Abstract
In the book ‘Entrepreneurship and Universities’, we are confronted by pivotal queries of ‘Enterprising universities – the How?, What? and Who?’ – as each chapter unfolds. The book not only delves into a comprehensive exploration of entrepreneurship and its intersection with universities addressing five core questions, around which each of the key chapters revolves, but also presents additional features and resources tailored for students, educators, university administrators and business professionals. Beyond the insightful chapter-by-chapter discussions, the book distinguishes itself with practical elements, such as reflective case studies and a thoughtfully crafted appendix for both educators and universities, as well as students. These components provide timely examples and strategic considerations for addressing contemporary challenges and seizing opportunities across public, private and third sectors. The incorporation of these practical elements adds a compelling layer of interest to the book, making it a valuable resource for a diverse audience including those of us who are educators.
In his book, Crammond delves into the discourse surrounding the role of universities, where educators, philosophers and analysts frequently discuss the university’s core purpose – that is, how to make the university a society-led institution by emphasising developing students through entrepreneurship education. While there is widespread acknowledgement that universities in the knowledge society should contribute to regional development and economic growth, the practical validation of this assertion is often elusive. Perhaps, it is because, while discussions on enterprising educational programmes are abundant, consensus regarding the specific content to be covered and the entrepreneurial skills to be developed relating to the needs of the distinct context is comparatively scarce. Notably, the literature on entrepreneurship education predominantly stems from developed countries with Western perspectives (Mbeteh and Pellegrini, 2022), with limited attention given to resource-constrained contexts in developing nations (Passavanti et al., 2023).
This book reflects on the evolving role of contemporary universities, envisioning them as enlightening, progressive and socially impactful institutions. It critically examines the extent to which current entrepreneurship education meets these expectations, particularly within developed nations. The book not only examines the existing landscape but also advocates for optimal entrepreneurship practices tailored to the multifaceted dimensions of a modern and resourceful university – covering sociocultural, philosophical, pedagogical and structural aspects. However, it is worthy of note that entrepreneurship education in universities is majorly affected by contextual factors such as economic infrastructure, the ecosystem and entrepreneurial culture (Mbeteh and Pellegrini, 2022). Welter (2010) asserts firmly that the results of entrepreneurial studies ‘do vary considerably across time and space’. Developing and emergent nations encounter unique challenges, which could potentially diminish the effectiveness of the direct application of theoretical models formulated in distinct contexts (Naudé and Havenga, 2012). Consequently, we advocate for future research efforts to concentrate on resource-constrained contexts, urging the development of a more holistic framework for pedagogies and practices in entrepreneurial education.
Robert James Crammond, the book’s author, holds a PhD in Entrepreneurship Education and is a Senior Lecturer in Enterprise at the University of the West of Scotland (UWS). His scholarly contributions and pedagogical endeavours centre on the fields of leadership, organisational development, enterprise and entrepreneurship education, and university-affiliated stakeholders. Additionally, he advocates for innovative efforts that link UWS faculty and students with national business support, incubation or accelerator programmes. We believe that this experience he has gathered by involving himself in a number of consultancy, knowledge transfer and small business projects across various sectors has aided in the writing of this book, mainly in highlighting pedagogical perspectives and philosophies that impact the teaching of entrepreneurship and the broader aspects of the modern university context as it engages with industry and society.
