Promoting regional development through a collaborative project in entrepreneurship education: lessons from a regional experiment to develop entrepreneurial competences in children and youngsters

The chapter focuses on the reflection around the relationship between entrepreneurial empowerment and regional development, based on the assumptions, methodology and results of a self-sustained supramunicipal project in entrepreneurship education, promoted by a wide network of partners representing all the municipalities of Baixo Alentejo, Portugal, and coordinated by the Polytechnic Institute of Beja (IPBeja). The project Promoting Entrepreneurship Education at the Schools of Baixo Alentejo (PEEBA) was carried out in collaboration with Elementary Schools (1st to 2nd Ciclos) and kindergartens of Baixo Alentejo with the objective to nurture entrepreneurial competencies in children and youngsters aged 3–12 through practical and experiential entrepreneurship education. It provided them with entrepreneurial skills and attitudes that will increase their opportunities, by helping them face their lives with more initiative and confidence and/or be more proactive at work, or even start their own business in a near future, in the hope that this may eventually contribute to reduce the brain drain in Baixo Alentejo. With the motto the socioeconomic future of our region will be shaped by the students we are educating now, the PEEBA is innovative and unique, since it consists in a platform that brings together all the key stakeholders in the field of entrepreneurship education within all the municipalities of a NUTS, in this particular case Baixo Alentejo, who show an interest in working collaboratively for a common goal: to create a shared ecosystem favourable to entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial capacity

Entrepreneurial intentions and entrepreneurship education to University students in Portugal

