Torgeir Aadland, Gustav Hägg, Mats A. Lundqvist, Martin Stockhaus and Karen Williams Middleton
To increase the understanding of how entrepreneurship education impacts entrepreneurial careers, the purpose of the paper is to investigate the role that a venture creation…
Abstract
Purpose
To increase the understanding of how entrepreneurship education impacts entrepreneurial careers, the purpose of the paper is to investigate the role that a venture creation program (VCP) might have in mitigating or surpassing a lack of other antecedents of entrepreneurial careers. In particular, the authors focus on entrepreneurial pedigree and prior entrepreneurial experience.
Design/methodology/approach
Data from graduates of VCPs at three universities in Northern Europe were collected through an online survey. Questions addressed graduate background prior to education, yearly occupational employment subsequent to graduation and graduates' own perceptions of entrepreneurial activity in employment positions. The survey was sent to 1,326 graduates and received 692 responses (52.2% response rate).
Findings
The type of VCP, either independent (Ind-VCP) or corporate venture creation (Corp-VCP), influenced the mitigation of prior entrepreneurial experience. Prior entrepreneurial experience, together with Ind-VCP, made a career as self-employed more likely. However, this was not the case for Corp-VCP in subsequently choosing intrapreneurial careers. Entrepreneurial pedigree had no significant effect on career choice other than for hybrid careers.
Research limitations/implications
Entrepreneurial experience gained from VCPs seems to influence graduates toward future entrepreneurial careers. Evidence supports the conclusion that many VCP graduates who lack prior entrepreneurial experience or entrepreneurial pedigree can develop sufficient entrepreneurial competencies through the program.
Originality/value
This study offers novel evidence that entrepreneurship education can compensate for a lack of prior entrepreneurial experience and exposure for students preparing for entrepreneurial careers.
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Iselin Mauseth Steira, Karin Wigger and Einar Rasmussen
Having a varied set of skills is essential for becoming and succeeding in entrepreneurship, and developing students’ entrepreneurial skills is a key objective of entrepreneurship…
Abstract
Purpose
Having a varied set of skills is essential for becoming and succeeding in entrepreneurship, and developing students’ entrepreneurial skills is a key objective of entrepreneurship education programs at universities worldwide. Moreover, measuring the learning outcomes of education is essential for designing effective training. This review provides a framework of the variety of skills measured in the entrepreneurship education literature.
Design/methodology/approach
We reviewed the entrepreneurship education literature and identified 79 studies that used skill-related measures. We identified, grouped, and operationalized entrepreneurial skills related to the entrepreneurial tasks of sensing, acting, and mobilizing under uncertain conditions.
Findings
We synthesized the current knowledge related to developing various entrepreneurial skills and provided a framework of ten types of entrepreneurship-related skills measured in prior studies of entrepreneurship education initiatives. We showed that entrepreneurship education develops various skills relevant to entrepreneurship and other concepts, indicating the value of entrepreneurship education for increasing students’ general skill level.
Originality/value
Our framework provides a valuable tool for discussing what skills-related training should be included in entrepreneurship education curricula and how the learning outcomes from entrepreneurship education can be measured. Focusing on students’ entrepreneurial skills is closer to entrepreneurial action than intentions or mindsets, and skills are a more realis-tic and inclusive outcome of entrepreneurship education than start-up rates and self-employment. Thus, entrepreneurial skills are a useful concept for clarifying and measuring the specific learning outcomes of entrepreneurship education.
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Kasper M. Arendt, Bo T. Christensen, Vibeke M. Jensen, Beatrice S. Rangvid and Trine Bille
Teaching models in higher education entrepreneurship programs affect students’ entrepreneurial intentions. Yet evidence related to their effects on long-term venture creation…
Abstract
Purpose
Teaching models in higher education entrepreneurship programs affect students’ entrepreneurial intentions. Yet evidence related to their effects on long-term venture creation remains limited. Past research on the effects of teaching models on entrepreneurship has focused narrowly on entrepreneurship education programs. The present study moves beyond this past narrow focus to study teaching model effects on new venture creation across a broad array of higher education programs.
Design/methodology/approach
We assess the effects of teaching models on new venture creation across 35 educational programs (entrepreneurship and other business programs) at a large Danish business school, tracing venture creation data for 5 years after graduation (N = 4,717).
Findings
Competence-based teaching models positively impact graduates’ long-term new venture creation across all programs, with no differences between entrepreneurship vs other types of programs.
Research limitations/implications
These findings carry implications for both education and entrepreneurship research, as well as policymakers and educators, by pointing toward ways of impacting postgraduate business venturing through teaching model reforms extending beyond entrepreneurship education.
Originality/value
For the first time, we find effects of competence teaching models on postgraduation new venture creation across a broad array of business administration programs. The results are novel in documenting that teaching models generally impact venture creation in the long term, and that this occurs regardless of whether the program content centers on entrepreneurship or on other business administration content.
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Since there are limited role models and career templates for entrepreneurship education (EE) graduates in the labour market, their careers are largely based on personal…
Abstract
Purpose
Since there are limited role models and career templates for entrepreneurship education (EE) graduates in the labour market, their careers are largely based on personal preferences, aspirations and values. Few studies have investigated how EE impacts graduates’ career aspirations. The present study addressed this gap by exploring how entrepreneurial identity (EI) manifestations act as career identities for EE graduates.
Design/methodology/approach
Five graduates from two EE programmes in Norway were purposefully selected based on their career histories. They were interviewed using a life story approach, and the narratives were analysed to explore how their EIs were developed and how the EIs acted as career identities.
Findings
The study findings revealed three EI manifestations that directed the participants’ careers: change agent, career seeker and maverick specialist. Additionally, the findings showed how EI is developed through EE: by connecting previous aspirations to realistic career alternatives, by being a place where individuals can experiment with provisional selves and by gaining social acceptance and affirmations for a claimed identity. Furthermore, the findings demonstrated how EI manifestations act as career identities that give direction to graduates’ careers.
Originality/value
This study has important implications regarding the broader impact of EE on graduates’ careers. Furthermore, by exploring EE graduates’ narratives, this study provides a richer and more nuanced view of how aspirations and career preferences are developed than previous studies.
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Yu-Yu Chang, Wei-Shiun Chang and Ahmad Fadhil
Entrepreneurship education is widely regarded as a fundamental means of fostering individuals' entrepreneurial intentions. In this paper, we delve into a distinctive empirical…
Abstract
Purpose
Entrepreneurship education is widely regarded as a fundamental means of fostering individuals' entrepreneurial intentions. In this paper, we delve into a distinctive empirical context: the integration of entrepreneurship education within Indonesia’s nationwide higher education system since 2010. Our goal is to investigate how prior participation in mandatory entrepreneurship training by company employees influences their inclination to leave their current employment and initiate a new business.
Design/methodology/approach
We employed structural equation modeling to analyze empirical data (n = 337) collected from full-time Indonesian employees in established companies.
Findings
Our findings indicate that previous engagement in entrepreneurship education predicts employees' entrepreneurial intentions, leading to reduced commitment to their current careers and an increased likelihood of having intentions to pursue new ventures. By comparing two groups of participants, our results suggest that government-mandated entrepreneurship education in Indonesia has a more substantial impact on employees' entrepreneurial intentions and turnover intentions.
Originality/value
This study, based on a unique sample from Indonesia, explores the entrepreneurial entry of organizational employees and the long-term effects of entrepreneurship education.