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Entrepreneurial education and knowledge: empirical evidence on a sample of German undergraduate students

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  • Andreas Oehler
  • Andreas Höfer
  • Henrik Schalkowski

Abstract

In this paper, we examine the current state of entrepreneurial education and knowledge of German undergraduate students. In our empirical analysis we examine a data set which comprises responses of 386 undergraduate students and which is not biased by program-specific effects. We analyze students’ understanding of aspects that play a crucial role in business start-ups in order to identify gaps in knowledge and relevant competences. We find evidence that the students evaluate schools’ imparting of relevant knowledge for entrepreneurs as rather moderate. Our findings indicate that students’ age, their general level of entrepreneurship-related knowledge, their ambition to become entrepreneurs, the share of relevant material taught in school as well as the assessment of the transfer of competence by the school attended before the bachelors program substantially influence the gaps in knowledge and competences. Based on our findings about the current state of entrepreneurial knowledge and education in Germany, we discuss implications for relevant stakeholders. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media New York 2015

Suggested Citation

  • Andreas Oehler & Andreas Höfer & Henrik Schalkowski, 2015. "Entrepreneurial education and knowledge: empirical evidence on a sample of German undergraduate students," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 40(3), pages 536-557, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jtecht:v:40:y:2015:i:3:p:536-557
    DOI: 10.1007/s10961-014-9350-2
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    2. Jaroslav BELÁS & Ján DVORSKÝ & Ladislav TYLL & Katarína ZVARÍKOVÁ, 2017. "Entrepreneurship of University Students: Important Factors and the Propensity for Entrepreneurship," REVISTA ADMINISTRATIE SI MANAGEMENT PUBLIC, Faculty of Administration and Public Management, Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania, vol. 2017(28), pages 6-25, June.
    3. Haneberg, Dag Håkon & Aaboen, Lise, 2020. "Incubation of technology-based student ventures: The importance of networking and team recruitment," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    4. Pilar Laguna-Sánchez & Pilar Abad & Concepción de la Fuente-Cabrero & Rocío Calero, 2020. "A University Training Programme for Acquiring Entrepreneurial and Transversal Employability Skills, a Students’ Assessment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-17, January.
    5. Anna Kotaskova & Zoltan Rozsa, 2018. "The Impact Of Selected Factors On The Quality Of Business Environment Assessment In The Czech Republic And The Slovak Republic," International Journal of Entrepreneurial Knowledge, Center for International Scientific Research of VSO and VSPP, vol. 6(2), pages 71-80, December.
    6. Laffineur, Catherine & Dubard Barbosa, Saulo & Fayolle, Alain & Montmartin, Benjamin, 2020. "The unshackled entrepreneur: Occupational determinants of entrepreneurial effort," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 35(5).
    7. Jonathan D. Linton & Wei Xu, 2021. "Research on science and technological entrepreneurship education: What needs to happen next?," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 46(2), pages 393-406, April.
    8. Coduras, Alicia & Saiz-Alvarez, José Manuel & Ruiz, Jesús, 2016. "Measuring Readiness for Entrepreneurship: An Information Tool Proposal," MPRA Paper 86603, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    9. Rosa Caiazza & Aileen Richardson & David Audretsch, 2015. "Knowledge effects on competitiveness: from firms to regional advantage," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 40(6), pages 899-909, December.
    10. Christopher S. Hayter & Roman Lubynsky & Spiro Maroulis, 2017. "Who is the academic entrepreneur? The role of graduate students in the development of university spinoffs," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 42(6), pages 1237-1254, December.
    11. Sangpil Yoon & Hosung Son, 2023. "Is the government support programme for nurturing entrepreneurial universities effective? Evidence from Korea," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 44(4), pages 1895-1903, June.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Entrepreneurship policy; Entrepreneurial education; Entrepreneurial knowledge; Teaching; Universities; Technology transfer; L26; I23; I25;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L26 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Entrepreneurship
    • I23 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Higher Education; Research Institutions
    • I25 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Economic Development

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