Parental Perspectives on Gamified Experiences and Entrepreneurial Skill Development in Children

Microfinance has been evolving to be a decisive factor in poverty reduction, rural and entrepreneurial development. This research aims to find out the impact of microfinance on rural/socio-economic development and entrepreneurial skill development. Particularly, this study attempts to explore the impact of microfinance on social development, financial empowerment, education, healthcare, economic independence, and entrepreneurial development. Data was collected through questionnaires taken from the beneficiaries of the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) erstwhile Swaran Jayanti Shahri Rozgar Yojana (SJSRY) microfinance scheme in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, India. A purposive sampling method, exploratory factor analysis, and paired sample t-test were used in this study. The findings prove that microfinance facilitates social development, improved financial empowerment, and promotes decision-making relating to education and healthcare among beneficiaries. The finding also indicates that microfinance helps to increase entrepreneurial skill development among the beneficiaries. This study offers an insight how microfinance eliminates poverty and facilitates social development as well as entrepreneurial skills. These findings have essential implications for academics, policymakers, and microfinance institutions.

The changing economies in many developing countries have forced governments and educators to place a high priority on entrepreneurial skill training and development. The major thrusts of technical and vocational education (TVE) in Nigeria amongst other things are to address issues of self reliance, job creation, youth unemployment, poverty and international competitiveness in skills development towards current and projected opportunities and challenges. Such issues are crucial particularly to Nigeria and to Africa’s dignity and survival in general in the fast-changing global environment. This paper highlights on the concepts, issues and need for entrepreneurial skill acquisition in woodwork trades in addressing the problems of youth unemployment in Nigeria. The paper also identified some challenges to effective entrepreneurial skill development in TVE. Some recommendations were made, based on the identified challenges. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2013.v4n8p99

This study aimed to unveil the challenges confronting entrepreneurship development and the impact of government support in Kogi State. The study determined the effect of government support on entrepreneurship skills development in Kogi State and examined the influence of government policies on entrepreneurship skills development in Kogi State. The survey research design was used in this study. A convenient sampling technique was adopted, and 296 participants were taken. Data were gathered and analyzed using descriptive statistics, Multiple Regression and Ordered Probit Regression. The study found that government support had a substantial effect on the development of entrepreneurship skills in Kogi State. Findings also demonstrated that government policies in Kogi State have a limited effect on the development of entrepreneurship skills. The study’s limitations are attached to the small sample size, which may not stand as a perfect representation, as well as the inability of the study to exhaust the factors challenging entrepreneurship development. The results of the study provide insight into cardinal factors affecting entrepreneurship development in Kogi State, the degree of the effectiveness of government support and the government policies that need review. Entrepreneurship skills development is crucial for driving social and economic development. Unveiling the challenges confronting it provides a pipeline for remedies and the needed support from the government. The study is novel as it links with sustainable entrepreneurship programs. The study is intended to widen the knowledge of the audience and establish a theoretical relationship that can be considered by practitioners in the field of entrepreneurship.

Academic papers on entrepreneurship in engineers’ education have been growing in the last decades. However, studies on entrepreneurship in engineering have not sought to analyze how entrepreneurship education, in connection to active learning, design thinking, and Bloom’s Taxonomy, inserted in an integrated way, as a tool, might help the process of engineering students’ entrepreneurial skills development. Thus, this study has the goal to propose an integrated tool, linked to the principles of entrepreneurship education, active learning, design thinking, and Bloom’s Taxonomy, to foster engineering students’ entrepreneurial skills development. The tool, called Entrepreneurial Dynamic Learning, is operationalized and validated in a 2-year case study in a Brazilian public university. The study also produces practical implications, and five are highlighted: (1) at the level of governments and policy makers; (2) engineering scientific associations; (3) universities, coordinators, and professors of engineering undergraduate programs; (4) engineering education researchers; and (5) the Brazilian National Confederation of Industry.

