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Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the extent to which contextual factors outlined in the theory of planned behavior (TPB) affect entrepreneurial intent (EI) of female students in the United Arab Emirates. Design/methodology/approach: This paper presents a hierarchical regression analysis utilizing data from a university in the UAE. Findings: The study indicates that prior and current family business exposure to entrepreneurship does not affect the EI of female students from the UAE. However, the family affects EI via the family norms. More exposure to business classes and the subjective norms from the university are not significant predictors of EI, and perceived behavioral control is the strongest contextual predictor of EI. Research limitations/implications: The study was limited to the UAE and to a small sample of female students from a single university; therefore, the findings should be interpreted with caution. Practical implications: The study points to opportunities within the university environment to design more robust curricula that offer female students opportunities to boost their confidence in the ability to start up and manage a business. Originality/value: The paper is the first of its kind to apply the TPB to the context of female students from the UAE.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine how educators can teach the key competence of a sense of initiative and entrepreneurship (SIE) as a cross-curricular subject in compulsory education. It draws both on the literature relating to entrepreneurial education and on competence-based education to set out five features of entrepreneurial teaching. For illustrative purposes, these five characteristics are explored in a questionnaire put to a small group of teaching staff. Design/methodology/approach: This study employs a qualitative approach, seeking to understand the personal perspectives of participants, and drawing out the complexities of their behaviour, whilst also providing a holistic interpretation of such behaviour. Findings: The literature review identifies five features of entrepreneurial teaching--embedding learning outcomes for an SIE within taught subjects; active entrepreneurial teaching; educating for entrepreneurial attitudes; networking activities; being entrepreneurial as part of lifelong learning. It can be hypothesised that teaching staff teach different aspects of the SIE depending on the subject they teach (vocational or more traditional) and their role (teacher or workshop assistant). Originality/value: Development of the SIE and the five characteristics of entrepreneurial teaching is a first step towards understanding how secondary vocational teachers and workshop assistants understand and teach the SIE as cross-curricular subject. In line with Fayolle and Gailly who called for deeper investigation of the most effective combinations of objectives, content and teaching methods, the paper seeks to establish a relationship between teaching methods, development of entrepreneurial attitudes and assessment.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine how a new entrepreneurship education (EE) intervention offered at conflict-ridden Maiduguri, Nigeria, is having transformative impacts through new venture creation and poverty reduction. Design/methodology/approach: The paper adopts a single case study approach, drawing from in-depth interviews of participants, experts, and facilitators of the entrepreneurship training, in addition to relevant memos and documents. Findings: The findings indicate that the EE programme is, by generating awareness and facilitating skill development, contributing to new venture creation, poverty reduction, and positive change in mindset. However, the impact is limited by inadequate support through venture capital and limited facilities for business incubation. Research limitations/implications: This study is limited in its focus on EE provided for university undergraduates and graduates. Further research should explore interventions aimed at less-educated youth in the region, and in other conflict contexts. Social implications: The study suggests that EE facilitates youth empowerment through venture creation, in the process transforming them from aggrieved outsiders to active stakeholders in societal peace and national prosperity. Originality/value: The nascent theory of transformative entrepreneuring identifies poverty reduction and conflict resolution as the main mechanisms. This paper focuses on how EE triggers new venture creation, which in turn contributes to poverty reduction and overall change in mindset of otherwise unemployed and aggrieved youths.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore creativity and how it changes over time among engineering students in practice-based entrepreneurship in higher education. This change was examined in students over a one-semester course in entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship courses that use creativity tools for practice-based learning are expected to develop creativity as a learning outcome. This study discusses the extent to which some learning outcomes are more easily developed than others. Design/methodology/approach: This research uses a longitudinal design by applying a pre- and post-test survey. The student population consists of engineering students enrolled in an entrepreneurship course with practice-based learning involving creativity tools. The course includes team-based idea generation and business model development. To measure actual changes in students' creativity, two measures were used to reflect different aspects. Findings: The results show that students' ability to perform creative tasks increased, while students' willingness to engage in and their enjoyment of creative tasks decreased as a result of the course. Non-significant differences in changes were found between the two measures, but a difference was found in how the two measures changed during the course. In line with the research question, the results suggest that education may influence ability to a greater extent than willingness. Originality/value: The research used two different creativity measures to explore the extent to which engineering students experienced a change in creativity over a one-semester entrepreneurship course. In this way, the research contributes to the discussion on what could be learnt and by what means.

