Fostering an Entrepreneurial Mindset in Systems Simulation

Simulation is tool frequently used by companies when designing systems to evaluate alternative system designs. In particular, simulation is employed when the dynamic behavior of a system is not well understood and the decisions that are being made have significant economic or social impacts. However, courses in systems simulation typically focus on the technical and statistical aspects of model building and the comparison of design alternatives focused on operational performance of the system (that is, performance metrics that can be collected within the simulation itself.) This paper investigates how an entrepreneurial mindset can be fostered through activities/methods that encourage students to look beyond the operational aspects of system design to the overall value and impact of design alternatives. The development, implementation, and outcomes of two KEEN modules are presented to demonstrate the integration of an entrepreneurial mindset in a systems simulation course

Assessment of Entrepreneurship Competencies Through the Use of FLIGBY

Serious games are increasingly being used as innovative tool for developing entrepreneurial skills, such as strategic management, leadership, communication, negotiation or decision making. FLIGBY is a serious game that was initially developed with the objective of simulating the business management process and the application of Flow theory in a business context. However, most recently it has been suggested that serious games in general, and FLIGBY in particular, can be used in other contexts, namely in the development of entrepreneurial skills. In this sense, this study tries to verify if the competences developed and evaluated in FLIGBY on the Master Analytics Profiler (MAP) can be used to evaluate the entrepreneurial capacities of the students in the context of the course of entrepreneurship in a higher education institution. The findings indicate that the performance of these students in FLIGBY is very similar to the benchmark with only small oscillations. However, some asymmetries emerged considering the educational and professional experience, such that the students of the management course showed better business-oriented thinking and IT students revealed greater time-management skills. Finally, professional experience has proved to be relevant for making decisions about stress and for the completion of managerial tasks successfully

Gamification and entrepreneurial intentions

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate how gamification can influence entrepreneurial intentions (EI) of a group of users of an online platform provided by a private company.Design/methodology/approach – A quantitative research strategy was used with a sample of 220 respondents. These respondents were tested before and after the gamification experience.Findings – Main findings support literature suggesting a clear effect of attitudes towards behaviour and perceived behavioural control on EI, in line with the theory of planned behaviour (TPB). Once the basic assumptions of TPB were confirmed, the authors tested the effects of gamification comparing before and after results. Main findings highlight an increase of these effects after the gamification experience, aligned with the self-determination theory.Practical implications – These findings suggest that gamification is able to influence entrepreneurial behaviours. This contributes to both companies and educators’ knowledge on training for EI with gamification and the use of online platforms to this effect. Recommendations are provided.Originality/value – This is the first study that investigates the impact of gamification on EI and howgamification can influence the different relationships between the antecedents of EI

From hackathon to student enterprise: an evaluation of creating successful and sustainable student entrepreneurial activity initiated by a university hackathon

Hackathons are a worldwide phenomenon, with both industry and educators considering the opportunities and benefits that they generate. They can provide a forum for innovation, networking, and product design and development, thereby offering multiple outcomes. This paper develops the authors’ previous work on the effectiveness of utilising a hackathon as the spark for initiating student entrepreneurial activity by considering the success of the student enterprise that was created as a result and the extent to which that success was attributable to the hackathon event. Using a case study approach, the paper seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of using hackathon-type events to initiate a successful University student enterprise project and to identify the key elements in the future organisation of such a hackathon event that might lead to a sustainable and effective student enterprise. The paper outlines the findings from this project, which focus on the team building and bonding that take place in such an event, and concludes with a series of recommendations from the authors on how one should market and structure a hackathon to best ensure the success of a subsequently formed student enterprise, based on the evaluation of the project one year after it was founded. The evaluation of the project was undertaken as part of the institution’s “Student as Producer” initiative where students and staff work side-by-side on research projects. An independent team of undergraduate students was fully involved in all aspects of the project evaluation, including the authoring of this paper