The paper examined Mathematics Education and Entrepreneurial Skills Development, among Junior Secondary School Students’ in Tai Local Government Area of Rivers State. Descriptive research design was employed for the study. Three research questions and three hypotheses guided the study. The population of the study consisted of 2000 JSS3 students from ten (10) public secondary schools in Tai Local Government Area of Rivers State. Simple random sampling technique was used to draw a sample of 333 JSS3 students, using Taro Yamane to determine the sample size. Self-structured instrument titled ‘’Mathematics Education and Entrepreneurial Skills Development Questionnaire’’ was used for data collection. The reliability of the instrument was established through Cronbach Alpha which yielded reliability coefficient of 0.84. Mean and Standard Deviation were used to answer the research questions, while simple regression associated with t-test was used to test the null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The findings of the study revealed that there was no significant difference on the extent integrating entrepreneurial skills training into Mathematics education for problem-solving abilities there was no significant difference on the effectiveness pedagogical approaches to merge with mathematics education with entrepreneurial skill development. Finally, there is significant difference on the role hands-on practical application played in enhancing the assimilation of mathematical concepts in entrepreneurial skill development for Junior Secondary School students in Tai Local Government Area. The study recommended school management should encourage collaborative learning and critical thinking by integrating entrepreneurial skills development with mathematics education. This can be done through group projects, allowing students to brainstorm solutions to entrepreneurial challenges using mathematical principles. Teachers with a strong Mathematical foundation who are diverse in content and subject matter should encourage students to explore diverse business ideas, promoting creativity and innovation alongside mathematical proficiency.

With the growing number of Africans living in China for education and business engagements, it is timely and relevant to study how they are influenced by Chinese cultural values. Applying the theory of acculturation, this article analyses the influence of Chinese culture on the entrepreneurial skills of Africans trained in China. Several reports in the existing literature suggest that adaptation can lead to improved performance and creativity. We extend this to include both social and business networks as moderating factors. Using a survey of 378 African returnees from China, we found out that sociocultural and academic adaptations influence entrepreneurial skills development positively, whereas psychological adaptation has a negative effect. In terms of moderating effects, networking seems to have a negative effect on the relationship between academic adaptation and entrepreneurial skills development. However, it does not significantly moderate the impact of psychological and sociocultural adaptations on entrepreneurial skills development.

Acquired brain injury (ABI) is an important public health problem. Individuals with ABI experience greater challenges with community reintegration and successful return to work (RTW) due to both personal and environmental factors. Empirical evidence has shown that women with brain injury are vulnerable to poorer functional outcomes and have demonstrated lower RTW rates post-injury. Therefore, further research is needed to gain greater insight on women with acquired brain injury's functional and work abilities as well as their experiences of RTW and entrepreneurial skills development. This study aimed to explore and describe women with acquired brain injury's experiences during their rehabilitation process, their resumption of their worker role, and entrepreneurial skills development. This qualitative exploration formed part of a study that resulted in an occupational therapy practice model to enhance the entrepreneurial skills of women with acquired brain injury living in the Cape Metropolitan, Western Cape, South Africa. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten females with acquired brain injury. A qualitative approach was employed to thematically analyse the data. Three themes emerged from the study: (1) Barriers within the rehabilitation process, 2) ABI causes loss of a sense of self and financial strain, 3) Entrepreneurship and education as a strategy to empowerment. Unmet individual needs related to occupational engagement results in RTW challenges for women with ABI. ABI sequelae cause activity limitations and hinder gainful occupational participation. A holistic client-centred entrepreneurial skills development approach is a viable and needed strategy to facilitate economic empowerment for women with ABI.

The purpose of this paper was to analyze the impact of entrepreneurial education on venture creation along with the mediating roles of entrepreneurial awareness, entrepreneurial mindset, and entrepreneurial skill development. Entrepreneurial Education plays a key role in offering the prospects for graduates to take in the attitude, approach, entrepreneurial mindset and skill development required for the creation of a new venture. For the current paper, the researcher selected the method of quantitative. The researcher of this paper collected data from the Thai students of a few universities. The researcher collected data from those students who were convenient to take part in the study. The findings of this research paper demonstrate that entrepreneurial education is very crucial for students to start a new venture. In this paper, the writer of the paper conducted a quantitative study and collected data from the students of the universities of Thailand. The results of the study depict that all the four hypotheses of this paper were accepted, the universities should provide educational training and education to their students so as to make them aware and develop their mindsets which will assist them in the creation of the venture.

