Entrepreneurship Education—A Compendium of Related Issues

Abstract

Current years have witnessed the ongoing interest in entrepreneurship, which is essentially understood as the emergence and growth of new businesses (Rosa et al., 1996). A wide range of factors have contributed to the revival of interest in entrepreneurship in {USA}, Europe and many other countries. In recent years, many industrialized countries have suffered from economic recessions and high unemployment rates. Given the prevailing economic conditions, policy makers worldwide have now begun to recognize the instrumental role of entrepreneurship for economic growth. New and growing businesses are seen as a solution to rising unemployment rates, and as a major catalyst to national economic prosperity (Acs et al., 1999; Bruyat and Julien, 2000). As a result of the proliferating emphasis worldwide on entrepreneurship as the catalyst for economic development and job creation, policy makers have developed a wide array of measures to support entrepreneurship (Gnyawali and Fogel, 1994; Maillat, 1998). Key among these is the call for academic institutions, such as universities, to contribute through appropriate educational programs, i.e., entrepreneurship education (Laukkanen, 2000). There appears to be a consensus that entrepreneurship education and training has a major role to play in the economic development of a country (Gibb, 1996). The nature, relevance and appropriateness of entrepreneurship education have been subject to increasing scrutiny since the late 1960s (Vesper, 1985) and it has been touted as an effective means of entrepreneurial learning (Johannisson, 1991). Indeed, entrepreneurship education has become an obvious complement to venture capital and incubators as tools in propelling economic advancement ({McMullan} and Long, 1987). Whilst there clearly is a rise in entrepreneurial spirit and hence, an increase in entrepreneurship education across nations worldwide, information supporting these assertions and descriptions of the roles of entrepreneurship education to educate and inspire individuals remain largely scattered and sporadic. This chapter aims to consolidate and synthesize the issues surrounding university entrepreneurship education such as whether or not entrepreneurship can be taught, the structure, effectiveness, and potential growth of entrepreneurship courses, ethical issues as well as new perspectives on entrepreneurship education.