Entrepreneurship Centers Research Articles

Entrepreneurship educator: a vital cog in the wheel of entrepreneurship education and development in universities

Entrepreneurship educators (EEs) are critical in fostering entrepreneurship and innovation in emerging economies, as they play a vital part in developing talent, which further contributes to a knowledge-based economy. The value of EEs is in promoting entrepreneurship education and highlighting the significance of developing an entrepreneurial mindset among students. Primary data was collected by conducting in-depth, semi-structured interviews involving educators affiliated with public and private Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the UAE. Participants were selected by adopting random sampling and snowballing techniques. Our findings not only shed light on the challenges faced by EEs but also underscore the urgent need for better support from institutions. This support is crucial for EEs to make an effective contribution to developing a professional workforce that can significantly impact students and the community. We also advocate strategies for fostering experiential learning, which include giving EEs more autonomy and support by establishing dedicated entrepreneurship centers. This work is a call to action, contributing to the further development of the literature on EE, which has received much lesser academic attention than it deserves. It also lays a foundation for further cross-country studies.

Entrepreneurship Education Around the World: A Study on Member Universities of the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business

It has long been debated whether people are born entrepreneurs or if it is a combination of skills and knowledge that can be acquired through education and training. While there are passionate scholars on both sides of the debate, the increasing number of studies and programs focusing on training people on how to become entrepreneurs perhaps shows that the balance is shifting in favour of the latter side. The purpose of this study is to examine how universities are performing the task of teaching entrepreneurship by focusing on member institutions of the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). A total of 461 out of 1794 institutions that are members of the AACSB member directory were examined for the study. First, descriptive statistics were used to determine the number of bachelor's and master's degree programs that focus directly on entrepreneurship education along with lower-level programs such as minors and certificates. This was supplemented by examining additional entrepreneurship-related best practices employed by these institutions, such as entrepreneurship centres or certificate programs. All analyses were bifurcated by examining results based on criteria such as educational level, geographical location, and AACSB accreditation. The results show that although almost all business schools have included some form of entrepreneurship courses in their curricula, the number of programs or degrees directly dedicated to entrepreneurship remains a minority. In addition to classroom teachings, some of these institutions offer innovative practices related to entrepreneurship, such as entrepreneurship scorecards, entrepreneurship competitions, and certificate programs. All data collected and analysed were used to develop an overview of undergraduate and graduate level entrepreneurship education to encourage institutions and individuals to develop entrepreneurship programs that cover all theoretical and applied aspects of entrepreneurship education to support aspiring entrepreneurs along their journey.

Institutional Collaboration as a Panacea for Students’ Self-Employment in Tertiary Institutions in Bayelsa State, Nigeria

The study investigated institutional collaboration as a panacea for students’ self-employment in tertiary institutions in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Three research questions were answered in the study. The study adopted convergent mixed method approach while the population of the study as all private employers of labour in small and medium scale businesses in Bayelsa State as well as Directors, lecturers and students in the various Entrepreneurship Centres across all the State owned tertiary institutions in Bayelsa State. The sample size for the study was 192 respondents consisting of three Directors, 30 CEOs of STEAM industries, 15 lecturers and 144 students within and around the selected institutions. Primary sources of data which were questionnaire (quantitative) and Key Informant Interview (qualitative) were used for data collection. Data collected quantitatively was analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequency and percentage while the qualitative data was analyzed using thematic analysis. The result of the study indicated that funding and research collaborations were the major forms of institutional collaboration expected for students’ self-employment. There existed a high extent of collaboration in the areas of capacity building and programmes implementation. The strategies identified as vital to improving these collaborations included the clear definition of the responsibilities of all collaborating partners for improved students’ self-employment. The study recommended regular business meetings between these educational institutions and industry experts to deliberate on emerging issues that will enhance students’ self-employment in these institutions.

