Paul Hannon

Teaching pigeons to dance: sense and meaning in entrepreneurship education

Purpose – This paper aims to explore the philosophical and conceptual understanding of entrepreneurship education through borrowing and applying conceptualisations of education from education theory to bring deeper meaning to approaches to entrepreneurship education in UK higher education institutions (HEIs).Design/methodology/approach – This paper identifies existing theoretical and conceptual frameworks from adult education and applies these to the phenomenon of entrepreneurship education as a sense‐making tool from which deeper insights and understanding are gained.Findings – As a conceptual paper the “findings” relate to the unearthing of the inherent drivers and values to the design and delivery of entrepreneurship education in UK HEIs. Applying education theoretical frameworks enables presentation of a purposeful and guiding framework for effective curricula design in entrepreneurship thereby enabling coherence and cohesion of approach and achievable outcomes. Furthermore, the paper maps the purpose...

The Relationship between Training and Small Firm Performance; Research Frameworks and Lost Quests:

DEAN PATTON IS PRINCIPAL LECTURER in corporate strategy, Sue Marlow is principal lecturer in industrial relations, and Paul Hannon is academic director at the Leicestershire Centre for Enterprise, all at de Montfort University, England. In recent years it has been acknowledged that the take-up of training and development opportunities within the United Kingdom has been generally poor and that this has had a detrimental effect upon national productivity and competitiveness (Keep and Mayhew, 1997). It is noticeable that smaller firms in particular are reluctant to engage with formal training initiatives regardless of the incentives offered (Maton, 1999; Jennings and Hawley, 1996; Stanworth and Gray, 1992). To support greater take-up of such initiatives, policymakers and academics have sought to find a relationship between training and the performance of firms. The extant literature on this subject is inconclusive and a number of criticisms have been made witlh reference to the research design and methodology employed (Westhead and Storey, 1997). This paper proposes that a more focused research design to the subject is required and puts forward a model that would address many of the concerns raised (Westhead, 1996; Westhead and Storey, 1997). It is suggested that the search for statistical significance may actually be inappropriate, given the number of variables in the relationship. The model would, however, provide a framework within which the importance and interaction of such variables can be more clearly analysed and evaluated.

Assessment Practice in Enterprise Education

This paper introduces current debates on assessment practice in Higher Education and explores educational research on assessment. It progresses by exploring a number of outcomes and highlights their role in helping understand the potential reasons for engaging in enterprise education. The paper then applies this outcomes framework to assessment practice. It does so by reporting a series of focus groups undertaken at the International Small Business and Entrepreneurship (ISBE) conference in 2005. The focus groups engaged over 40 entrepreneurship and small business academics in a brainstorming exercise which explored forms of assessment that could be used to meet particular outcomes in enterprise education. These results are presented according to different potential entrepreneurial outcomes. The concluding part of the paper categorises these practices to develop and present the views of the participants and it provides a detailed analysis of assessment practice in enterprise education.

Embedding new entrepreneurship programmes in UK higher education institutions

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop the understanding of the challenges and considerations of how new and innovative entrepreneurship education programmes may be inculcated into UK higher education institutions (HEIs).Design/methodology/approach – The paper employs an action research approach to provide insights into entrepreneurship education andragogy in the first instance and in the second instance evaluate the success of such a programme then discuss the challenges of embedding it within universities.Findings – The paper provides substantial evidence for the effectiveness of innovative programmes and concludes that it would be difficult to embed such a programme within HEIs in the UK due to: resource limitations; lack of training in synergistic methods; keeping the freshness alive; finding suitable entrepreneurs to take part in the programme; finding the right space in academic timetable and curriculum.Research limitations/implications – In this paper the evidence for the success of the ...

Small firm success and the art of orienteering: the value of plans, planning, and strategic awareness in the competitive small firm

There is an ongoing debate within the academic literature about the value of the business plan in the development of the small firm. On closer inspection of the research, there appear to be clear benefits in the use of business planning as a process within the smaller business. This is in contrast to the production of a business plan as an output focused predominantly on convincing and acquiring resources from other organisations and individuals. As a process, business planning can be both formal and informal. It is also focused on understanding and responding to the context within which the business operates. Strategic awareness capability, as both a bundle of activities and a core competence, helps to make sense of this context, and serves as a means of managing interactions between the firm and its environment. It also allows for a more sensitive reading of the limitations and strengths of the planning process in markets that are, for the small business, generally unpredicatable and complex. When combined, strategic awareness capability and planning effectiveness can be used to develop a typology of business types that provides insight into the processes by which business development can be supported. In addition, strategic awareness capability can be considered a core competence of the small business and conceptualised in terms of different levels of experience, and expertise. As a result, small firms with varying levels of experience face different challenges and needs when using and developing strategic awareness capability.