Purpose: Both enterprise education and social enterprise have become fashionable but what, if any, should be the connections between them? The purpose of this paper is to explore those connections and to reflect on what relevance the two concepts might have for each other. Design/methodology/approach: Both enterprise education and social enterprise have a number of different interpretations. Therefore those ranges of interpretation are first considered and then compared to see what there might be in common between the two concepts and to identify the desirability and practicability of linking them. Findings: If enterprise education focuses on a narrow, private sector, business-creation interpretation of enterprise, and if the advocates of social enterprise insist on clearly separating it from other enterprises, then there will be little connection between the two. But if enterprise education takes a wider view of enterprise as part of life skills, and if social enterprise is seen as essentially enterprise, albeit with social objectives, then there is a clear case for linking the two and including social enterprise in enterprise training. Practical implications: The implications of these conclusions are that, while some interpretations of enterprise education and social enterprise may suggest that they have little common ground, interpretations which link the two, and therefore the deliberate adoption of such interpretations, may actually be beneficial for the practice of both. Originality/value: Little of the existing literature on enterprise education and social enterprise links the two concepts. This paper seeks to rectify that.

Purpose: This matched-pairs study of undergraduates at an Australian University investigates whether business ethics education has a positive effect on student ethical behaviour. The paper aims to discuss this issue. Design/methodology/approach: This study uses a matched-pairs design to look at responses before and after students have taken a semester-long unit in business ethics. The authors used ethical scenarios and analysed both the starting position and changes in responses for the total student group, and by gender and citizenship. Findings: The results from this matched-pairs study show ethics education has a limited impact on students' responses to ethical dilemmas. Practical implications: Ethics subjects are now ubiquitous in business schools, but it may be time to consider alternatives to the philosophical normative teaching approach. Originality/value: This paper is significant in that it uses 142 matched pairs to look at responses before and after students have taken a semester-long unit in business ethics. This study provides qualified support for the proposition that business ethics education has an impact on students' ethical decision making.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the perceptions and perspectives of students with regards to self-determined learning in an entrepreneurship education (EE) context and its potential contribution to employability. Design/methodology/approach: This research used a mixed-methods approach with a sample of 25 students currently attending a UK higher education institute. The students had access to participation in EE modules but self-determined learning-informed modules or programmes were not currently offered. Students were invited to attend focus groups and as a result of emergent themes, a business school-wide survey was developed. Findings: This research makes two tentative contributions to the EE field. First, the findings of this student cohort are similar to those found throughout the UK and the EU with regard to the perception of the value of a degree by students; its contribution to the hidden curriculum; and the importance of practical experience. The research also adds to the field by considering the value of a self-determined learning approach to developing the capabilities and competencies of graduates. This approach to learning in a context of EE was in general well received by potential students, particularly the applied aspect of the programme. However, there is a perception of risk about this approach to learning and students are concerned about the value of a programme like this to employers in general. Originality/value: The study contributes to discussions on the value of EE on perceived employability and in particular self-determined learning through entrepreneurship activity.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to expand on the entrepreneurial learning literature and situated learning theory to explore how students with different educational backgrounds learn to recognise opportunities at the periphery of an entrepreneurial practice. The authors theoretically outline factors that may influence students' entrepreneurial learning, including co-participation and roles at the periphery, power relations in communities of practice (CoP), and emotional exposure. The authors make use of the concept legitimate peripheral participation and Politis' entrepreneurial learning framework to explore empirically students' entrepreneurial learning transformations and entrepreneurial learning outcomes. Design/methodology/approach: The authors adopted a qualitative approach in research, used the focus group methodology and the critical incident technique in interviewing. The research investigated two groups of Norwegian master students that differed in educational background aiming to explore their experience with entrepreneurial learning in a three months long internship in American start-ups representing emerging CoPs. Findings: The research identified important factors influencing students' entry transitions into an entrepreneurial practice, highlighting the complexity in peripheral participation. By acknowledging and exploring the social dimensions in students' learning, the authors demonstrate and exemplify how these influence students' entrepreneurial learning trajectories, learning outcomes and ultimately their influence in students' contributions to the practice community. Originality/value: The research integrates the existing entrepreneurial learning literature and situated learning theory to identify various factors influencing entrepreneurial learning, contributing with novel insights about the role of peripherality in students' entrepreneurial learning in situated practice.