Social Innovation in a University: Accelerator Programs of a Center for Social Entrepreneurship in the Philippine Setting

The paper traces the managerial plans and decisions made towards the development of the Center for Social Entrepreneurship of the University of San Carlos in Cebu City, Philippines under the auspices of the School of Business and Economics and Santa Clara University's Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship in California. Using the action research approach, the Center and its two Accelerator Programs namely the Global Social Benefit Institute Boost and Online Accelerator Programs were studied. Participants for the first cohorts were called Potential Social Enterprises (PSEs) and Mature Social Enterprise (MSEs) for the Boost and Online Accelerator Programs, respectively. A total 27 PSEs and 5 MSEs joined the first cohort. Few scholars have studied accelerators that support social enterprises. In contrast to incubators, accelerators expose social entrepreneurs to market forces and provide the intense process of mentoring, education, and expansion of networks which have a lasting impact on participants. Overall, both Boost and Online Accelerator Programs proved effective in developing the competencies of the social enterprises. The results presented in this paper covers the period of implementation from the time the center was launched in February 2018 to February 2019. This study will cover the progress towards the center's goals, verifiable indicators, activities conducted, survey results, key insights and initial recommendations moving forward. The findings of the study support similar findings of other authors that accelerators for social enterprises play an important role in developing social ventures. Accelerators can contribute to the development of new ventures at several stages.

The contribution of entrepreneurship centers and business incubators to the Ecuadorian entrepreneurial ecosystem

Introduction: Entrepreneurship centers and business incubators play a crucial role in fostering competitiveness, the emergence of new activities, and self-employment, thereby promoting social cohesion within countries. This research aims to identify the main business incubators and entrepreneurship centers in Ecuador and to assess their key contributions to the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Methodology: This study adopts a qualitative research approach, employing an exploratory-descriptive methodology. Through the collection of data from secondary sources, the study identifies Ecuadorian business incubators, their affiliations with public and private organizations, their primary activities, impacts, and capacities. Results: Nationwide, 28 entrepreneurship centers, both public and private, were identified. The majority are dedicated to guiding entrepreneurs in developing their business models, whether in the initial stages or during expansion, through advisory services, training in various fields, and even financing. Conclusions: While there is evident close collaboration between academia and the private sector, current efforts prioritize promoting the entrepreneurial spirit over the practical implementation of ideas, project capitalization, or addressing specific industrial or social challenges. Therefore, it is necessary to balance these efforts to ensure that entrepreneurial initiatives are not only encouraged but also realized and generate a tangible impact.

Information System for Operational Goods Management at the Career Guidance and Entrepreneurship Center Malikussaleh University

Managing operational goods manually leads to slow and inefficient work performance, hence the design and implementation of an information system that can efficiently manage operational goods needs to be done in a structured manner and work optimally. Analysis of operational goods needs is conducted through observation and interviews with relevant parties to discuss the problems faced and identify the required features. Some key features implemented in this system include complaint management for operational goods needs, which can be managed and utilized for effective procurement or requests for goods according to requirements. This system is designed using the PHP programming language with the Codeigniter framework and MySQL database for database management. With this system in place, it is expected to assist in the more effective and systematic management of operational goods needs at the Career Guidance and Entrepreneurship Center of Malikussaleh University.

Pengaruh strategi inovasi dan orientasi pasar terhadap keunggulan bersaing dan kinerja perusahaan (studi pada UKM OKE OCE Jakarta)

The DKI Jakarta Provincial Government program, OK OCE (One District, One Entrepreneurship Center), was pioneered by Anies Baswedan and Sandiaga Uno. The aim is to assist micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in cultivating an entrepreneurial spirit through the Cooperatives and MSMEs Sub-Department. The main objective of this program is to realize an economic mission that prioritizes society, justice, prosperity, quality and broad insight. This research aims to show and analyze three ways in which innovation strategy and market orientation influence the performance of OK OCE SME companies in Jakarta: through competitive advantage, directly and indirectly, through innovation strategy and market orientation. All SMEs partnering with OK OCE in Jakarta are research subjects. Data were analyzed using SEM-PLS. The total research sample was 100 small and medium business owners in OK OCE Jakarta, and the simple random sampling method was used for probability sampling. Based on the findings of this research, (1) Although innovation strategies SMEs in OK OCE Jakarta gain a competitive advantage, this does not directly improve their performance; (2) The increase in the performance of SMEs in OK OCE Jakarta is not a direct result of market orientation, but rather the result of competitive advantage. 3 The increase in the performance of SMEs in OK OCE Jakarta is significantly influenced by innovation strategy and market orientation.

