Developing entrepreneurial mindset through sustainability-informed entrepreneurial education
Catégorie d'article: Research Article
Publié en ligne: 08 juil. 2025
Reçu: 11 févr. 2024
Accepté: 11 janv. 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/ijm-2024-0009
Mots clés
© 2024 Anna Zherdeva et al., published by Sciendo
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
The role of learning theories in EE
| Theory | Description | Relevance to EE | Supporting Literature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Behaviourist Theory | Involves positive reinforcement of the entrepreneur’s behaviour in discussing the nature of the problems, looking for possible solutions, and testing the outcomes of actions by facilitating a critical and analytical feedback process that contributes to assessing impact and potential corrections. | Behaviourism helps learners to form a basis of |
|
| Cognitive Theory | Aims to explain how learners can learn and focus on thinking and problem-solving. | Integration of this concept in the EE is essential so that new knowledge is based upon prior experience and helps to improve critical thinking and problem framing and solving strategies. These skills are valuable competencies in entrepreneurship that can be achieved by sharing experiences and expertise. | |
| Humanism Theory | This theory considers humans as an essential part of the learning process, and believes in an individual’s potential for learning, self-determination and freedom to choose. | Humanism, mainly focused on personal growth and the full development of individual potential, contributes to EE by developing intellectual, emotional, creative, and physical skills and monitoring the learner’s progress thus forming a foundation of a lifelong learning approach. | |
| Constructivist Theory | People construct knowledge instead of receiving it. As an active participant in the educational process, the learner stays operational, applies existing knowledge, reflects and assesses the outcomes, and then starts the cycle again thereby connecting to the cycles associated with action learning and the circularity of knowledge. | The integration of Constructivist principles benefits current enterprise demands by developing students’ problem-solving, collaborative, networking, and self-awareness skills to succeed in a constrained socio-economic and environmental context. | |
| Connectivism Theory | Addresses the interaction where people can exchange knowledge, information, skills, and experiences and learn from each other. | Connectivism theory can add value to EE by promoting participation in the learning community, and distributing knowledge through the network. |
Main EIS indicators in Ireland
| Ireland | Performance relative to EU in 2023 | Performance change 2016-2023 | Performance change 2022-2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population with tertiary education | 217.3 | ||
| Lifelong learning | 99.0 | – |
– |
| Government support for business R&D | 114.8 | – |
|
| R&D expenditures in the business sector | 54.9 | – |
– |
| Employment in innovative enterprises | 104.8 | – |
|
| Innovative expenditures per employee | 148.3 | ||
Entrepreneurial Mindset and Learning Theories
| Entrepreneurial Mindset (EM) Concepts | Learning Theory | Authors |
|---|---|---|
| Individual Level | ||
Entrepreneurial and management mindsets differ. EM includes thinking, skills, and motivation, which lead to success. There is no general definition, and the process is ongoing. The main features of EM are value creation, the ability to recognise and act on opportunities, adaptability and resilience, cognitive perspective, decision-making with limited information, and uncertain and complex conditions. |
Behaviourism - change of behaviour, set of skills and competencies |
|
Definition is elusive Innovations and technologies are central to entrepreneurship. EM allows to come up with new ideas, generate creative ideas and take up opportunities. |
||
EM is the ability to rapidly sense, act, and mobilise, even under uncertain conditions I nsights in thinking and behaviour and cognitive adaptability leading to flexibility. Leads to adaptable decision-making EM influences individual and venture level |
||
EM increases student motivation to become entrepreneurs The role of EM in entrepreneurship intention, level of school instead of university EM focuses not only on capability but also on knowledge, experience, problem-solving, seeking opportunities, beliefs EE helps students to identify career paths to work, focusing on knowledge, skills and experiences EE encourages students to interact with teachers and peers to solve issues and receive feedback |
||
EE is a cognitive function therefore linking thinking to other entrepreneurial competencies will support in taking action. Effective entrepreneurs can use means they already have to generate new means to deal with high level of uncertainty. Feedback from the environment is highly important for future actions and plans |
Behaviourism - change of behaviour, set of skills and competencies |
|
Behaviour, which leads to action, plays a central role in entrepreneurship. Focusing on individual role and missing making connections necessary for every business creation. |
||