Purpose: Building on entrepreneurial learning research, the purpose of this paper is to argue that the students participating in foreign entrepreneurial education programmes can have realistic entrepreneurial learning experiences. This research addresses two specific questions: how situated ambiguity induced by a foreign culture may contribute to contextual entrepreneurial learning in education, and whether ambiguity induced by cross-cultural situated experience can stimulate critical reflection and important learning outcomes in entrepreneurship and increase entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE). Design/methodology/approach: The authors adopted a phenomenological perspective in the research, and used focus group interviews and the critical incident technique to investigate Norwegian master's students' experiences of entrepreneurial learning in a long-term practice in an American startup. Findings: The empirical findings reveal that the students perceived the foreign cultural learning setting as imbued with ambiguity and uncertainty. However, as the students enhanced their understanding of the culture and entrepreneurial milieu through observations and co-participating, they managed to adapt and develop new strategies and methods to cope with the new environment. Eventually, the students became more entrepreneurial and developed their ESE. Practical implications: The research demonstrates how educators can design educational programmes that approach real entrepreneurial learning contexts. Nevertheless, the research also displays several ethical dilemmas that educators need to address. Originality/value: The study delineates a new concept for educational designs called situated ambiguity, which reinforces the essence of situated entrepreneurial learning with cross-cultural learning. This concept offers a promising avenue for educators to approach real entrepreneurial learning in both theory and practice.

Purpose: In response to recent calls for research relating to employers' perceptions of the workplace readiness of new graduates in a variety of fields, the purpose of this paper is to report North Florida employers' perceptions of information technology (IT) program graduates' workplace readiness. These findings are relevant to stakeholders in growing technology regions. Design/methodology/approach :Researchers conducted 18 semi-structured interviews with IT employers in North Florida. Data were deductively coded with codes derived from national standards. Interviewee verbatim was also inductively coded by theme. Findings: While employers valued a blend of technical and general skills and hands-on experience, they also sought new professionals who possessed fundamental understandings of business and computer programming to tailor their problem-solving skills to the specific company environment. Research limitations/implications: This research represents a limited number of employer viewpoints in one representative community. Practical implications: Ongoing industry input into curricula and expanded experiential opportunities may ensure that graduates are prepared to address current and future IT developments. Because the region under study was typical of many regions with growing technology sectors, these findings may inform partnerships, curriculum, and program design. Originality/value: Given the rapid growth and constant advances of the IT sector, institutions with IT degree programs are challenged to ensure that their curricula are current and meeting the needs of employers. This study's findings may offer timely insight into elements of workforce preparedness.

Purpose -- The purpose of this paper is to undertake a survey of the external and internal forces changing the nature of business schools and business education. It aims to investigate how management education responds to increasing productivity, innovation and capability challenges, examine how MBA programs currently meet these demands, and how these courses might redefine their identity and delivery and finally explore how to deepen engagement between business schools and business stakeholders, and to balance the imperatives of relevance and quality. Design/methodology/approach -- This is a survey of business schools and business education in the context of evolving educational and industry policy in Australia in response to an increasingly international and competitive economy. The different potential roles and strategies of business schools are examined, and future strategies identified. Findings -- The paper finds that management education is facing insistent pressure to change internationally, and that business schools need to become more dynamic, innovative and responsive to succeed. Research limitations/implications -- This survey considers the implications of recent policy on business education and relates this to emerging practice. Further research is required on how innovative pedagogical approaches will deliver more integrated and relevant business education. Practical implications -- The paper defines key business school strategies, and outlines significant new approaches to making business education more innovative, responsive, integrated and engaged. Social implications -- The paper considers means to more active stakeholder engagement for business schools. Originality/value -- The paper highlights the weaknesses of traditional business education strategy, and reveals the potential for significant change. (Contains 4 figures.)

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to address the interface between design education and business start-up in the designer fashion industry (DFI) and provide a new framework for reflecting on ways to improve design education and graduates' business start-up preparedness. Design/methodology/approach: This interpretive study employed semi-structured interviews to collect nascent fashion designers' enterprise development narratives and tertiary educators' views on how they prepare designers for the challenges of the DFI. Findings: While design and production skills studied in design education are valuable, it was found that work placements are particularly important resources for aspiring fashion business owners because they provide "education in enterprise" and the sort of social capital required for business success. The research produced a framework for reflecting on and refining the fit between design education and the practice of enterprise development in the DFI that incorporates considerations of the creativity-business tension and designer's enterprise orientations. Research limitations/implications: The findings suggest there is a need to create more intersections between fashion design and entrepreneurship education and to incorporate more education for and in enterprise. They also suggest there is value in encouraging students to select design education that fits their enterprise orientation and any skill deficits associated with this orientation. Originality/value: The paper makes a valuable contribution to both the higher education and entrepreneurship literatures by presenting an original model for conceptualising the way design education can interface with business start-up to develop industry-appropriate social capital and sound business practices. (Contains 1 figure, 1 table and 2 notes.)