The book unfolds over five chapters, each answering a significant question and addressing core themes surrounding entrepreneurship and its intersection with universities. In the inaugural chapter, Chammond sets the stage, providing readers with insights into the book’s structure and anticipated content. Chapter 2 explores the domain of instructing entrepreneurship, fostering enterprising skills and integrating technology into higher education. It addresses critical questions such as ‘how does entrepreneurship teaching and support align with educational philosophies past and present?’ and ‘to what extent are universities innovative, and truly promoting autonomy and free thinking through their pedagogical approaches?’ This exploration ultimately leads to the development of the University Model of Entrepreneurship (UM4E). A standout feature in this chapter is the exploration of the first element of UM4E: Method, explaining 10 pedagogical principles integral to an entrepreneurial university. In Chapter 3, the inquiry into ‘who are the new university stakeholders, and which attributes and skill sets are relevant?’ is addressed. This chapter builds upon the second element of UM4E: Motive, extending the discourse to encompass internal and external stakeholder engagement in entrepreneurial universities. It accentuates the expanding inclusivity of entrepreneurship and features the influential role of various actors in this landscape. Chapter 4 centres on addressing the question, ‘how can we better understand and improve the education context, in responding to societal needs and industry challenges, through enterprising activities?’. This chapter is centred on the third element of UM4E: Message, shedding light on the cultural impact of entrepreneurship and proposing strategies to enhance the current educational context for the mutual benefit of industry and society. Chapter 5, serving as the conclusion, addresses the question, ‘what are the outlined goals and endorsed ideas of higher education institutions regarding entrepreneurship in the present day?’ It delves into the institution’s responsibility in preparing students for the workforce and entrepreneurship and emphasises key aspects like university structures, strategies and global challenges while providing an in-depth exploration of the fourth and final element of UM4E: Medium. Every chapter tackles one or two questions and strategically aligns with the UM4E, rendering the book a practical resource applicable to diverse stakeholders within and beyond the university milieu.
Enterprising universities must intricately weave political, cultural and socioeconomic variations existing between countries into the holistic contextualisation of entrepreneurship education. Despite strides in entrepreneurship research, a significant gap persists in integrating entrepreneurship education with the entrepreneurial spirit. This deficiency arises from the predominant reliance on factors exclusive to developed nations in existing studies, undermining the potential antecedents of entrepreneurial spirit (Mbeteh and Pellegrini, 2022). Studies published predominantly in Asian contexts suggest future research to theorise the interplay of entrepreneurship and institution research in emerging economies (Li Sun et al., 2020). In this case, this necessitates the imperative for a practice-based re-evaluation of models, urging a collective endeavour to re-conceptualise and adapt them to diverse contexts. Consequently, we extend an invitation to future researchers to examine the applicability of the UM4E in developing countries. Their insights can contribute valuable recommendations and directions to key stakeholders and policymakers, guiding the appropriateness of entrepreneurial initiatives tailored to specific contexts.
Overall, the book sheds light on pedagogical perspectives and philosophies that influence the instruction of entrepreneurship and the broader interactions between the university and industry/society, predominantly through a Western context lens. Despite briefly touching on the resource-based perspective, the book falls short of providing contextualisation for resource-constrained universities. This raises questions about whether the concept of the enterprising university has been completely explored. A university may face resource constraints in several aspects, such as limited faculty expertise, insufficient course offerings, outdated teaching materials and technology, inadequate networking opportunities, absence of incubator and accelerator support and restricted access to funding opportunities (Bedő et al., 2020; Dirckinck-Holmfeld et al., 2023; Pittaway et al., 2020). Resource constraints within universities can significantly affect the provision and delivery of entrepreneurship education to students, potentially leading to a reduced number of young individuals equipped with the necessary skills for entrepreneurship. This outcome is contrary to one of the targets of the global Sustainable Development Goal #4 – Quality Education. Even with the importance of enterprising universities and entrepreneurship education globally, the book might find less resonance with audiences in developing nations. Their distinct challenges and circumstances may hinder them from fully extracting the essence of the book’s insights. For example, Sri Lanka is a lower-middle-income country with one of the highest youth unemployment rates. The Sri Lankan higher education industry is predominately privatised, and institutional culture heavily leans towards preparing corporate-fit graduates. In contrast to developed nations, the intersection of entrepreneurship and universities in a resource-constrained environment poses inherent challenges (Bedő et al., 2020).
In conclusion, we believe this book constitutes a valuable addition to the scholarly work on enterprising universities and entrepreneurship education. It contributes to both theoretical understanding and practical knowledge, fostering a sense of optimism for prospective scholars poised to delve deeper into the realms of enterprise (skill-based) and entrepreneurial (venture-based) universities.
