by doing. The model motivates and inspires a concurrent positive reinforcement of threefold learning: team-prenuers' learning; business organizational learning; and coaches' learning. The synergetic developmental relationship of the cooperative efforts of these three units provides a positive learning loop and unique innovative environment for the participants. The learning results in the participants are evident, positive and encouraging. This paper applies reflective methodology to explore the potential diffusion of the Team Academy processes to complement the training and development of modern cooperative entrepreneurs in the East Africa Region, Tanzania in particular.