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to present an exploratory study that examined the development of students' entrepreneurial skills over time within live projects.Design/methodology/approachIn this study, students worked alongside real‐life entrepreneurs and financiers. Students' perceptions of their skills were assessed using both quantitative and qualitative data, which were gathered during weeks 1, 6 and 12 of the programme.FindingsThe results showed significant changes in students' perceptions of their skills over time. At the outset students were confident about their abilities across the 17 categories of entrepreneurial skills developed by Lichtenstein and Lyons and Lyons and Lyons. Later on in the projects, their confidence in certain skills declined significantly; what these were varied according to the time of data collection. The qualitative data provided more detailed accounts of students' perceptions of their skills and why they had changed over time.Originality/valueThis study makes a contribution in providing insights into the nature and practice of an experiential learning approach. The results indicate that the development of entrepreneurial skills can be improved by providing a learning environment in which students interact with real business people in live projects. They also indicate that entrepreneurship education programmes may be improved by scheduling skills training in a more structured and timely manner than typically occurs now. Students' perceptions of their skills declined substantially over the course of the projects, with some variations, suggesting that educators need to provide different and more timely learning interventions to cater for the specific needs of students working in live projects.

This study explored the level of word processing proficiency, its influence on entrepreneurial skill development, and the challenges hindering the acquisition of these skills among Business Education undergraduates in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. The study aims to assess the proficiency levels in word processing, examine its impact on entrepreneurial skills such as business documentation and marketing, and identify barriers to effective skill acquisition. A descriptive survey design was adopted, with a sample of 240 respondents drawn from the Department of Business Education across three tertiary institutions in Bayelsa State. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire, and reliability analysis yielded a Cronbach Alpha coefficient of 0.79. The research questions were analyzed using mean and standard deviation. The findings revealed that word processing proficiency among the undergraduates was low, and its influence on entrepreneurial skill development was minimal. Additionally, inadequate access to technology, inconsistent electricity supply, and limited practical training were identified as significant challenges. The study recommends the integration of comprehensive word processing training in Business Education curricula, improved access to technology, and enhanced institutional support for skill development.

This study investigates the effects of motivation on student entrepreneurial intention, specifically examining the mediating role of entrepreneurial skill development among undergraduate business students in the Polytechnic University of the Philippines – Open University System during the academic year 2024-2025. Utilizing a quantitative correlational research method and Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) on a sample of 360 undergraduate students. Findings reveal that both intrinsic motivation (fulfillment from bringing ideas to life) and extrinsic motivation (financial stability) significantly and positively affects students’ entrepreneurial intentions. While students generally exhibit strong self-perception of entrepreneurial skills like opportunity identification, a notable gap exists in confidence regarding business model development, financial plan presentation, and negotiation skills. The study definitively confirms that entrepreneurial skill development, encompassing business planning, financial management, and strategic decision-making, acts as a crucial mediator between motivation and entrepreneurial intention. Hypothesis testing revealed a significant positive direct effect of motivation on student entrepreneurial intention (β=0.415, p=0.000). Furthermore, entrepreneurial skill development significantly mediates this relationship (β=0.287, p=0.000), confirming that motivation fosters skill development, which in turn enhances entrepreneurial intention. These results underscore the critical importance of designing entrepreneurship programs that not only inspire but also build practical competencies through real-world experiences, mentorship, and goal-oriented learning to effectively foster entrepreneurial outcomes in students. Recommendations include implementing an intervention program, focusing on project-based learning, practical financial management training, virtual simulations, and mentorship to bridge skill gaps and enhance resource accessibility. This comprehensive approach aims to cultivate a robust entrepreneurial ecosystem within distance learning environments, transforming student aspirations into concrete ventures and contributing to local economic development.