Impact of Economic Recession on Funding of Business Education Programmes in Nigerian Universities: A Case Study of University of Benin

Education in Nigeria has been plagued by inadequate funding over the years. This has continued despite various interventions by successive administrations. The current economic recession in the country has further worsened the situation with its attendant consequences on the different sectors of the economy, which includes the university education subsector. In order to capture the challenges of economic recession, this paper undertook a historical survey of global economic recession and Nigeria and the impact on funding education especially, the university education subsector programmes with specific reference to business education programme of the Department of Vocational and Technical Education, University of Benin. It analyzes the budgetary allocation to the department in the last four years and determines the adequacy of the allocation to business education programme, in the face of inflationary trend in the recessed economy. Findings show that business education programme has been inadequately funded and that there has been neglect of infrastructure and the provision of teaching and learning facilities. The survey also unraveled the fact that budget was not allocated to training of needed manpower, as focus was on payment of salaries and purchase of consumables for the day to day running of the department. Recommendations have been made amongst which are: the need to improve internally generated revenue through entrepreneurship centres and the need for government to increase the budgetary allocation to the education sector to meet the recurrent and capital expenditure for implementation of business education programmes. Keywords: Economic Recession, Business Education, Funding of Business Education Programmes, Nigerian Universities, University of Benin

Entrepreneurial growth: Bridging experiential learning, ecological systems analysis and governance of entrepreneurship center environments

This paper delves into the intricate interplay of leadership dynamics, governance, and regulatory concepts within a South African university-based entrepreneurship center (EC). Guided by Kolb’s (2014) experiential learning model (Kolb, 2014), the research aims to understand how experiential learning shapes leadership and the “self” within the EC, unraveling the nuanced relationship between leadership, personal mastery, governance, and regulatory compliance. The methodology integrates experiential insights, literature reviews, and systems analysis. Key findings highlight the implicit integration of governance and regulatory concepts, ensuring ethical standards adherence. Senge’s (2006) fifth discipline model emphasizes the pivotal role of a learning culture, while concepts of governance structure learning processes and ensure compliance. Personal mastery aligns with governance, emphasizing leaders’ responsibility for ethical standards and continuous self-improvement. Short’s (1998) insights on learning in relationships and Kaner’s (2014) facilitation guide contribute to the governance of participatory decision-making processes within the EC. The methodology contributes to a conceptual framework exploring the reciprocal influence between leadership and the “self”. The study concludes by offering actionable strategies for EC leaders, emphasizing adaptability, collaboration, and a profound understanding of leadership dynamics, governance, and regulatory concepts. Its relevance lies in guiding EC leaders toward sustained growth in the ever-evolving entrepreneurship ecosystem.

Smartphone Trading Technology, Investor Behavior, and Mutual Fund Performance

Using proprietary individual-level trading data around a natural experiment—the release of a smartphone trading app by a large investment advisor—this study investigates how smartphone trading technology affects retail investor behavior and mutual fund performance. App adoption by retail investors leads to an increase in investor attention and trading volume. App adopters’ flows become more sensitive to short-term fund returns and market sentiment, resulting in higher aggregate flow volume among adopters. The funds more exposed to the shock experience a greater decline in abnormal returns, likely attributable to higher fund flow volume and liquidity costs. As a result, both adopters and nonadopters experience a decline in their mutual fund investment returns. This paper was accepted by Lin William Cong, finance. Funding: The W. Edwards Deming Center and the Eugene Lang Entrepreneurship Center at Columbia University provided funding to support this research. Supplemental Material: The online appendices and data files are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2021.02099 .

