A 21st century model of entrepreneurship education: overcoming traditional barriers to learning.

Envick, Brooke R. ; Padmanabhan, Prasad

ABSTRACT

This paper introduces scholars in the discipline of entrepreneurship to a 21st century model of delivering interdisciplinary entrepreneurship education. The basic premise behind the model truly differentiates it from common entrepreneurship programs, which is the capability to overcome five traditional barriers to learning: isolation, time, limited expertise, cost, and rapid globalization. Readers are provided the essence and effective of the program, and are invited to learn more about it and consider its adoption at their own universities.

INTRODUCTION

This paper introduces a model that describes a new approach to entrepreneurship education, which eliminates common barriers to learning and exposes students to the realities of entrepreneurial uncertainty and ambiguity. The program described offers many different benefits relative to traditional educational models. The uniqueness of the program is that it allows students the flexibility of tailoring their own goals to the learning environment. There is also a carefully selected blend of traditional classroom content and off-campus activities. In addition, the model affords students the opportunity to test out the soundness of their business plans in relatively risk-free domestic and international environments.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Since 2000, there has been a tremendous proliferation of entrepreneurial programs and courses in the college and business school curricula (Osborne, 2000). This has been triggered in part by the recognition that small businesses create the majority of new jobs in the country (Nunn & Ehlen 2001), and by a need for colleges and universities to differentiate their product offerings in order to attract students due to increased competition. Unfortunately, undergraduate education is still too compartmentalized into rigidly defined disciplines. As a result, students do not get the required exposure in academia to adequately function in the real world (Smith, Hornsby, & Kite 2000). Although disciplined based teaching can improve the analytical skills of students (Borg & Borg 2001), they cannot easily impart the tools necessary for the students to deal with uncertainty in an environment characterized by globalization and rapid change.

Entrepreneurship, by definition, is an area of study that is centered on dealing with ambiguity, uncertainty, and complexity. Emmett (1999), Glennon (1966), Begley & Boyd (1987) and Lambing & Kuehl (2000), among others, document evidence that entrepreneurs tolerate uncertainty and ambiguity better than others. Likewise, Shane and Venkataramanan (2000) suggest that entrepreneurial ventures are started by individuals with a high degree of tolerance for ambiguity. Hence, it seems important that entrepreneurship courses should make attempts to educate students on how to deal with these issues. In a recent paper Envick, Madison & Priesmeyer (2003) present a cross-course project model that employs the contents of one course to help teach the learning objectives of another course in an effort to remedy the deficiencies of traditional courses, and by creating situations where students are forced to deal with uncertainty and ambiguity. Unfortunately, this model is still limited by the structured environment of a traditional classroom setting. Furthermore, the cross course project model embraces students who are predominantly securing a business degree. In real life, entrepreneurs come from a variety of disciplines and are forced to deal with all kinds of uncertainties such as globalization.

Today, globalization forces are stronger than ever. The world is witnessing global competition for markets and jobs from countries like India and China. If anything, the level of ambiguity, uncertainty and risk has increased over the last decade. It has been suggested that countries need to innovate to stay ahead of competition (Madison and Padmanabhan (2004, 2005), The Economist, Editorial, October 5, 2005). Since entrepreneurs create most of the new jobs, there is an urgent need on the part of universities to offer courses that teach these skills, bearing in mind the global nature of competition.

To attempt in part to remedy these problems, the authors developed an interdisciplinary entrepreneurship certificate program to offer students in addition to their major. This paper describes the basic elements of this model as it has been operationalized at our university. It is important to note that two other universities have employed similar models, and the three universities are working in collaboration to make this model one of national and international prominence.

THE 21ST CENTURY MODEL OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION

The model presented has actually been in existence for over six years at one university, and it has been highly successful. Subsequently, several representatives from two other universities were invited to a workshop to learn the model and discuss ways to implement similar programs at their respective universities. Both universities have since put this program into action and have achieved similar success.

The 21st century model of entrepreneurship education offers many different benefits relative to traditional educational models. The uniqueness of the program is that it allows students the flexibility to tailor their own learning by balancing the amount of traditional classroom learning with off-campus opportunities, including domestic and international business trips.

The model is a university wide program designed for all students regardless of major. At our university the program has included students from a variety of fields including accounting, industrial engineering, English communication arts, electrical engineering, entrepreneurship, biochemistry, psychology, and international relations. The goal of the program is to provide students with the self-confidence, knowledge, experience, and skills necessary to initiate their own business ventures. Participants in the program complete a yearlong series of activities, which include two three-hour classroom courses, a domestic business trip, an international business trip, networking opportunities with local business leaders, invitations to local business workshops and seminars, and an optional apprenticeship. They are also required to participate in a service learning activity that employs their newly acquired entrepreneurial knowledge and skills. This 21st century model of entrepreneurship education provides students with experiences unlike any other program, because it is designed to overcome five traditional barriers to learning: isolation, time, limited expertise, cost, and rapid globalization.

Isolation: A traditional classroom setting isolates students from other useful learning environments such as speaking engagements in the local business community where successful entrepreneurs share their stories. Other useful activities are workshops and seminars hosted by Chambers of Commerce at different locations throughout the community. Taking fieldtrips to entrepreneurial businesses is another beneficial activity, where a student can learn wonderful lessons. Attending national conferences, such as the one hosted by the Collegiate Entrepreneurs' Organization, is another avenue for acquiring knowledge. These are just a few examples of extremely beneficial opportunities available to students outside of the classroom.