[EN] This article analyzes entrepreneurial intentions and motivations that encourage university students of Tourism to create their own company. Methodology is based on an empirical study, using a questionnaire adapted from a model of Veciana and Urbano (Actitudes de los estudiantes universitarios hacia la creación de empresas: un estudio empírico comparativo entre Catalunya y Puerto Rico. El emprendedor innovador y la creación de empresas de I + D + I, University of Valencia, pp 35 58, 2004), including the desirability and viability concepts. One hundred and sixty students answered the questionnaire from a total study population of 243 official Tourism degree students of the Superior Institute of Accounting and Management of Porto. This research finds out that the university students have a very positive perception about the desire to create their own company; a 90 % of students express their desire to do it, and 83.5 % express their intention. Moreover, a 57.5 % think that within actual crisis it is more difficult to do than before it. This research lets us get an in-depth study of a student of Tourism degree, finding out his entrepreneurial attitudes. It can be the first step to wake up and encourage students interest for starting up their own business.Del Rio-Rama, MDLC.; Peris-Ortiz, M.; Álvarez García, J.; Rueda Armengot, C. (2016). Entrepreneurial intentions and entrepreneurship education to University students in Portugal. Technology, Innovation and Education. 2(7):1-11. doi:10.1186/s40660-016-0013-5S11127Ajzen I (1991) The theory of plannes behavior. Organ Behav Hum Decis Process 50:179–211Aponte M (2002) Factores condicionantes de la creación de empresas en Puerto Rico: un enfoque institucional. Doctoral dissertation, Autonomous University of BarcelonaAponte M, Urbano D, Veciana JM (2006) Actitudes hacia la creación de empresas: un estudio comparativo entre Catalunya y Puerto Rico. Centro de Investigaciones Comerciales e Iniciativas Académicas de la Facultad de Administración de Empresas. Forum Empresarial 11(2):52–75Bae TJ, Qian S, Miao C, Fiet JO (2014) The relationship between entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial intentions: a meta-analytic review. Entrep Theory Pract 38(2):217–254Brice J (2004) The role of personality dimensions on the formation of entrepreneurial intentions. USASBE Small Business Advancement National Center. University of Central Arkansas, USACabana-Villca R, Cortes-Castillo I, Plaza-Pasten D, Castillo-Vergara M, Alvarez-Marin A (2013) Análisis de las capacidades emprendedoras potenciales y efectivas en alumnos de centros de educación superior. J Technol Manag Innov 8(1):65–75Davidsson P (1989) Continued entrepreneurship and small firm business. Stockholm School of Economics, StockholmDavidsson P (1995) Culture, structure and regional levels of entrepreneurship. Entrep Reg Dev 7(1):41–62De Jorge-Moreno J, Castillo LL, Triguero MS (2012) The effect of business and economics education programs on students’ entrepreneurial intention. Eur J Train Dev 36(4):409–425Díaz JC, Hernández RM, Barata ML (2007) Estudiantes universitarios y creación de empresas. Un análisis comparativo entre España y Portugal. In Ayala, J.C. (coord.) Conocimiento, innovación y emprendedores: camino al futuro. Grupo FEDRA, MadridDo Paço AMF, Ferreira JM, Raposo M, Rodrigues RG, Dinis A (2011) Behaviours and entrepreneurial intention: empirical findings about secondary students. J Int Entrep 9(1):20–38Dohse D, Walter SG (2010) The role of entrepreneurship education and regional context in forming entrepreneurial intentions (No. 2010, 18). Document de treball de l’IEBEuropean Commission (2006). 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Afr J Econ Manag Stud 3(2):258–277Gorman G, Hanlon D, King W (1997) Some research perspectives on entrepreneurship education and education for small business management: a ten-year literature review. Int Small Bus J 15(3):56–77Guerrero M, Rialp J, Urbano D (2008) The impact of desirability and feasibility on entrepreneurial intentions: a structural equation model. Int Entrep Manag J 4(1):35–50Haynie JM, Shepherd DA, McMullen JS (2009) An opportunity for me? The role of resources in opportunity evaluation decisions. J Manage Stud 46(3):337–361Hernangomez J, Martín N, Rodriguez AI, Saboia F (2005) El emprendedor nace o se hace? Un análisis de los determinantes del espíritu emprendedor. XVI Spanish-Portuguese Meeting of Scientic Management. Sevilla:33–44Hmieleski KM, Corbett AC (2006) Proclivity for improvisation as a predictor of entrepreneurial intentions. J Small Bus Manage 44(1):45–63Honjo Y (2004) Growth of new start-up firms: evidence from the Japanese manufacturing industry. Appl Econ Lett 11(1):21–32Hyde GC (1989) The relationship between policy and research. In Rosa, P.; Birley, S. Cannon, T. and O´Neill, K. The Role and Contribution of Small Business Research, Chap. 3:55–77, Institute ReportKolvereid L (1996) Prediction of employment status choice intentions. Entrep Theory Pract 21(1):47–57Kourilsky ML, Walstad WB (1998) Entrepreneurship and female youth: knowledge, attitude, gender differences, and educational practices. J Bus Ventur 13(1):77–88Krueger N, Brazeal D (1994) Entrepreneurial Potencial and Potencial Entrepreneurs. Entrep Theory Pract 18(3):91–104Krueger NF, Carsrud AL (1993) Entrepreneurial intentions: applying the theory of planned behaviour. Entrep Reg Dev 5(4):315–330Lanero A, Vázquez JL, Gutiérrez P, García MP (2011) The impact of entrepreneurship education in European universities: an intention-based approach analyzed in the Spanish area. Int Rev Public Nonprofit Marketin 8(2):111–130Miller BK, Bell JD, Palmer M, González A (2009) Predictors of entrepreneurial intentions: a quasi-experiment comparing students enrolled in introductory management and entrepreneurship classes. J Bus Entrep 21(2):39–62Neck HM, Zacharakis AL, Bygrave WD, Reynolds PD (2003) Global entrepreneurship monitor: 2002 executive report. Babson College, Babson, MANorth DC (1990) Institutions, Institutional Change and Economic Performance. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (UK)North D (1993) Instituciones, cambio institucional y desempeño económico. Fondo de Cultura Económica, MéxicoNorth DC (2005) Understanding the Process of Economic Change. Academic Foundation. University Press, PrincentonGEM Portugal (2012) Estudo sobre o Empreendedorismo. Global Entrepreneruship Monitor (GEM). Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (ISCTEIUL) http://web.spi.pt/GEMportugal2012/files/GEM_PORTUGAL_2012.pdfRaposo M, do Paço A, Ferreira J (2008a) Entrepreneur’s profile: a taxonomy of attribu tes and motivations of university students. J Small Bus Enterp Dev 15(2):405–420Raposo MLB, Ferreira JJM, do Paço AMF, Rodrigues RJG (2008b) Propensity to firm creation: empirical research using structural equations. Int Entrep Manag J 4(4):485–504Robinson PB, Stimpson DV, Huefner JC, Hunt HK (1991) An attitude approach to the prediction of entrepreneurship. Entrep Theory Pract 15(4):13–31Samad Aghayi J (2008) Entrepreneurship organization. Public Administration Training Center Publications, TehranScherer RF, Adams JS, Carley S, Wiebe FA (1989) Role model performance effects on development of entrepreneurial career preference. Entrep Theory and Pract, spring:53–71Scherer RF, Brodzinski JD, Wiebe F (1991) Examining the relationship between personality and entrepreneurial career preference. 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Protocol for north of England and Scotland study of tonsillectomy and adeno-tonsillectomy in children (NESSTAC). A pragmatic randomised controlled trial comparing surgical intervention with conventional medical treatment in children with recurrent sore throats