Business Environment Institutions as a Catalyst for Knowledge and Technology Transfer

Knowledge and innovation are key resources of the modern economy. Innovation, transfer, and use of knowledge determine the pace and level of economic development. The ability to transform knowledge into new technologies, products, services, marketing methods, and organizational solutions is both the basis of entrepreneurship and building a competitive advantage that increases the enterprise’s chances of maintaining its market position. However, the market commercialization of new knowledge in the form of cutting-edge technological solutions or new products is a complex process with a high risk of failure, thus requiring appropriate and different competencies. Moreover, there are numerous barriers at the point of contact between the worlds of science and business that significantly impede joint work on innovative projects. Therefore, specialized entities have emerged to transfer knowledge and technology from science to the economy. These entities organize the knowledge flow from entities that have to those that seek knowledge. A professional institutional base in this regard is developed by innovation and entrepreneurship centers that partner with both private and public sectors. These centers act as a catalyst for the flow of knowledge and are responsible for building a platform for dialogue and cooperation between science and business, thereby providing conditions for improving the efficiency of knowledge and technology transfer. Their activities are aimed at meeting the needs of entrepreneurs primarily related to the development of innovation, promotion of experimental activities, technology transfer and commercialization of knowledge, and improvement of competitiveness based on new technological solutions. The aim of the present paper is to indicate the importance of business environment institutions to the transfer of knowledge and technology between science and business.

INSTITUTIONAL STRATEGY OF SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT IN HIGHER EDUCATION

The purpose of the paper is to study the institutional strategies of higher education institutions for the development of social entrepreneurship and the existing formal structures aimed at supporting this activity, as well as to outline the directions of university activities implemented according to the strategies. Methodology. The research is based on the collection and analysis of data from the official websites of 10 universities from different countries of Europe and America, which either clearly state efforts to develop social entrepreneurship, or have entrepreneurship development together with a focus on the third mission of the university. The empirical data are combined with the outlines of modern scientific research of Ukrainian and foreign scientists on the topics of social entrepreneurship and the third mission of universities. The results of the study show that universities around the world are paying more and more attention to the importance of their third mission and see themselves at the heart of community development in all its diversity of needs and activities. At the same time, very few define the development of social entrepreneurship as one of their objectives, and most work on entrepreneurship development in general, pointing to the importance of directing university education and research towards tackling social challenges. Practical implications. As many universities already have administrative support and a range of activities for the development of entrepreneurship education and youth start-ups, together with a focus on the third mission of universities, a favourable environment is being created to introduce the development of social entrepreneurship as one of the strategic goals of modern higher education institutions under the conditions of modern global issues. Value/оriginality. The study was carried out as part of a young researchers' project on the development of social entrepreneurship centres at Ukrainian universities for the post-war development of the country.

Thinking critically, acting flexibly: Global forms of religiosity among millennial Muslim women in the UAE.

This article analyzes how liberal, American-curriculum universities and neoliberal entrepreneurship centers play a role in shaping the religious subjectivities of millennial Muslim women in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It is grounded in 2 years of fieldwork and interviews conducted with middle-class, migrant Muslim women living in the UAE, a highly cosmopolitan urban setting shaped deeply by processes of globalization. Examining how 'global forms' materialize in local contexts, the article scrutinizes how the 'assemblages' emerging in educational and entrepreneurial contexts play a vital role in shaping women's practices and sensibilities, conceptualizations of God, and relationships to others. Tracing one woman's intellectual and religious trajectory through her self-narrative, the article intervenes in debates on the global reach and resonance of American educational 'imperialism'; the entanglement of religious and entrepreneurial subjectivity; and the contemporary forms of Islamic religiosity in the Middle East.

Sector connectors, specialists and scrappers: How cities use civic capital to compete in high-technology markets.