Time: The amount of time provided during a regular semester can be a deterrent when trying to teach a comprehensive knowledgebase such as entrepreneurship. That is why a certificate program that spans over the course of one year is more appropriate. It bridges the two semesters together nicely, and even offers students summer activities beyond the spring semester. This time frame allows for more depth and breadth in the learning opportunities made available to students. Spring break is utilized for the international business trip, which allows for a full extra week during the regular semester for learning and business plan development. Oftentimes, students are able to count the courses offered in this certificate program as electives in their respective majors.

Limited Expertise: While many of us may not like to admit it, professors do have limitations on their expertise, even within our own field. In a traditional semester-long class, students only have access to the knowledge and experiences of the professor teaching the course. This model recognizes that there are different road maps to success, especially in other environments. When students hear advice and success stories from entrepreneurs, investors, and other business executives, they realize there are multiple ways to succeed, which is the true recognition and acceptance of lifelong learning.

Cost: The cost of attaining significantly more education about a discipline is generally too great when other learning environments, besides the classroom, are incorporated into the students' education. To overcome this barrier, our model seeks sponsorships from individuals and businesses in the community. The sponsorship fund allows students to take business trips and attend events that require registration fees. All learning materials such as textbooks, case studies, and software are also covered by program funds. It is important to note that students also pay an additional program fee beyond their regular tuition to be a part of this selective program. However, because of the sponsorship fund, the tangible benefits far outweigh the cost of their program fee, and they quickly realize the value of the intangible benefits on top of that.

Rapid globalization: The advent of new global players (especially China and India) increases the degree of uncertainty, but also adds new opportunities. The 21st century model presented here allows students to be exposed to these environments by taking an international business trip. The main purpose of this trip is to develop local business contacts. It is designed to get students out of their comfort zone and test out their ideas for a business venture in a relatively risk-free international environment. They also became fundamentally aware of international cultures and economies.

Prior to the international business trip, students spend time preparing a business plan. Depending on their plans, they are either selling or buying products in the country of interest. They develop a list of questions related to these focal points, and at the same time assimilate knowledge about that country's entrepreneurial culture. Students analyze their business concepts and address questions related to the purchase their products/services, how they would protect intellectual property, and what modifications would have to be made to the product/service to make it work in another country. They also determine what kinds of negotiation skills are necessary. Answering these questions and experiencing their own successes and failures will serve them very well after graduation. Because students must develop their own business plans, it forces them to behave and ask the same types of questions as real entrepreneurs would in the same setting.

EFFECTIVENESS AND BENEFITS OF THE PROGRAM

We are finishing out the second year of the program at our university. The number of applications for the second year more than doubled that of first-year applications and included more representation from students outside of the School of Business.

As mentioned, the total value for the students is well beyond their program fee, when the cost of two business trips (domestic and international), learning materials, and conference/workshop/seminar fees are included. And this does not include the intangible benefits such as developing a professional network, gaining real world experiences on business trips, as well as the means to realistically initiate a new venture by the end of the program.

When students were asked to anonymously provide feedback about their experiences in the program, they all responded quite favorably. Some of their comments are as follows:

1. "This program has opened my eyes to a new world and has related my degree to the business world."

2. "The books we received in the program furthered our knowledge about entrepreneurs and helped formulate our own ideas."

3. "The trips allowed us to experience business while we were out of our comfort zone."

4. "Participating in the program and meeting successful entrepreneurs solidified why I want to be a part of the program and why it is such an essential part of our business community."

5. "The international business trip was worth 100 hours in the classroom."

The professors involved in the program also notice dramatic changes in the students from the time they enter the program until they complete all the requirements. The non-business majors, in particular, enter the first class slightly intimidated and unsure of what they can contribute. By the middle of that semester, they realize they have just as much to contribute as the business majors. The synergy created among students from a variety of majors is unique and rewarding. Another observation is the huge boost in their confidence levels after they return from business trips. They come to realize that they can conduct business anywhere in the world, and it truly provides them a level of self-assurance they simply would not acquire in a traditional classroom setting.

Entrepreneurship occurs in every department across all universities. This program allows these entrepreneurial endeavors to come to fruition and publicly recognizes them across campus and in the business community. By offering a certificate of achievement, this program allows any student from any major to participate, which not only strengthens and develops individual students but the entire field of entrepreneurship.

LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE 21ST CENTURY MODEL OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION

The purpose of this paper was to introduce scholars involved in entrepreneurship education to a new program model that has achieved great success at three pilot universities. This success has been well documented for over six years at one university and two years at the other universities. It is important to note that this is not a cookie-cutter approach. The three universities that currently run the program have slightly different methods of delivery that fit the size, mission, and available resources at their universities. However, there are some core values that remain consistent across all three sites. The universities involved also collaborate with each other, both professors and students. The professors collaborate to maintain the core values and offer each other suggestions and ideas. The students have conducted joint business trips and have also competed with each other in an elevator pitch competition. The programs at the three universities could be considered one dynamic learning community with room to grow.

Workshops are available each summer to train new universities on how to successfully implement the program. Representatives from the three universities currently operating the program lead the workshops to teach the model, offer important suggestions, and thus significantly flatten the learning curve for those trying to implement such a program. They have an incredible amount of knowledge and experience to share that will save you valuable time and other resources such as how to: (1) Recruit students from non-business majors to participate; (2) Recruit faculty representatives from across the university to help champion the program; (3) Attract and maintain sponsors; (4) Design courses appropriate for all majors; (5) Create valuable business trip experiences; (6) Collaborate with other universities operating the program; (7) Adhere to the core values of the program; and (8) Modify the model to fit your university's mission, size, and available resources. Entrepreneurship educators interested in learning more about this leading edge 21st century entrepreneurship education model are encouraged to contact one of the authors of this paper.

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Brooke R. Envick, St. Mary's University Prasad Padmanabhan, St. Mary's University