Global board games project:a cross-border entrepreneurship experiential learning initiative

Entrepreneurship training and development in the context of higher education has grown tremendously over the past four decades. What began as offerings of a handful of courses aimed primarily at business planning and small business management has evolved into over 3.000 higher education institutions around the world offering degree programs and concentrations in entrepreneurship on both undergraduate and graduate levels (Morris, Kuratko and Cornwall, 2013). Universities – particularly in the USA, UK and EU – have invested into developing entrepreneurship curricula but also extra-curricular programs and infrastructure aimed at supporting enterprise development. It is consensus among educators that entrepreneurship can be taught (Kuratko, 2005). Indeed, entrepreneurship education research has become a field in its own right (Fayolle, Gailly and Lassas‐Clerc, 2006; Pittaway and Cope, 2007; Penaluna, Penaluna and Jones, 2012; Fayolle, 2013; Fayolle and Gailly, 2015; Pittaway et al., 2015; Nabi et al., 2017). As literature indicates, entrepreneurship education can have an important impact on a variety of outcomes, including entrepreneurial intentions and behaviours. Intentions are a motivation to engage in certain behaviour that is geared towards venture creation (Gibb, 2008, 2011) as well as recognition and exploitation of opportunities (Shane and Venkataraman, 2000). Moreover, research has also identified the impact of entrepreneurship education on more subjective indicators such as attitudes (Boukamcha, 2015), perceived feasibility (Rauch and Hulsink, 2015), and skills and knowledge (Greene and Saridakis, 2008). Recently, the literature on the best practices in entrepreneurship education has centred on the importance of experiential learning allowing students to create knowledge from their interactions with the environment (Kolb, 1984). The key to effective experiential learning is engaging students individually and socially in a situation that enables them to interact with elements of the entrepreneurial context thus moving them away from text-driven to action-driven learning mode (Morris, Kuratko and Cornwall, 2013). Increasingly, digital technologies have been leveraged to create a learning environment that provides opportunities for experiential learning (Onyema and Daniil, 2017). This chapter provides findings of a study related to the development and implementation of a collaborative, digitally supported simulation project aimed at enhancing entrepreneurial social skills in an international context

Smart Specialisation Strategies for Supporting Europe 2020 Vision. Looking at the American Experience: the Case of the Boston Area

These reflections aim to highlight the crucial challenge that European Regions are called to face applying the ‘Research and Innovation Strategies for Smart Specialization’ policy for pursuing the virtuous implementation of EU Cohesion Policy and ‘Europe 2020’ Agenda. The original cultural style of the ‘US Smart Specialization model’, supported by the ‘cluster theory’ and the ‘innovation paradigm’, represents a significant lesson in Boston area

Financing Entrepreneurship Programs for Youth Transitioning Out of Foster Care

This publication is one of a series of briefs exploring strategies for financing supports and services that help youth in foster care make successful transitions to adulthood. The Finance Project produced this brief with support from the Foster Care Work Group. The Foster Care Work Group (FCWG) is one of three work groups of the Youth Transition Funders Group (YTFG), a collaboration of foundation leaders dedicated to improving the lives of the nation's most vulnerable young people. Foundation leaders participating in the YTFG are committed to achieving a common vision -- ensuring that vulnerable youth are connected by age 25 to institutions and support systems that will enable them to succeed throughout adulthood. The FCWG brings together foundation leaders with a shared interest in preparing youth in foster care for their transition out of the child welfare system and providing them pathways to lifelong economic well-being

Lilly Endowment, Inc. - 2008 Annual Report

Contains board chair and president's message; program information; education and religion grantee profiles; grants list; grant guidelines; financial statements; and lists of board members and officers

Patent Strategies of Small High-tech Firms in a Broader Context: the Case of International Learning

The current paper explores the patenting behavior of small high-tech firms in a wider strategic context. It particularly addresses why small high-tech firms apply for patents and what makes them not to do so, and connects this with international learning. The general idea is that small high-tech firms suffer from shortage in resources causing them to be reluctant in application for patents. However, not having protected their inventions by patents may weaken their position in attracting investment capital and in establishing strategic relationships, including learning relationships abroad. Drawing on the literature and on survey data of 100 academic spin-off firms, the influence of patent behavior (among other factors) on adoption of international learning is estimated. It appears that half of the spin-off firms works with inventions protected by patents and that a slightly larger share (60%) has adopted the strategy of international learning. Our explorative analysis using a logit model of international learning indicates that not having protected inventions through patents tends to block learning in international networks.Artykuł porusza istotną rolę ochrony patentowej firmach technologicznych. Autorzy stawiają pytania: Jakie są przesłanki wnioskowania o ochronę patentową w małych firmach? Dlaczego jedne firmy starają się działać w oparciu o ochronę własności przemysłowej a drugie nie?, na które starają się udzielić odpowiedzi w oparciu o badania. Ważnym zagadnieniem poruszanym w rozdziale jest międzynarodowy proces uczenia się firm ochrony własności intelektualnej. Generalna idea publikacji podkreśla niechęć małych firm technologicznych w aplikowaniu o ochronę patentową. Jednakże można wyraźnie zauważyć, w przypadku braku strategii ochrony patentowej, utratę atrakcyjności inwestycyjnej małych firm ukierunkowanych na rynek międzynarodowy. Artykuł opiera się na analizie źródeł wtórnych i pierwotnych. 100 firm akademickich zostało zbadanych by zidentyfikować wpływ strategii ochrony patentowej na zachowanie się na rynku międzynarodowym. Analiza oparta jest o model wykładniczy uczenia się na rynkach międzynarodowych. Połowa małych firm technologicznych chroni swoją własność przemysłowa patentem a wśród nich trzy na pięć firm adoptuje wiedzę z rynków międzynarodowych. Te firmy, które nie stosują ochrony patentowej niewątpliwie blokują sobie możliwości uczenia się na rynkach zagranicznych.Druk materiałów sfinansowano ze środków Ministerstwa Nauki i Szkolnictwa Wyższego w ramach projektu „Kreator innowacyjności – wsparcie innowacyjnej przedsiębiorczości akademickiej”

