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Can Entrepreneurship Be Taught?

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  • Klein, Peter G.
  • Bullock, J. Bruce

Abstract

Is entrepreneurship an innate ability or an acquired skill? Can entrepreneurial acumen be achieved and enhanced through education and training, or are certain people “born†to be entrepreneurs or to act entrepreneurially? Economists and management theorists give widely divergent answers to these questions. This paper reviews the major approaches to teaching entrepreneurship, primarily at the undergraduate level, and relates them to economic theories of entrepreneurship. Surprisingly, we find little connection between the leading approaches to entrepreneurship education and economists' understanding of the entrepreneurial function. We assess likely explanations for the lack of contact between these two groups of scholars and suggest possible improvements.

Suggested Citation

  • Klein, Peter G. & Bullock, J. Bruce, 2006. "Can Entrepreneurship Be Taught?," Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 38(2), pages 429-439, August.
  • Handle: RePEc:cup:jagaec:v:38:y:2006:i:02:p:429-439_02
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Tilley, Marcia L. & Tilley, Daniel S. & Yiannaka, Amalia & Holcomb, Rodney B. & Howard, Wayne H. & Weckler, Paul & Cavaletto, Richard & Zohns, Mark & Sitton, Shelly & Blackwell, Cindy & Delahoussaye, , 2008. "Teaching Innovation as Part of an Agribusiness Curriculum," 2008 Annual Meeting, July 27-29, 2008, Orlando, Florida 6153, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    2. Khan MORSHED & Victoria SEITZ, 2011. "The Influence of Experiential Exercises on Attitudes Toward Entrepreneurship: The Case of Bangladesh," Review of Economic and Business Studies, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, issue 8, pages 225-233, December.
    3. Joey E. Mehlhorn & Laurie Bonney & Niyan Fraser & Morgan P. Miles, 2015. "Benchmarking Entrepreneurship Education In U.S., Australian, And New Zealand University Agriculture Programs," Journal of Developmental Entrepreneurship (JDE), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 20(03), pages 1-13, September.
    4. Amanor-Boadu, Vincent, 2006. "Putting Entrepreneurship into Agricultural Economics: Research and Teaching Perspectives-Discussion," Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics, Southern Agricultural Economics Association, vol. 38(2), pages 1-4, August.
    5. Tudor NISTORESCU & Radu Florin OGARCA, 2011. "Determinants of Entrepreneurial Intent of Students in Oltenia Region," REVISTA DE MANAGEMENT COMPARAT INTERNATIONAL/REVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL COMPARATIVE MANAGEMENT, Faculty of Management, Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania, vol. 12(2), pages 250-263, May.
    6. Mohammad Zarei, 2017. "Entrepreneurial Tournaments: Towards Disclosing the Rivalry Process Among Corporate Entrepreneurs," Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management and Innovation, Fundacja Upowszechniająca Wiedzę i Naukę "Cognitione", vol. 13(2), pages 33-57.
    7. Neharika Vohra & Supriya Sharma & Nobin Thomas, 2022. "Experiencing Live Action of Business: Reflections on an Immersive Course in Entrepreneurship," Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Emerging Economies, Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India, vol. 31(1), pages 184-219, March.
    8. Gilmore, Audrey & McAuley, Andrew & Miles, Morgan P. & Pattinson, Hugh, 2020. "Four questions of entrepreneurial marketing education: Perspectives of university educators," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 189-197.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • M13 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - New Firms; Startups
    • A22 - General Economics and Teaching - - Economic Education and Teaching of Economics - - - Undergraduate
    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives

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