BACKGROUND: Uncertainties surrounding the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of childhood tonsillectomy for recurrent sore throat led the NHS Health Technology Assessment Programme to commission this research to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of tonsillectomy and adeno-tonsillectomy in comparison with standard non-surgical management in children aged under 16 with recurrent throat infections. The aim is to evaluate if tonsillectomy and adeno-tonsillectomy reduces the number of episodes of sore throats among children to a clinically significant extent. METHODS/DESIGN: A simple prospective pragmatic randomised controlled trial with economic analysis and prospective cohort study of non-trial participants comparing surgical intervention with conventional medical treatment. The treatment arm will receive tonsillectomy and adeno-tonsillectomy while in the control arm non-surgical conventional medical treatment only will be used. The primary outcome measure will be reported number of episodes of sore throat over two years with secondary outcomes measures of reported number of episodes of sore throat, otitis media and upper respiratory tract infection which invoke a GP consultation; reported number of symptom-free days; reported severity of sore throats and surgical and anaesthetic morbidity. The study will take place in five hospitals in the UK. The trial population will be 406 children aged 4–15 on their last birthday with recurrent sore throat referred by primary care to the 5 otolaryngology departments. The duration of the study is seven years (July 2001- July 2008). DISCUSSION: As with all pragmatic randomised controlled trials it is impossible to control the external environment in which the research is taking place. Since this trial began a number of factors have arisen which could affect the outcome including; a reduction in the incidence of respiratory tract infections, marked socio-economic differences in consultation rates, the results from the National Prospective Tonsillectomy Audit and the Government's waiting list initiatives

Looking inside the spiky bits : a critical review and conceptualisation of entrepreneurial ecosystems

The authors wish to thank the Organisational for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) for funding their original research on entrepreneurial ecosystems.The concept of entrepreneurial ecosystems has quickly established itself as one of the latest ‘fads’ in entrepreneurship research. At face value, this kind of systemic approach to entrepreneurship offers a new and distinctive path for scholars and policy makers to help understand and foster growth-oriented entrepreneurship. However, its lack of specification and conceptual limitations has undoubtedly hindered our understanding of these complex organisms. Indeed, the rapid adoption of the concept has tended to overlook the heterogeneous nature of ecosystems. This paper provides a critical review and conceptualisation of the ecosystems concept: it unpacks the dynamics of the concept; outlines its theoretical limitations; measurement approaches and use in policy-making. It sets out a preliminary taxonomy of different archetypal ecosystems. The paper concludes that entrepreneurial ecosystems are a highly variegated, multi-actor and multi-scalar phenomenon, requiring bespoke policy interventions.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

An Overview of The Anatomy of Entrepreneurial Decisions

This chapter introduces the content of the book, presenting the key insights from the contributed chapters

When pedagogic worlds collide: Reflections on a pan-European entrepreneurship education project

Through the Entrepreneurship 2020 Action Plan launched in 2013, the European Commission set out its agenda for how entrepreneurship could help tackle the problems associated with the 2008 financial crisis. In this chapter we present how STARTIFY7, a project funded by the Commission’s Horizon 2020 initiative, sought to respond to the Entrepreneurship 2020 Action Plan. The STARTIFY7 project was created as a thematically focused and lean-training summer academy system with the aim of creating pan-European teams of young entrepreneurs in the information and communications technology (ICT) sector. The project and its underlying pedagogic approach, derived from Neck and Greene’s (2011) work on ‘worlds’ of entrepreneurship education, is discussed along with the outcomes achieved

Pop-up shops for increasing employability and contributing to civil society in times of austerity

This chapter discusses a learning and teaching unit pop-up shop rooted in experiential learning. This pop-up shop learning activity aims to increase employability and educate young learners how to contribute to civil society. The discussion offers a reflection on how lecturers’ roles are changing in response to the austerity informed UK policies and HE measures. Universities are increasingly required to generate larger numbers of enterprising, employment-ready graduates. Increased monitoring of the efficient use of public spending in HE has seen the introduction of the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) bringing more focus on employability rates, which in turn help to determine university rankings. These rankings put pressure on HE senior management, which is then passed down through the hierarchy to lecturers. The detailed guidance on how to run pop-up shops offers a pragmatic answer to the outlined challenges to inspire lecturers to develop their learning and teaching strategies. Particular attention is paid to developing reflective skills in learners.N/