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to understand why high-skilled immigrants from a developing country (Colombia) are returning to their home country to create businesses instead of starting up in their host country (Spain). Design/methodology/approach: A case study methodology was used to present the experiences of three high-skilled immigrants. All subjects presented had migrated from Colombia to Spain, held degrees from a Colombian university, had a university background in entrepreneurship and intended to run a business in Colombia instead of in Spain. Findings: This study shows how the expectations of highly-skilled immigrants can influence their decision to return to their home country to set up in business. Because of their skills and international experience, these individuals have good professional prospects in their home countries and a lower tolerance of the barriers and difficulties encountered in the host country than immigrants with other profiles. Research limitations/implications: In exploring the high-skilled immigrants' reasons for returning home, future research should pay more attention to personal motivations and cultural differences. Practical implications: The findings will enable policy makers in developing and developed countries to improve policies for attracting or retaining highly-skilled immigrants or emigrants, especially those with entrepreneurial intentions. Originality/value: In a group of immigrants whose skills and talents could offer considerable added value either to their host country or to their home country, this paper examines some of the key processes that influence their decision of where to locate their entrepreneurial activity. (Contains 2 tables.)

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that invention can be taught to business students who do not have the prior technical knowledge that is assumed to be a requirement for this kind of activity. Design/methodology/approach: This paper contains reflections on the results of introducing a specific course in inventing based on the insights of leading figures in the economics heterodoxy, who reject key tenets of the standard-economics approach that treats invention as exogenous. Findings: The result of this experiment suggests that teaching invention to business students is possible based on such foundations, as measured by the number of patent application made and granted. Research limitations/implications: Since there is no widely accepted theory to explain invention, there is no control for this experiment. This theoretical limitation should not detract, however, from the evidence presented here that there is something of practical use in the heterodox tradition that is being overlooked in enterprise and business education. Practical implications: This paper provides one model for teaching an important aspect of enterprising behaviour and also has practical outcomes in terms of the invented items themselves. In addition, it serves to demystify an aspect of business activity that is often left unexplored in business studies curricula. Originality/value: The paper is innovative at a conceptual and a practical level in providing both a foundation for the study of invention based on economic theory, and advice on how this can be taught to achieve practical and independently validated outcomes.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to discuss the role of universities in fostering and promoting entrepreneurship in Finland. In particular it seeks to examine the university-entrepreneurship relationship: its nature and how universities are addressing the entrepreneurship agenda. Design/methodology/approach: The paper is based on a large study of Finnish universities and their relation to entrepreneurship, its promotion and incorporating university-based enterprise education. The study was a one-year-project carried out in 2004 and funded by the Finnish Ministry of Education. The empirical data were collected in March-August 2004 via an internet survey and by conducting interviews in all of the 21 Finnish universities. Findings: The study shows that within all Finnish universities there are as yet untapped resources and opportunities in terms of entrepreneurship. However it is far from clear if there is one model which will increasingly drive entrepreneurial development within Finnish universities or whether a more ad hoc and somewhat ambiguous conceptual understanding will characterise developments. Originality/value: The paper provides useful information on entrepreneurship in Finnish universities. (Contains 2 tables, 2 figures, and 1 note.)

Purpose: The purpose of the paper is to examine the ways in which Australian companies can achieve high quality apprenticeship and traineeship systems in a time of labour shortage through close attention to the recruitment and development of apprentices and trainees. Design/methodology/approach: The paper is based on six qualitative case studies in a range of industries and occupational areas, carried out as part of an international project on apprenticeship. Findings: The paper finds that there are significant differences among companies in the skills and experience that they bring to the processes of recruiting and developing apprentice and trainees. Poor skills appear to lead to poor outcomes in terms of quality of apprentices and trainees while investment of skills and time leads to high quality outcomes that may significantly add value to the company. The effects of shortcomings in this area may be exacerbated in a tight labour market. Research limitations: The research in this paper is limited by the depth of the case studies which primarily rest on in-depth interviews with senior managers. The research could be extended by further case studies that include interviews with apprentices and trainees. Practical implications: The paper shows that companies employing apprentices and trainees need to be very clear about why they are employing them and the development strategies that will be put in place. The inclusion of off-the-job training at a training provider adds a safety net that is particularly important for inexperienced companies. Originality/value: The value of the paper lies in its use of detailed empirical examples to illustrate successful and less successful ways of managing apprentices and trainees. (Contains 2 tables and 1 note.)