Evaluating use of the SimVenture computer-based business simulation

Objectives The paper evaluates the impact of one of the market-leading computer-based start-up business simulations – SimVenture – using a version of the Rugby Team Impact Framework (RTIF; e.g. Bromley et al., 2012) adapted by the authors for use within an enterprise education context. Four case studies of the use of SimVenture in non-Business School subjects in Higher Education in the UK are described and analysed using the RTIF. Prior Work A survey of entrepreneurship education programmes conducted in 2006 by McKeown et al. concluded that delivery methods proved to be more traditional than anticipated, with few instances of action learning or the use of technology to support learning. Serious games, including business computer-based business simulations, have the potential to support learning by doing (Williams 2011, QAA 2012, Lopes et al. 2013), and have been shown to develop a range of skills including those described as necessary for the 21st Century (Romero et al., 2015). There are, however, few examples in the literature evaluating student-focused impact of business simulations in non-Business School subjects. With increasing calls to spread enterprise and entrepreneurship education to all (Anderson et al, 2014; Young, 2014), can serious games and business simulations such as SimVenture provide an effective solution? Approach Four undergraduate programmes in a range of non-Business subject areas (including computing and information systems; fashion and textiles; and veterinary practice) were selected for in-depth interviews following a literature review and web-based desk exercise to identify examples of practice. Case studies were produced exploring why SimVenture was chosen for use with students; how it was used (make-up of student cohort; size of working groups; number of sessions and over what time period, etc.); how learning was assessed; evaluation of learning and process; and lessons learned by the educator. The impact of SimVenture on student behaviour, learning, and longer term outcomes was analysed using the RTIF. Results The RTIF proved a useful tool for assessing the impact of SimVenture. All case studies reported positive outcomes for students with evidence of increased business and finance knowledge, skills development, and a wider appreciation of career options. Improved attendance and retention rates as a direct result of using SimVenture were also reported at one institution. Suggestions for practice are presented using the case study examples. Implications The results of the research suggest that serious games, in this case business simulations (using SimVenture as a specific example) can have positive outcomes on the student experience and business skills development through learning by doing. Value The paper contributes to the literature on use of computer-based business simulations, providing specific examples of practice that can be used by academics looking to embed enterprise and entrepreneurship education in non-Business subject-specific curricular. It also introduces an adapted framework which can be used to evaluate the impact of enterprise and entrepreneurship education programmes

BIT BANG 5: Changing Global Landscapes - Role of Policy Making and Innovation Capability

Bit Bang – Changing Global Landscapes: Role of Policy Making and Innovation Capability was the fifth multidisciplinary postgraduate course for Aalto University doctoral students. A total of 24 students from five Aalto University Schools participated in this two-semester course. The course focused on global competition for leadership in innovation, policy-making, technology, and science and education. The fundamental objective of the Bit Bang courses is to teach the students teamwork, multidisciplinary collaboration and scenario building, as well as provide the students with global perspective, and industry and business foresight. In addition to normal class activities the students worked in six person teams to study local and global strategies to strive for success. This joint publication contains the final reports of the teamwork assignments. In the chapters the students seek answers to what makes the difference between the leaders and the followers. The topics include e.g. the potential of additive manufacturing for bringing manufacturing industries back to Western countries, the link between national higher education systems and innovation capability at the nation level, and changing governmental structures to better match contemporary challenges. The Bit Bang post graduate courses are organised by Aalto University’sMultidisciplinary Institute of Digitalisation and Energy (MIDE)

Understanding, assessing, and facilitating entrepreneurship competence in the digital age

Entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship education become mainstream inside and outside business schools after scholarships and educators from this field made efforts in the past two decades. Nutrition of entrepreneurship competence is an emergency task for the economy and society especially during economic shock and uncertainty. Digital entrepreneurship competence brings new possibilities for learners living in this digital world. This study facilitates digital entrepreneurship and digital entrepreneurship competence as 21st-century skills at the higher education level, experimenting in Chinese universities and colleges. In addition, this research will help stakeholders in Germany and other countries whose learners lack such knowledge and skills. I propose a methodology set consisting of three main ingredients. Initially, a systematic review was undertaken by the researcher in collaboration with two educators who specialized in entrepreneurship theories and practice to extract insights on the utilization of educational technologies in the context of entrepreneurship education. In response to the current trend of educational technology, a comprehensive examination was conducted to scrutinize the regulations and potential of AI within entrepreneurship learning and teaching. Secondly, the present study endeavored to assess the effectiveness of virtual team learning in online entrepreneurship education during the COVID-19 pandemic, taking into consideration the dimensions of teamwork, taskwork, and information and communication technology. In the final investigation, a digital entrepreneurship training program was administered through an online platform, with the aim of obtaining both quantitative and qualitative feedback regarding the program’s effectiveness and assessing the participants’ digital entrepreneurship competence. The following presents a summary of each study: Regarding the systematic review on the utilization of educational technologies in entrepreneurship education, Study 1 uncovered that social media, serious games, and digital platforms emerged as three prominent technological approaches. In light of extensive application of artificial intelligence in various educational domains, Study 2 delved into its utilization within the context of entrepreneurship education. The findings indicated the prevalence of machine learning, big data analysis, and adaptive learning systems in this field. Meanwhile, the investigation identified potential prospects for the integration of natural language processing and chatbots in entrepreneurship teaching and learning. I evaluated online entrepreneurship education courses, supported by virtual teams from existing freely available learning content and multimedia materials. Evaluation of the content and materials is whether they fit the needs of educators and learners with various demographic backgrounds. Specifically, we evaluated the influence of gender and other demographic backgrounds on virtual team learning and its impact on entrepreneurship competence. Furthermore, experiential learning in online settings was explored in the field of entrepreneurship, focusing on the evaluation of an online practical entrepreneurship training program using the digital entrepreneurship competence framework. The research showed that digital opportunity identification competence is apparently improved from a complete novice to a nascent entrepreneur who understands the theory and practice of digital entrepreneurship. However, the effectiveness of online practical learning is limited because of participants’ isolation. If possible, tutorials and project guides are conducted online whereas experiential learning is partly moved into face-to-face contexts. To analyze entrepreneurship competence in the digital age, this thesis construct and discuss theoretical frameworks, namely entrepreneurship education, educational technology, and digital entrepreneurship competence. The current studies seldom analyze entrepreneurship competence in online entrepreneurship education programs. Therefore, this research attempts to understand, assess, and facilitate entrepreneurship competence and digital entrepreneurship competence in the digital age. The thesis consists of two qualitative studies (Study 1 and 3) and two quantitative studies (Study 2 and 4). This research aims to offer valuable insights for developing countries engaging in entrepreneurship education with limited resources, enabling the younger generation to navigate the path of venture creation. It holds practical and theoretical implications, establishing a solid foundation for online entrepreneurship education and fostering digital entrepreneurship competence. It is hoped that this thesis will inspire scholars and policy-makers to actively contribute to this field and work collaboratively

Learning Emergent Strategies Through Design Thinking

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/106805/1/drev10271.pd

Seducción social: hacia los fundamentos de un modelo pedagógico

Introduction: Social Seducement is a project intended to ease the re-entry of long-term unemployed people into society by involving them in the development of a social economy enterprise. This goal will be reached by giving them the opportunity to develop necessary skills via a serious game, in which they will learn the primary concepts, skills and attitudes for developing an enterprise successfully. This article was written in the year 2016 in the Universidad Internacional Methodology: This paper focuses on the process necessary to develop a pedagogical model for this game and on explaining the foundations to be observed, i.e., the instructional model, the way the approach is related to the European Qualifications Framework and the specific competencies that a social entrepreneur must develop. Results: As a result of this study, we obtained a didactical basis on which to support the process of game-based learning. Conclusions: Our immediate focus is the development of each phase of the addie (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation) model, developing external and internal material, placing content within the proper levels and testing the game in order to perform the piloting.Introducción: seducción social es un proyecto que busca facilitar la reinserción en la sociedad de individuos que llevan un tiempo prolongado desempleados mediante su involucramiento en el desarrollo de un emprendimiento de economía social. Este objetivo se puede alcanzar al brindarles la oportunidad de desarrollar las habilidades necesarias a través de un juego serio, en el que aprendan los conceptos primarios, habilidades y actitudes para desarrollar una empresa de forma exitosa. Este artículo fue escrito en el 2016 en la Universidad Internacional de la Rioja. Metodología: el trabajo se centra en el proceso necesario para desarrollar un modelo pedagógico para este juego y en explicar los fundamentos que se deben tener en cuenta, es decir, el modelo instruccional, la forma en que el enfoque se relaciona con el Marco Europeo de Cualificaciones y las competencias específicas que un emprendedor social debe desarrollar. Resultados: como resultado de este estudio, obtuvimos una base didáctica para apoyar el proceso de aprendizaje basado en juegos. Conclusiones: nuestro enfoque inmediato es el desarrollo de cada fase del modelo addie (análisis, diseño, desarrollo, implementación y evaluación), desarrollando material externo e interno, colocando contenidos dentro de los niveles adecuados y probando el juego para realizar el piloto