Learning and Educational Programs for Entrepreneurs

Abstract

This chapter summarizes the latest studies in entrepreneurial learning in order to highlight their implications for the design of educational programs (Pittaway & Thorpe, 2012). It examines in detail the latest thinking on the subject, summarizes the key concepts and empirical contributions with a particular focus on expanding understanding of ‘situated’, social and contextual learning (Lave & Wenger, 1991). The chapter stems from Pittaway and Thorpe’s (2012: 850) summary of Cope’s framework. Here it highlights critical concepts, such as dynamic temporal phases, forms and characteristics of learning (Cope, 2010) and lays out the underlying principles of each concept. Following this initial framework recent contributions to the subject of entrepreneurial learning, both conceptual and empirical, are presented to provide an up-to-date picture of thinking in the field. The latter part of the chapter highlights implications of current thinking on the design of development programs for entrepreneurs. It focuses on how concepts in this field can be used to enhance efforts to consider, design and deliver educational programs for entrepreneurs. A number of forms of educational practice are recommended based on this analysis. The chapter closes by considering future developments and lines of inquiry in entrepreneurial learning.