For example, we know that entrepreneurship in developing and transition countries is qualitatively diff erent from entrepreneurship in developed countries. Three different economic and cultural contexts that shape entrepreneurship can be observed: (1) the liberal system, in which the market mechanism is the best way to shape and maintain economic and social justice (that is, the US economy); (2) the cooperative system, in which the state plays an important role in redistributing wealth while the market is a priori not eff ective enough to do so (France is a case in point); (3) the informal system, in which neither the state or the regulated market can create wealth and social justice. Wealth and justice is created locally and based on affi liation to social groups (for example, many African countries). The three contexts we have briefl y described above are likely to shape entrepreneurship diff erently. Therefore, entrepreneurship cannot be understood as a one- dimensional concept. It is a concept based on the acts of many that adds to large macroeconomic eff ects.
These diff erent visions of the world and how entrepreneurship can function as a positive force have an impact on the way entrepreneurship can be taught and people can be educated in the fi eld of entrepreneurship. Our conviction is that research in entrepreneurship education should focus more on this perspective. For this third volume of the Handbook of Research in Entrepreneurship Education we have assembled 17 empirical and conceptual research chapters which address issues and questions in relation to education and training in these diff erent economic and cultural contexts, paying attention to how each particular context shapes entrepreneurship education. We have also tried to emphasize how we can learn and improve our own practices from each of these international views. To achieve this objective, we have structured the book into four parts. Each part addresses a key entrepreneurship education learning issue in relation to methods, diff erences, minorities and institutional cultures. We present below the four parts of the book and the 17 chapters which have been included.
How can we learn from methods?
We know the importance of methods in entrepreneurship education (Carrier, 2007; Fayolle, 2008; Harrison and Leitch, 2008; Smith et al., 2008), but sometimes educators and teachers are implicitly or explicitly talking about (or looking for) the magic method which turns each and every individual into a successful entrepreneur. There is no magic method, only methods which are more or less well adapted to a set of factors such as the pedagogical objectives, the characteristics of the audiences, the institutional, cultural and organizational constraints (Fayolle and Gailly, 2008).
By ‘methods’ here we mean both pedagogical approaches such as simulation, case studies and entrepreneurs in the classroom, and conceptual approaches to evaluating a key entrepreneurship dimension (entrepreneurial competence in our case). We have four chapters in the first part of the book, the three former are centered on particular pedagogical approaches while the later focuses on assessing entrepreneurial competence in entrepreneurship education.
‘Using simulation to develop empathy and motivate agency: an innovative pedagogical approach for social entrepreneurship education’, is the result of research from Brett R. Smith, Jill Kickul and Linda Coley. In this chapter, one of the departure points is that both scholars and practitioners agree one of most important foundational skills for a social entrepreneur is empathy. Consequently, the authors examine how the pedagogical use of a simulation may contribute to the development of empathy and social entrepreneurship education. Qualitative fi ndings suggest the use of a simulation may be a useful tool for inclusion in social entrepreneurship pedagogy and may off er students the opportunity to engage in experiential learning of key theoretical constructs. While the fi eld of social entrepreneurship continues to grow,1 a lot of issues and challenges remain concerning the education and training of social entrepreneurs, who pursue qualitatively diff erent forms of opportunities compared to ‘traditional’ entrepreneurs.
‘The creative industries and entrepreneurship education: the potential contribution of student- oriented case studies’. The main objective of this chapter is to illustrate the value and the impact of the case method in entrepreneurship education and training. The particular reference taken for this work is the creative industries, an economic sector which encompasses many diff erent segments and niches. The chapter highlights the potential this sector represents for developing attractive, new style, case material, with all the cultural and personality infl uences that come into play with creative industries.
The author describes her experience on the creation and use of a series of creative industries case studies in examination sessions and the classroom. She draws conclusions from primary research undertaken with nine cohorts, in relation to the eff ectiveness of the case assessment process in end- of- term examinations. As practical implications, the author suggests that educators and trainers should undertake more classroom research on the particular roles that case studies can play within their pedagogical processes. She also encourages further educationoriented research in the creative industries as this sector has many, untapped, research opportunities to illustrate exciting examples of entrepreneurship and innovation.
‘Hunting the entrepreneurial expertise: entrepreneurs in education’ is proposed by Per Blenker and Poul Rind Christensen. We regularly hear about the practical expertise possessed by entrepreneurs and the usefulness and the richness of their insights in the context of education and training. Therefore, the inclusions of entrepreneurs as teachers in entrepreneurship education is widely recommended and expanding. In this chapter, the authors discuss and reveal the experience- based expertise brought by entrepreneurs in light of the diff erent purposes and diff erent ways entrepreneurs can be included in teaching programs. This research is a fi rst step and off ers a preliminary framework to answer the key question: How can we maximize the implication and the pedagogical contribution of diff erent types of entrepreneurs in diff erent types of educational settings?
‘Assessing entrepreneurial competence in entrepreneurship education and training’. Based on an education science point of view, the authors suggest that the last three decades have denoted a change in perspectives on the role and design of individual educational assessments: from being ‘assessments of learning’ towards ‘assessments for learning’, and the transition from a testing culture towards an assessment culture. Along with differentiating views on entrepreneurship it is argued in this work that entrepreneurship education asks for learning- oriented assessments that recognize the heterogeneity of the participants as well as the entrepreneurship contexts.
These assessments should allow participants to identify and understand the crucial aspects of entrepreneurship in their context, should off er them opportunities to show what they already can do and find out what aspects they can or should develop in the future in order to become (more) successful entrepreneurs in their professional context. Accordingly, the initial steps for developing such an assessment for an entrepreneurship training are described, along with three potential adjacent research areas for entrepreneurship education/training researchers.
Read More : Insights from an international perspective on entrepreneurship education