Purpose: This paper seeks to discuss the Investors in People (IIP) initiative in relation to SMEs and to consider the value of IIP in helping to inculcate a learning culture within this sector. Design/methodology/approach: A case study investigating the work of a Business Link (BL) in relation to IIP and SMEs highlights the conflicts advisers face in delivering the government agenda and in fulfilling the education and training needs of SMEs. The case identifies the particular challenges that the advisers face in trying to deliver a consultancy service to SMEs which is valuable to them and which also satisfies the government's requirement for commitment to and recognition of attainment of IIP. The research involved in-depth interviews with IIP advisers at a Business Link which sought to understand the nature of their work, the methods they use and what they saw as the issues and challenges in meeting customer needs. The key issues regarding IIP generally, and in relation to SMEs, are elicited from the literature. Findings: The research confirms previous studies detailing the difficulties in matching IIP requirements with the individual requirements of SMEs. It also highlights the fact that Business Links need to "play the system" in order to reach the government-set targets. IIP advisers are caught in the undesirable position of trying to deliver a useful consultancy service (which may not lead to IIP recognition) to the firm and the need to achieve specified commitment and recognition rates. Research limitations/implications: While it is recognised that a single case has its limitations in terms of universal applicability, this example provides an aspect of IIP that has not previously been explored. The views of those charged with implementing government initiatives are rarely sought, although considerable research has been undertaken with the firms themselves. Originality/value: This paper suggests that a more market-led approach to education and training within the SME community might bring a more positive reaction to learning opportunities and a more appropriate targeting of government funds.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of using summative peer assessment to develop enterprise skills within higher education. Design/methodology/approach: An empirical investigation analysing students own perceptions of the peer assessment process to evaluate its impact. Findings: Participating students indicate that peer assessment aided the achievement of an enterprise learning outcome relating to persuading and influencing. They also report developing skills that will be useful for the workplace, and identify additional learning benefits. Qualitative feedback suggests some discomfort with the inherent non-traditional instructor-learner relationship. Research limitations/implications: Acknowledging the limitations of using students' own perceptions, the narrow focus on one course and the singular experience of summative peer assessment this investigation highlights the need for additional research into the impact of pedagogies where "teachers" deliver more of a facilitation role. Practical implications: The study reinforces the need for educators to invest time and effort in explaining the processes and issues involved with peer assessment. It highlights the contribution that creative industries' educators might be able to make to the wider development of enterprise skills across higher education disciplines. Originality/value: The study contributes to two important but under-explored areas of educational research: the development of enterprise skills outside the business school and the use of peer assessment within enterprise education. It provides a case study for non-traditional assessment and identifies a key challenge associated with the emergent pedagogical approach of heutagogy.

Purpose: While the global education debate remains focused on graduate skills and employability, the absence of a shared language between student, academic and industry stakeholder groups means that defining industry skills requirements is both essential and difficult. The purpose of this paper is to assess graduate skills requirements in a knowledge-intensive industry from a demand perspective as distinct from a curriculum (supply) viewpoint. Design/methodology/approach: Skills items were derived from a breadth of disciplines across academic, policy and industry literature. CEOs and senior managers in the innovation and commercialisation industry were surveyed regarding perceptions of skills in graduates and skills in demand by the firm. Two rounds of exploratory factor analyses were undertaken to examine employers' perceptions of the skills gap. Findings: First-order analysis resolved ten broad constructs that represent cognitive, interpersonal and intrapersonal skills domains as applied in this industry. Knowledge, leadership and interprofessional collaboration feature as prominent skills. Second-order analysis revealed employers' perceptions of graduate skills specifically centre on organisational fit and organisational success. An over-arching theme relates to performance of the individual in organisations. Research limitations/implications: The findings suggest that the discourse on employability and the design of curriculum need to shift from instilling lists of skills towards enabling graduates to perform in a diversity of workplace contexts and expectations centred on organisational purpose. Originality/value: In contrast to the heterogeneous nature of industry surveys, the authors targeted a homogenous sector that is representative of knowledge-intensive industries. This study contributes to the broader stakeholder dialogue of the value and application of graduate skills in this and other industry sectors.

