Perpetuating the myths of entrepreneurship

The impact of text books on learning about entrepreneurship

How do you construct your entrepreneurship classes?

The Question

Are we making self-employment entrepreneurial, when it can’t be entrepreneurial because it is self-employment

The drivers of entrepreneurship

• Governments (Employment, social affairs & inclusion)

• Support organisations and businesses

• Literature (text books, success biography)

• Media

Myths

• Offer humanity reference points

• Simplify the complex reality we live in

• Myths intercede between the inconsistencies of reality

Some realities about entrepreneurship (?)

• Most business are started in the person’s occupation

• Most so called entrepreneurs are actually self-employed

• Claims of being happier are disputed

• The industry you set up in has a profound impact on success

• Not every one is creative enough to differentiate themselves

• Most new businesses are started by the over 50’s

• Very few new business find new customers

• Vast majority of businesses are rent seeking through trading and services

Text books

• Play a pivotal and powerful role in the higher education system

• Underpin the structure and content of a learning session

• Seen by students as fundamental and critical sources of knowledge

• Legitimise concepts and theories; and confirms values and norms

Why is this important?

• Changing environment for universities

– Democratisation of knowledge

– Contestability of markets and funding

– Digital technologies

– Global mobility

– Integration with industry

Are we teaching how?

“…entrepreneurship researchers may have focused excessively on describing entrepreneurial phenomenon rather than on developing theory to enable aspiring entrepreneurs to make predictions. This phenomenological emphasis seems to predominate in textbooks and research, perhaps to the exclusion of developing theory.” Fiet, J.O., 2000. THE THEORETICAL SIDE OF TEACHING ENTREPRENEURSHIP. Journal of Business Venturing, 16(1), pp.1–24.

Conclusion

Questions