Analysing the different Entrepreneurship Education initiatives for the development of a conducive and motivating entrepreneurial ecosystem in Mauritius
Keywords:
entrepreneurship education, unemployment, economic development, educational model, SMEs
Abstract
Mauritius ambitions to be a high-income economy and therefore seeks to develop an entrepreneurial culture by furthering entrepreneurship knowledge in its education system. The government is keen in encouraging youths to develop an entrepreneurial mindset through significant reforms in both secondary and tertiary education. The setting of the African Leadership University in Mauritius tries to fill the knowledge gap in leadership skills necessary for the development of entrepreneurship education. The African Leadership University is also using different pedagogies of education to create the right skills set for students so that they can embrace leadership and entrepreneurial roles in future. The current research uses a qualitative approach using multi-case methods and content analysis to analyse the initiatives for empowering potential youth entrepreneurs in secondary and tertiary education in the Mauritian context. The purpose of the research is therefore to analyse the different entrepreneurship education initiatives being undertaken to promote the right entrepreneurial culture both at secondary and tertiary level of education. The government has made Business and Entrepreneurship Education compulsory from Grade 7 till Grade 9 in secondary schools. The research findings show that students in secondary school are motivated to develop entrepreneurial knowledge and the subject highly meaningful. Conversely, there is lack of entrepreneurship courses at tertiary level especially in public universities. The African Leadership University is using the flipped classroom teaching pedagogy for promoting entrepreneurship with their students. Besides, NGOs such as YUVA are also supporting youths and entrepreneurs to upgrade their business knowledge. It is worth noting that SMEs already represented 40% of the GDP of our economy in the year 2017.
JEL Classification: A20, M13
References
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Koch, L.T. (2003). “Theory and Practice of Entrepreneurship Education: a German View”, International Journal of Entrepreneurship Education, 1(4), pp. 633-660.
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Leich, C. M and Harrison, R. T. (1999), “A process model for entrepreneurship education and development”, International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour and Research, 5(3), pp. 83-109. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/13552559910284065
Levie, J. (1999), Entrepreneurship education in higher education in England: A survey, London Business School.
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Padachi, D.K. and Carole, H. (2014), “Focus on working capital management practices among Mauritian SMEs: Survey evidence and empirical analysis”, E3 Journal of Business Management and Economics, 5(4), pp. 97-108, available at: https://ideas.repec.org/a/etr/series/v5y2014i04p097-108.html, (Accessed on 18 May 2020).
Papagiannis, G.D. (2018), “Entrepreneurship education programs: The contribution of courses, seminars and competitions to entrepreneurial activity decision and to entrepreneurial spirit and mindset of young people in Greece”, Journal of Entrepreneurship Education, 21(1), pp. 1-21.
Parton, B., Robb, A. and Valerio, A. (2014), Entrepreneurship education and training : insights from Ghana, Kenya, and Mozambique (English), Washington, DC : World Bank Group.
Pham, D. (2018), “Contemporary issues in entrepreneurship research volume 7: Entrepreneurship education: New perspectives on research, policy & practice”, International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, 24(1), pp. 317-319. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/ijebr-01-2018-426
Roopchund, R. and Ramlowat, D. (2019), “Adapting the Mauritian higher education system for effective workforce development”, Industry and Higher Education, 33(6), pp.414-424. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0950422219878384
Sun, H., Lo, C.T., Liang, B. and Wong, Y.L.B. (2017), “The impact of entrepreneurial education on entrepreneurial intention of engineering students in Hong Kong”, Management Decision, 55(7), pp. 1371-1393. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/md-06-2016-0392
Turbine (2019), “Business Incubator and Coworking”, available from https://turbine.mu/, (Accessed on 18 May 2020).