This article uses three cities in the same Canadian province (Ontario): Toronto, Ottawa and Waterloo, to examine how regions compete in high-technology markets. We find that regions use civic capital to leverage new, technological windows of opportunity, but they do so in very different ways. Tracing Toronto's evolution from a marketing hub for foreign multinationals into a centre for entrepreneurship, we illustrate how weak ties and cross-sectoral buzz created a 'super connector', scaling high-technology firms in a wide variety of areas. In Ottawa, task-specific cooperation in R&D, education and specialised infrastructure enabled the region to overcome the disadvantages of its small size as a 'specialist' in a single, capital-intensive niche, telecommunications equipment. Finally, entrepreneurs in Waterloo eschewed task-specific cooperation for peer-to-peer mentoring. By diffusing generic knowledge about how to circumvent the liabilities of smallness, mentoring networks enabled this 'scrapper' city to support smaller start-ups in a broad range of niches.

Strategi Perguruan Tinggi Kemaritiman Menciptakan Wirausaha Muda Melalui Pendidikan Kewirausahaan

Entrepreneurship is a pillar of the state in creating jobs and improving the community's economy. Colleges are obliged to provide knowledge that is useful in life, including knowledge in entrepreneurship. The purpose of providing entrepreneurship education is to motivate students to become entrepreneurs. The results of previous research indicated that there was an influence of entrepreneurship education in students' perceptions, interests and competencies to become entrepreneurs. But in reality, entrepreneurship education does not directly make the graduates dare to open a business. The aim of this study is to analyze the strategy of maritime colleges through entrepreneurship education in growing young entrepreneurs. The research method used is qualitative. Data was collected by interviews and observation. Based on the results, it can be concluded that maritime colleges have included entrepreneurship education in their teaching curriculum with 2 credits. This is a good strategy to provide students with the knowledge to become entrepreneurs. However, the courses is still taught in classical and theoretical learning. Meanwhile, entrepreneurial practices are still limited to making business plan. So there is a need for a follow-up program to be able to realize entrepreneurial graduates, like entrepreneurship center on campus, developing student entrepreneurship, increasing independent entrepreneurship, and providing student venture capital.

Edu-Café: Optimizing The Role Of Edupreneurship Center As An Education Center Student Entrepreneurship

Abstract. The Entrepreneurship Center has been running for 4 years but it has not been as optimal as expected, there are still many inactive stalls, including the PLS 64 Shop stall. This activity aims to improve the structure and optimize the role of the lapak person in charge, create or identify various business opportunities that are targeted and utilized through these lapak by developing a lapak management model according to student needs. Activities carried out with the method of training and mentoring. which is carried out through 4 stages, starting with program socialization activities which are carried out online on August 20 2021, offline training on educafe management and online marketing at Sahabat Alam Karangploso on October 22-23 2021, action activities starting on October 27 202, and continued with the evaluation monitoring stage. The end result of this community service activity is that the PLS 64 stall has become active again with the new name "Kedai PLS 64 Educafe" with a clear management organizational structure and a variety of types of services including product and service services. The results of this activity have been published via YouTube, the Radar Malang Jawa Pos newspaper.

“Revealing the hidden” – challenges facing early digital entrepreneurs in Jordan

PurposeDigital entrepreneurship is the key to economic survival and the lantern of jobs in developing countries. The debate about the challenges facing early digital entrepreneurs (DEs) in developing countries is still ambiguous. This study attempts to fulfill the gap with an in-depth examination of Jordan.Design/methodology/approachReferring to a digital start-up database hosted by the Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship in Jordan, the study interviews a random sample of (n = 45) early (less than one-year seniority) DEs. Thematic analysis is carried out facilitated by NVivo 20 software. E-Commerce, agriculture technology, data and artificial intelligence and entertainment were at the top of the interviewed start-ups.FindingsNine challenges were observed, critically analyzed and discussed. The challenges are (1) the lack of realistic funding in terms and guarantees; (2) the negligence of guidance and advisory of incubators and entrepreneurship centres; (3) the emergence of unexpected risks; (4) the stringent economic situation; (5) competition; (6) legal and legislative obstacles; (7) obstacles to accessing markets; (8) team management and finally (9) disorganization in the entrepreneurial environment. The study sets recommendations to support early DEs in their journey.Practical implicationsThis study highlights the significant implications for aspiring DEs by focusing on some challenges that might face their start-ups such as institutional, technology and local dimensions of context and measures to develop the entrepreneurial and digital competencies. This includes sustainable funding, poor direct guidance and advisory, unexpected failures/risks, and economic obstacles. This study might be considered a road map for the decision-makers to build their strategies for eliminating the main barriers for early DEs and start-ups.Originality/valueAlthough recent literature discussed the challenges of entrepreneurs in Jordan, this is the first that identifies early DEs’ challenges and uses 45% samples of the community.