Study Of The Challenges That Hinder MSME Development In FYR Macedonia : Country Report for the British Council and Swedish Institute

In addition to this Study, a further six studies were produced. One for each of the countries, under investigation (Albania, Bosnia Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro & Serbia) and a Main Report, which was published in May 2018.The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (to be referred to as FYR Macedonia from herein) is a landlocked country. It has made considerable progress since 2000 and the end of the Balkan Wars, but would still greatly benefit from raising its rate of economic growth. It has an interesting population profile with a dip in the economically important 25–34 years age range. We undertook a survey of aspiring entrepreneurs across FYR Macedonia. The sample was largely self-selected based on previous telephone surveys where respondents had expressed an interest in entrepreneurship, plus a review of the commercial register and referrals from respondents. The age distribution of aspiring entrepreneurs was under represented in younger age groups but higher in the 25–34 year old group compared with the population. Increased economic growth needs to be achieved against a background of relatively modest inflows of foreign direct investment, and disappointingly flat levels of gross domestic capital formation, contrasting with sustained increases in consumption. There has been significant progress in stabilising the trade balance. FYR Macedonia has a significant informal economy, a sizeable unemployment rate and a worrying loss of skills as qualified people migrate overseas. There have been sustained efforts to improve the skills training systems, but the vocational training system still needs support. Entrepreneurship aspirations are positive. There are few problems with structural issues such as ease of forming a company, although important regulatory simplifications (for example in property registration) are still needed. Five key issues stand out: 1. Access to finance is very challenging and acts as a significant barrier to both innovation and entrepreneurship. There is a particular need for access to affordable seed capital. This is a similar to the challenge being addressed by some of the rural micro-finance programs in Asia. 2. Connection to markets outside FYR Macedonia and the Western Balkans region is challenging for new entrepreneurs. 3. There is a considerable amount of energy and effort already being injected, but significant scope for improving the skills of entrepreneurial teams. 4. There may be a need to raise the entrepreneurial appetite of young people (under 25 years old). 5. FYR Macedonia seems to have incubated a significant number of opportunity-seeking entrepreneurs, rather than involuntary entrepreneurs seeking family incomes, but the support structure is limited. They might benefit from a focused event to bring together industries from across FYR Macedonia.Final Published versio

Study Of The Challenges That Hinder MSME Development In FYR Macedonia : Country Report for the British Council and Swedish Institute

In addition to this Study, a further six studies were produced. One for each of the countries, under investigation (Albania, Bosnia Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro & Serbia) and a Main Report, which was published in May 2018.The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (to be referred to as FYR Macedonia from herein) is a landlocked country. It has made considerable progress since 2000 and the end of the Balkan Wars, but would still greatly benefit from raising its rate of economic growth. It has an interesting population profile with a dip in the economically important 25–34 years age range. We undertook a survey of aspiring entrepreneurs across FYR Macedonia. The sample was largely self-selected based on previous telephone surveys where respondents had expressed an interest in entrepreneurship, plus a review of the commercial register and referrals from respondents. The age distribution of aspiring entrepreneurs was under represented in younger age groups but higher in the 25–34 year old group compared with the population. Increased economic growth needs to be achieved against a background of relatively modest inflows of foreign direct investment, and disappointingly flat levels of gross domestic capital formation, contrasting with sustained increases in consumption. There has been significant progress in stabilising the trade balance. FYR Macedonia has a significant informal economy, a sizeable unemployment rate and a worrying loss of skills as qualified people migrate overseas. There have been sustained efforts to improve the skills training systems, but the vocational training system still needs support. Entrepreneurship aspirations are positive. There are few problems with structural issues such as ease of forming a company, although important regulatory simplifications (for example in property registration) are still needed. Five key issues stand out: 1. Access to finance is very challenging and acts as a significant barrier to both innovation and entrepreneurship. There is a particular need for access to affordable seed capital. This is a similar to the challenge being addressed by some of the rural micro-finance programs in Asia. 2. Connection to markets outside FYR Macedonia and the Western Balkans region is challenging for new entrepreneurs. 3. There is a considerable amount of energy and effort already being injected, but significant scope for improving the skills of entrepreneurial teams. 4. There may be a need to raise the entrepreneurial appetite of young people (under 25 years old). 5. FYR Macedonia seems to have incubated a significant number of opportunity-seeking entrepreneurs, rather than involuntary entrepreneurs seeking family incomes, but the support structure is limited. They might benefit from a focused event to bring together industries from across FYR Macedonia.Final Published versio