Purpose: The employment market means students need to be equipped with wide-ranging enterprising skills and experience. With small- and medium-sized enterprises crucial to the health of the UK economy providing graduates with the skills to start-up their own business is also of increasing pertinence. The purpose of this paper is to analyse universities' provision and delivery of student support in developing their enterprise knowledge, skills and experience outside of the curriculum. Design/methodology/approach: An e-survey of universities alongside three follow-up semi-structured interviews with participants and an in-depth case study was gathered. The e-survey quantified what enterprise support activities the sample institutions currently offered and the interviews and case study examined the delivery of those activities through the perceptions of university staff/students. Findings: The respondents offered a range of enterprise support activity outside of the curriculum but delivery was hindered by a limited means to track proceedings. Support activities were predominantly concentrated both in delivery and receipt within business schools rather than across departments. Support typically consisted of networking events, business advice sessions and workshops as opposed to intensive provisions such as incubation space or start-up loans. The presence and influence of student-led enterprise groups was apparent. Practical implications: The results will inform those staff involved in the planning and delivery of enterprise support activity at UK universities. Originality/value: This research extends a limited literature mapping extra-curricular enterprise support provision at universities with qualitative data on the delivery of these activities as perceived by staff/students.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to deepen the understanding of how and to whom knowledge is transferred from training to practice. Design/methodology/approach: Through recognising the interrelationship between knowledge, social network structure, and relational trust, social network methodology is applied to examine the importance of farmers' social networks in the process of knowledge transfer after engaging in learning through vocational training. The paper shows a synthesis of knowledge, social network structure and trust in relationships provides the basis for a tripartite model of knowledge transfer for which data was collected by conducting in-depth interviews. Using social network analysis this data maps the personal business networks of individuals that have participated in training explicitly detailing to whom knowledge has been transferred. Findings: The paper finds that farmers combine training with their tacit knowledge and through discussions with their family, and in some cases with professional contacts, new knowledge initiates various degrees of change within businesses. The familial, social and emotion attributes of business relations may determine the extent that knowledge is transferred in to practice. Research limitations/implications: Creating a snapshot of knowledge transfer provides valuable insights into the flows of information within a business and how training is deployed. Furthermore, it provides pointers that to improve the injections of knowledge into small land based businesses requires more focussed intervention than is currently emphasised on programme based support schemes. Originality/value: The paper shows that applying social network analysis to small agricultural businesses to examine knowledge transfer is in itself innovative, particularly as the research draws upon a peer-group of businesses enabling some comparisons to be made. (Contains 2 tables and 3 figures.)

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between CEO business education and firm financial performance. Design/methodology/approach: An analysis of the relationship between three-year and five-year shareholder return as measured by dividend and change in share price and CEO educational qualification was performed. Findings: No relationship was found between CEO MBA, business, or other qualification and firm financial performance. Research limitations/implications: More research, particularly in the form of multinational longitudinal studies, should be undertaken on the relationship between CEO business and other qualifications and objective outcomes. A limitation of this study is that it was undertaken in one country and measured only firm financial performance. Practical implications: It is possible that business education has been over-emphasized as a prerequisite to successful management practice. It is also possible that the kind of management education that students have received is no longer appropriate to leadership at CEO level. Originality/value: Although many have blamed the GFC on business schools, there has been no examination of the relationship between CEO qualifications and firm financial performance in Australia, and little elsewhere. This study therefore fills a research gap. (Contains 2 tables.)

Purpose: Pedagogy today has become a function of technology and this relationship becomes all the more promising when used to address the educational needs of the constantly changing and fast evolving business school education. Business schools today are responsible for empowering future managers and leaders with not only the knowledge and insights but also with the ability to sense and respond to the unanticipated changes of the turbulent business environment. The objective of this paper is to conceptualize an integrated pedagogical framework that combines "richness" of augmented reality, classroom teaching and academic research with "reach" of social networking to yield a paradigm of agile business school education. Design/methodology/approach: The authors propose a conceptual model that would help in building entrepreneurial agility through business school education when internal factors collectively optimize the richness of education content and external factors provide the reach necessary to create a field for socialization that helps in building knowledge. Findings: The authors' conceptual model consists of three sub-paradigms derived from the theories they discuss: richness (from theory of experiential learning), reach (from social network theory) and business school education agility (from contingency theory). These three dimensions together enable the authors to understand and propose a new model for business schools, which would have the objective of producing more graduates with entrepreneurial agility. Research limitations/implications: This research is just an attempt towards integration of emerging technologies to offer agile and experiential education. More research is needed to assess the effectiveness of various teaching and learning techniques. Multivariate analysis would be helpful in determining the multitude of effects on learning that can occur within a business school environment. Originality/value: Agile business school education is a new variation on business school pedagogy that combines traditional-style education with technology to provide education that is relevant today and will be relevant in dealing with unforeseen events in the future. Agile business school education will enable graduates to build and lead agile and successful organizations. (Contains 3 figures and 1 table.)