Entrepreneurial intention: The role of the perceived benefits of digital technology

Background: Existing research recognises that entrepreneurship orientation (EO) is essential for success. However, the mediating role of EO in driving entrepreneurial intention (EI) amongst young adults, especially in the context of the digital revolution, remains largely underexplored.Aim: Accordingly, this study aimed to investigate the mediated effect of risk taking, innovativeness, and proactiveness on EI in an emerging economy.Setting: The sample for this study was drawn from the young adult population in South Africa who understands the concept of entrepreneurship.Method: In the study, a quantitative method to collect the data is used, while structural equation modelling is used to test the extended theory of planned behaviour (TPB).Results: Findings indicate that risk taking mediates the effects of attitude, entrepreneurial capability, and the perceived benefits of digital technology on EI. The results did not support the mediating function of proactiveness and innovativeness. In fact, this result challenges the TPB’s simplistic structure and reveals the prominent role of risk taking in determining TPB predictors.Conclusion: Given the significance of risk taking, governments and entrepreneurship centres are urged to promote risk taking in all their entrepreneurship development programmes.Contribution: Considering the significance of the global digital transformation, this study extends the TPB by incorporating the perceived benefits of digital technology among the predictors of entrepreneurial intent. It also emphasises the role of risk taking in mediating the effects of these predictors on the entrepreneurial intention of young adults in South Africa.

The Impact of Group Support on College Student’s Online Business Motivation: The Uncertainty Avoidance Thinking as a Moderating Factor

This article establishes a research model to analyze how group support factors, including peers’ support and family support, impact college students’ motivation to establish online business. College entrepreneurs need to consult their family members before starting a new career because of the power distance. Meanwhile, based on the collectivist cultural background, college students understand the importance of cooperation with peers’ group. Furthermore, influenced by uncertainty avoidance thinking, college entrepreneurs tend to rely on group supports, such as family funds and peers’ experiences, to reduce the probability of failure. Hence, this research designs uncertainty avoidance thinking as a moderating factor to explore its impact on the correlation between group support factors and college students’ online business motivation. To test the research model, it utilizes Chinese college students as samples and distributes online questionnaires to them. Through analyzing 458 samples based on the partial least squares path modelling and variance-based structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM), the data analysis identifies that group support can positively affect college students’ online business motivation. The uncertainty avoidance factor also positively moderates the correlation between family support and college students’ online business motivation. To assist these students in establishing confidence in the online business, the Entrepreneurship Centre should pay much attention to the impact of peers’ support and family support.

‘REMOTE SENSING PLUS’ TRAINING MODE OF INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP TALENT NURTURING THROUGH COLLEGE STUDENT COMPETITIONS

Abstract. Innovation leads the development of technology and society, so the position of innovation and entrepreneurship training to nurture innovative talents is very important. The paper explores the ‘trinity’ innovation and entrepreneurship talent training model of ‘promoting learning through competition, education through competition, and innovation through competition’, focus on high level innovation and entrepreneurship competitions, enhance the stickiness among colleges, educators, students, and social enterprises, and enable students to participate in extracurricular academic activities that are highly consistent with the needs of the industrial market. To achieve this goal, School of Remote Sensing and Information Engineering of Wuhan University puts forward a ‘remote sensing +’ training model. Through the two-year practice of this model, 136 students from different schools and majors participated in the training of the ‘Remote Sensing +’ Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center in Wuhan University, and won three gold awards in the China's largest innovation and entrepreneurship competition. Due to the characteristics of cross-integration of remote sensing science and technology itself, it has played a supporting role in innovation education, integrating other multi-specialized knowledge, and providing more entrepreneurial and employment opportunities for students of related majors.