Student Entrepreneurship in a Passive Space: Insights from a Ghanaian University

Abstract

This study explores student entrepreneurship within passive university environments, using a Ghanaian university as a case to apply Bourdieu’s concepts of field, habitus, and capital. Through qualitative case study methodology, we demonstrate how, despite a lack of institutional support, student entrepreneurs exhibit remarkable agency in creating opportunities. Passive university environments, characterized by informal economic spaces, present unique challenges like non-enforceable contracts but also offer low entry barriers. Students’ entrepreneurial habitus evolves in response, fostering resilience and creative problem-solving skills. By leveraging various forms of capital, including international networks, students navigate constrained contexts, gaining practical experience alongside academic challenges. Extending Bourdieu’s framework to resource-constrained educational settings, this study challenges the assumption that supportive ecosystems are essential for entrepreneurial flourishing. These findings offer insights applicable to similar universities globally, highlighting how even resource-limited institutions can foster entrepreneurship effectively.