Proceedings of the International Education Conference
Year: 2023
DOI:
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The EntreComp Bias: A Qualitative Study on Entrepreneurial Competence in Start-up Training
Berit Sandberg
ABSTRACT:
As entrepreneurship is seen as a driver of innovation, economic development and social progress, public authorities, the business sector and civil society are promoting entrepreneurial activities. Entrepreneurship courses in higher education have multiplied since the turn of the millennium, as have research efforts on entrepreneurship education. However, entrepreneurship training has received comparatively little research attention. Entrepreneurship training represents formal educational interventions that aim to provide potential and practicing entrepreneurs with the knowledge, skills and attitudes to perform and succeed in starting or operating a business. Trainings are supposed to foster entrepreneurial competencies as outlined in the European Commission’s Entrepreneurship Competence Framework (EntreComp). A qualitative study of training activities was carried out to review the learning content against this policy standard. 194 course offerings in the Berlin-Brandenburg metropolitan region, Germany, were identified through an Internet search. The course descriptions were subjected to content analysis and coded according to the EntreComp Framework. The results show that the courses impart management knowledge rather than an entrepreneurial mindset. More than 50% of the content is related to start-up preparation, legal issues, finance, and marketing. Creativity and interpersonal skills play a minor role. Most courses focus on knowledge, while skills and attitudes are neglected. Regarding educational paradigms, the entrepreneurship trainings examined follow a traditional approach to education. The study highlights a gap between policy recommendations and educational practice and provides implications for the design of entrepreneurship training.
keywords: business, entrepreneurial mindset, entrepreneurship education, entrepreneurship training, management