This study investigates the effects of motivation on student entrepreneurial intention, specifically examining the mediating role of entrepreneurial skill development among undergraduate business students in the Polytechnic University of the Philippines – Open University System during the academic year 2024-2025. Utilizing a quantitative correlational research method and Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) on a sample of 360 undergraduate students. Findings reveal that both intrinsic motivation (fulfillment from bringing ideas to life) and extrinsic motivation (financial stability) significantly and positively affects students’ entrepreneurial intentions. While students generally exhibit strong self-perception of entrepreneurial skills like opportunity identification, a notable gap exists in confidence regarding business model development, financial plan presentation, and negotiation skills. The study definitively confirms that entrepreneurial skill development, encompassing business planning, financial management, and strategic decision-making, acts as a crucial mediator between motivation and entrepreneurial intention. Hypothesis testing revealed a significant positive direct effect of motivation on student entrepreneurial intention (β=0.415, p=0.000). Furthermore, entrepreneurial skill development significantly mediates this relationship (β=0.287, p=0.000), confirming that motivation fosters skill development, which in turn enhances entrepreneurial intention. These results underscore the critical importance of designing entrepreneurship programs that not only inspire but also build practical competencies through real-world experiences, mentorship, and goal-oriented learning to effectively foster entrepreneurial outcomes in students. Recommendations include implementing an intervention program, focusing on project-based learning, practical financial management training, virtual simulations, and mentorship to bridge skill gaps and enhance resource accessibility. This comprehensive approach aims to cultivate a robust entrepreneurial ecosystem within distance learning environments, transforming student aspirations into concrete ventures and contributing to local economic development.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are becoming deeply embedded in how students learn and generate ideas. Rather than acting as simple tools, they are now drivers of creativity and innovation. For aspiring entrepreneurs, engaging with these technologies can inspire new business ideas and approaches. However, little is known about how students actually perceive and apply AI and ML in developing entrepreneurial skills. This study explores that question by examining students’ familiarity, beliefs, and concerns surrounding AI/ML through a structured survey. The findings provide insights into the influence of technological understanding on entrepreneurial development. Students generally demonstrated a modest understanding of ML and AI, yet expressed confidence in how these technologies could enhance both their learning and entrepreneurial abilities. Students in technical majors, such as IT and engineering, were more assured in their belief that AI has real-world applications in entrepreneurship. However, ethical concerns (40%) and technical challenges (35%) indicate significant barriers. Moreover, female students, particularly those in advanced academic years, showed a stronger conviction in AI’s ability to support entrepreneurial development than their peers, with mean scores of 3.6 for 2nd-year females and 3.9 for 4th-year females, exceeding the overall mean of 3.5. The obtained results suggest that both gender and the level of academic experience influence how students perceive AI’s role in building entrepreneurial capacity.

A cursory review of academic headlines would suggest that educational institutions can be perceived as formalized, regimented and systematic – intellectual factories that reward those staff and students who conform best to rigid systems which ensure the efficient processing of quantity. Is this the reality? Do prevailing economic and bureaucratic pressures in higher education, at best, stifle creativity or, at worst, actively eradicate creative thought? This paper asks whether there is a place for the successful teaching and development of marketing and entrepreneurial creative skills within the UK educational system, and if so how these newly merging pedagogical areas can be nurtured. The paper explores the interplay between creativity and conformity within a modern university system. It takes as a case study a marketing enterprise module taught within a Department of Design to highlight the issues faced and the outputs achieved. The investigation reviews current thought from the social sciences and management literature relating to creativity, creative marketing, entrepreneurship and creative problem solving.

Purpose of the Study: This study aims to investigate the influence of entrepreneurship education at the university level on the development of students’ entrepreneurial skills, with a particular focus on the potential moderating role of entrepreneurial family background. As entrepreneurship education becomes increasingly prioritized in higher education, understanding how familial entrepreneurial exposure interacts with formal education is crucial for shaping effective curricula. Methodology: Quantitative research approach was adopted, using descriptive and inferential statistical analysis. The study involved a sample of 189 university students in Padang, selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected through a validated Likert-scale questionnaire measuring students’ experiences with entrepreneurship education, entrepreneurial skills development, and family background characteristics. The analysis was conducted using SmartPLS to explore both direct and moderating effects. Main Findings: The results revealed that entrepreneurship education has a significant positive impact on students’ entrepreneurial skills development. Surprisingly, students’ entrepreneurial family background did not exert a direct influence nor moderate the relationship between education and skills acquisition. The findings emphasize that while family background may offer exposure, formal entrepreneurial training is critical for equipping students with practical and theoretical competencies. Furthermore, a supportive academic environment emerged as a key factor in enhancing students’ entrepreneurial capabilities. Novelty/Originality of this Study: This study introduces a new perspective by exploring the often-overlooked moderating role of family background in the Indonesian context. It offers empirical evidence that challenges assumptions about the primacy of family influence, reinforcing the necessity of structured entrepreneurship education to nurture future entrepreneurs in diverse socio-cultural settings.