Purpose: This paper aims to investigate the factors that influenced seven graduates in the creative and digital industries to start their own businesses in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK--an area with lack of employing establishments and locally registered businesses. Design/methodology/approach: Questionnaires and semi-structured interviews identified the constraining and enabling factors graduates may encounter when attempting to start a business, and explored the impact of support provided. Findings: Perceived constraining factors were: lack of general business knowledge, contradictory advisory support from external agencies, lack of sector-specific mentors, lack of finance, and experience of familial entrepreneurship. Perceived enabling factors were: co-mentoring from business partners, course content, financial gain, creativity and innovative ideas, control and risk taking, and the overarching package of support. Linkages between internal and external support could be improved. Research limitations/implications: The study provided insights into constraints and enablers to self-employment for a small cohort of recent graduates looking to start-up in the creative and digital industries. Further studies are required to explore the suggested effect of the "creative identity", and of sector-specific family entrepreneurial background. Practical implications: The support provided by universities can facilitate the transition from early stage ideas to actual graduate business start-up. Issues such as provision of specialist advice and links with external parallel and follow-on support need to be considered. Originality/value: University start-up units provide an important contribution to the development of graduate entrepreneurs and their role in the growth of national and global economy. Suggestions for improvements in performance, such as closer links with external business development agencies and support providers, are discussed. (Contains 3 tables.)

Purpose: The Polish economy is continuing its expansion through the adoption of free market economics in the post-communist era. To encourage this growth in a future where difficult global economic conditions are likely to persist, it is essential that entrepreneurial activity is encouraged within the next generation of graduates. This study aims to explore the attitudes and motivations of Polish students towards an entrepreneurship education programme. Design/methodology/approach: To achieve the research objectives the methodological approach adopted for this study involved semi-structured interviews undertaken with 122 Polish students. Each student undertook an interview within which they were asked to reflect on the impact of an entrepreneurship education programme on their entrepreneurial attitudes and motivations. Findings: This study builds on Jones "et al.", whose "snapshot" study found that Polish students had limited prior entrepreneurial experiences and expectations and welcomed the opportunity to undertake entrepreneurship education. The findings here confirmed the results of the prior study, but also provided greater insight regarding the reasons underpinning respondent behaviour. Research limitations/implications: The data collected within this study are limited to the experience of Polish students. It is questionable whether the results are generalisable to different nationalities. Additional research must be undertaken to explore this further. Practical implications: The results have implications for the construction and delivery of entrepreneurship education to student groups. Originality/value: The study contributes to the extant knowledge in the context of the experience of enterprise education in a developing country. The paper will be of value to enterprise education providers in aiding the construction and delivery of such programmes.

Purpose: This study aims to focus on the role of learning activities on the development of Romanian students making the change from academia to the workplace, specifically focusing on the role of three learning activities: classroom teaching pedagogies ("in-vitro"); field experiences ("in-situ"); and self-development experiential activities. Design/methodology/approach: Using a 12-factor scale developed by the authors to measure the role of learning activities on professional identity (PI), 364 students in an English-language BBA program at a prominent Romanian university were surveyed via an online survey service. From this sample 97 valid responses were obtained and these were regressed on a measure of PI to test three main hypotheses. Findings: "In-vitro," "in-situ," and self-development experiential activities exhibited a positive relationship to PI. The two most significant predictors of PI were found to be membership of a professional student group and the use of case studies in class. Practical implications: The findings of the study have practical implications for the business community and business educators, for activities such as curriculum development, course design and delivery. The findings reinforce the need for more practical pedagogies. Originality/value: The paper makes an empirical contribution to the field of PI development in Romanian business students and by extension to students in similar post-Communist countries. To this date there have been no studies that link practical learning activities to the development of PI in a transition society. (Contains 5 tables and 1 figure.)

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the possible implications for graduate employability of the economic changes which are affecting the UK in the wake of the "credit crunch". It explores the changing economic context and its implications both for HEIs and for graduates starting their careers. Design/methodology/approach: The article uses current surveys and analysis of the graduate employment market, the labour market and the economy in general to identify and comment on possible trends and scenarios. Findings: There appear to be variations between general media coverage of "the state of the UK economy", which tend to emphasise bad news and survey data, which suggest that the outlook for graduate career prospects and employability remains reasonably strong. The article comments on the increasing connections between enterprise and employability which are being made by universities and summarises current developments in graduate employability and enterprising learning in order to assess how well-prepared graduates are for the emerging economic environment, and the associated implications for HEIs and educators. Practical implications: The article has practical implications for enterprise educators and careers and employability professionals within universities as well as for students. It recommends that graduates need a higher level of economic literacy in order to make informed career changes in the changing economic context. A proposal for further research to explore the topic is suggested. Originality/value: The article is intentionally speculative and aims to inform the discussion on the changing nature of graduate employability and enterprise in the context of rapid economic changes. (Contains 1 table.)

