Complexity and entrepreneurship: Modeling the process of entrepreneurship education with the theory of synergetics

Abstract

Both entrepreneurial and educational processes are often characterized by a high degree of dynamics and uncertainty. The assumption that similar initial conditions cause similar results does not apply to these properties. Based on the current state of the art of entrepreneurship, the underlying assumption of this elaboration is that entrepreneurship can be learned. One issue concerning this field of research is that, to date, it has not succeeded in obtaining a deep level of insight into the actual process of entrepreneurship education without reducing its complexity. The concern of this theoretical elaboration is to draw closer to this ‘black box’ by applying the Theory of Synergetics, a complexity theory of self-organization. First, the central concepts of entrepreneurship and their meaning for the development of an entrepreneurial mindset are given. Then, we present an overview of educational topics and introduce the conception of complexity and its consequences for entrepreneurship education. Finally, entrepreneurship education is displayed as a self-organized process by using the Theory of Synergetics. The results offer new insights, explanatory concepts and opportunities for further research.