Are incubators good for business? Understanding incubation practice -- the challenges for policy

In this paper we explore a phenomenon that is currently a key component of the UK governments business support policies. Growing investment in incubation, and increased emphasis on it as a tool for regional development, require an understanding of its practice. We aim to provide insights for policymakers and practitioners to help them meet the needs and aspirations of users. Initially we present the key findings from a significant global review of studies of incubators, conducted on behalf of UK Business Incubation (UKBI), and the UK Department of Trade and Industry. The review identifies key factors in determining the potential added value of incubators. We then present the key findings from a subsequent in-depth study of seven incubators across England and Scotland, commissioned by UKBI. The conclusions of the study highlight the dichotomies relating to the potential polarisation of incubator objectives (from property development focus to business development focus) and how these influence the implementation of effective incubation processes from the perspective of tenant and graduate firms. The policies and practices of operators highlight a blurring of the distinction between incubator management and incubation development.

Philosophies of Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Education and Challenges for Higher Education in the UK

This conceptual paper presents critical thoughts and observations on the recent phenomenon of entrepreneurship education in higher education in the UK. The key challenge the paper emphasizes is the need for greater insight into the conceptual and theoretical development of that phenomenon and a more robust locating of the philosophical foundations of entrepreneurship education within a higher education institution (HEI) adult-learning context. Although concepts and models of entrepreneurship abound, it is difficult to find related concepts and models of entrepreneurship education and, in particular, their underpinning philosophical foundations. Philosophies of adult education have emerged, but there appears to have been no attempt to locate entrepreneurship education within these contextual theoretical paradigms. This is somewhat surprising, as the underpinning philosophy of an educational programme will partially determine the outcomes of the educational process and influence the educational experience. However, this insight may help to explain why, conceptually, entrepreneurship education has mixed meanings and a conflicting discourse. The paper introduces a framework of adult-learning philosophies as a foundation for reflecting and analysing current approaches against philosophical beliefs. The application of the framework leads to a discussion about the potential contrasts and conflicts between underpinning foundations and purpose-in-action. The paper concludes with various perspectives on the building of an emerging robust concept of entrepreneurship education within an HEI adult-learning context.

Enterprise and entrepreneurship in English higher education: 2010 and beyond

Purpose – This article aims to report the results of a complete survey of enterprise education in all higher education institutions (HEIs) in England, undertaken in 2010 by the Institute for Small Business & Entrepreneurship (ISBE) on behalf of the National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship (NCGE). The survey builds on prior work undertaken by the NCGE in England in 2006 and in 2007.Design/methodology/approach – The survey aimed to establish a complete picture of curricular and extra‐curricular enterprise and entrepreneurship education. The survey uses a similar structure to the previous survey, enabling comparison to be made with enterprise provision over the 2006‐2010 period, as well as with the 2008 European survey of entrepreneurship in HE.Findings – The results provide a stock‐take of enterprise education provision in participating HEIs and highlight the connections in institutional strategies between enterprise education, incubation/new venture support, graduate employability, innovation and aca...

Applying a Synergistic Learning Approach in Entrepreneurship Education

This article develops our understanding of how entrepreneurship may be enhanced in existing entrepreneurs and developed in nascent entrepreneurs. It describes the authors’ exploration in the design, development and evaluation of a new programme to create opportunities for learning entrepreneurship capacities. A tripartite approach was taken, bringing together nascent entrepreneurs (undergraduate students), existing entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship facilitators. The programme was delivered using a synergistic learning approach and participatory methods in which all participants were co-learners in a collaborative, peer-learning environment. This article describes the action research approach to the exploration of entrepreneurship education androgogy and contributes to the growing body of literature in entrepreneurship education. It provides insights into how entrepreneurship education can be delivered in innovative and effective ways that mirror the ‘real world’ experience of existing and nascent entrepreneurs. It also provides insights into the nature and use of a synergistic learning approach within an entrepreneurship education context.

Incubation policy and practice: building practitioner and professional capability

Purpose – The primary purpose of this article is to propose a conceptual base from which an appropriate management and leadership development framework for supporting capability building of professionals and practitioners across the UK incubation community can be built. Furthermore, it provides insights into how such a framework could be applied through an initiative developed in the East Midlands region of the UK.Design/methodology/approach – A review of the research in this field is summarised as an empirical background to proposing a conceptual framework. The author explores the evolution of incubation and identifies specific models and processes of incubation, as reported elsewhere in the specialist literature. This framework is further explored within the context of its applicability as a tool for building management and leadership development capability.Findings – The author recognises the lack of published research in this field, despite its importance for enhancing incubation performance outcomes....