Purpose: This paper aims to focus on the attempts to implement the challenges of teaching enterprise to science and engineering students by the embedding approach chosen by the White Rose Centre for Enterprise (WRCE), one of the centres formed under the Science Engineering Challenge in the UK. Design/methodology/approach: WRCE's objective was to have departmental science and engineering staff teach enterprise modules as part of their overall departmental teaching and to have such modules integrated into the course provision. The WRCE approach emphasized the value of giving students some real life or simulated "real" experience and of developing a strand or track of enterprise through the years of the course. Findings: The general propositions of WRCE are reviewed in the light of the outcomes in a number of departments, but most specifically within the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Sheffield, which would claim to be one of the most successful departmental interventions of WRCE. Whilst good examples of embedded modules exist, the successful results in Mechanical Engineering appear to depend on the appointment of non-traditional staff, the integration of enterprise in a track broader than enterprise and leadership of that track that has the confidence and resource to deliver its agenda in part using external rather than internal teaching. Originality/value: The embedding of enterprise learning into an engineering curriculum and a mechanical engineering degree program in particular, is discussed from the perspective of the programme leadership, the sponsoring body and the implementing instructor.

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to evaluate the inclusion of team case analyses and presentations in undergraduate finance courses that usually focus on analyzing provided financial statement data. Design/methodology/approach: In this paper the authors argue the early use of a local company case can illustrate key course concepts while offering students or participants in an academic or vocational training program a preview of the pedagogical techniques of case analysis. It is also argued that the use of a local company case can be extended to other business courses to improve students' interest and understanding. A survey of student perceptions was conducted at the end of the semester. Findings: Overall, students preferred working on a local company case rather than a textbook case. Most felt the local company case helped them understand the theories and concepts of financial statement analysis from the course and prepared them for future case analysis. The student respondents also perceive a better understanding of the strategic issues facing the industry and of the use of, and interpretation of, financial ratios after completing the case. While the exploratory analysis did indicate student preferences for use of a local company case, further study and analysis is needed to move beyond perceptions of satisfaction to determine the actual improvement in learning of the key course concepts. Research limitations/implications: Future research should study the benefit of using a local company case throughout the business degree and study how it allows students to apply principles learned early in their curriculum to strategic analysis and decision making in capstone courses. Research could determine if students will build upon their previous knowledge of the company and business concepts in much the same way as business managers gain business and industry knowledge as they advance through their career. In addition, the benefit of using a local company continuation case through the upper division courses in the business curriculum should be investigated. Originality/value: This article highlights the steps involved in preparing a local company case for classroom use and presents an analysis of student perceptions of satisfaction with a case-enriched course and discusses the strengths and weaknesses of the case. The article also discusses ways to create a similar local company case for other business disciplines. (Contains 1 table and 1 figure.)

Family firms play an important role in the working of the Canadian economy; despite their importance to the economic activities and job creation it is observed that family businesses have lower survival rates than non-family firms, some argue that this can possibly be attributed (amongst other factors) to the lack of training. Most of the training activities in Canadian family businesses tend to be limited, and it is argued that family firms tend to perceive training more as an expense than an asset that enhances future growth and development of the business. This paper introduces a training framework and a coherent strategy that provides key elements of a national training agenda for Canadian small family firms, including the role of various relevant organizations. (Contains 6 figures.)

This paper assesses the contribution of management training and development programmes (MTPs) to the development of managerial skills in small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Different sets of variables were used to explore the managers' skills development by dividing the managerial skills into three main categories: self, people, and task-related skills. After the peace agreement, many training programmes were established in the Palestinian Territories in order to solve managerial weakness, and these almost always use off-the-job training. A combination of survey questionnaire and interviews were used to collect the primary data (field study). The target respondents for this first time study were the managers of SMEs who participated in the MT courses. The results of the study highlighted the presence of clusters of managerial skills for SME managers and supported the evidence in the literature suggesting that managerial skills should be analysed as a system of interrelated skills. (Contains 9 figures and 1 table.)