Wei, X., Liu, X. and Sha, J. (2019), “How Does the Entrepreneurship Education Influence the Students’ Innovation? Testing on the Multiple Mediation Model”, Frontiers in psychology, Volume 10. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01557
YEDAC (2019), “Young Entrepreneurship Development in Action”, available at: http://www.european-teachers.eu/aim-of-the-network/news/61-the-yedac-project, (Accessed on 20 May 2020).
YUVA (2019), “Youth United in Voluntary Action”, available at: https://yuvamauritius.com/, (Accessed on 25 May 2020).
Ahiauzu, A. (2010), “Entrepreneurship and economic development in Nigeria: The way forward”, Achieving sustainable development in Africa, pp.278-296.
Anderson, N., Potočnik, K. and Zhou, J. (2014), “Innovation and creativity in organizations: a state-of-the-science review, prospective commentary, and guiding framework”, Journal of Management, 40 (5), pp. 1297-1333. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206314527128
Arasti, Z., Falavarjani, M. K. and Imanipour, N. (2012), “A study of teaching methods in entrepreneurship education for graduate students”, Higher Education Studies, 2(1), pp.2-10. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5539/hes.v2n1p2
Binks et al., (2006), “Entrepreneurship education and the business school”, Technology Analysis & Strategic Management, 18(1), pp. 1-18.
Blenker, P., Dreisler, P. and Kjeldsen, J., (2006), Entrepreneurship Education-The New Challenge Facing the Universities: A framework for understanding and development of entrepreneurial university acommunities, Department of Management, Aarhus School of Business.
Celuch, K., Bourdeau, B. and Winkel, D. (2017), “Entrepreneurial identity: The missing link for entrepreneurship education”, Journal of Entrepreneurship Education, 20(2), pp.1-20.
Chukwudi, J. and Nwosu, J. (2018), “Entrepreneurship Education and Challenges for Graduate Employability in Nigeria”, nternational Journal of Innovation, Management and Technology, 9(5), pp. 189-193. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18178/ijimt.2018.9.5.812
Curran, J. and Stanworth, J. S. (1989), “Education and training for enterprise: some problems of classification, evaluation, policy and research”, International Small Business Journal, 7(2), pp. 11-22. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/026624268900700201
Dejardin, M. (2000), Entrepreneurship and economic growth: An obvious conjunction, The Institute for Development Strategies, Indiana University.
Engle, R., Dimitriadi, N., Gavidia, J., Schlaegel, C., Delanoe, S., Alvarado, I., He, X., Baume, S. and Wolff, B. (2010), “Entrepreneurial intent: a 12-country evaluation of Ajzen’s model of planned behavior”, International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour and Research, Vol. 16 No. 1, pp. 35-57. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/13552551011020063
Fox, J.L. and Pennington, K. (2009), “The effect on economic development of an entrepreneurship program at a North Carolina community college”, Journal of Applied Research in the Community College, 16(2), pp. 47-51.
GaDeamer, L. and Earle, L. (2004), “Searching for entrepreneurship”, Industrial and commercial training, 36(3), pp. 99-103. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/00197850410532096
Garcia-Rodriguez, F.J., Gil-Soto, E., Ruiz-Rosa, I. and Sene, P.M. (2017), “Entrepreneurship education in Sub-Saharan Africa: Results of a case study in Senegal”, Journal of Entrepreneurship Education, 20(2), pp. 1-15.
Garavan, T. N. and O'Cinneide, B. (1994), “Entrepreneurship education and training programmes: a review and evaluation – Part 1”, Journal of European Industrial Training, 18(8), pp. 3-12. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/03090599410068024
Gibb, A. A. (2002), “Creating conducive environments for learning and entrepreneurship: living with, dealing with, creating and enjoying uncertainty and complexity”, Industry & Higher Education, 16(3), pp. 135-148. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5367/000000002101296234
Gooriah, K. (2013), “Capacity building in entrepreneurship education and training using simulation”, International Human Resource Development Conference, Intercontinental hotel, Mauritius.
Glassdoor (2018), “15 More companies that no longer require a degree”, available at: https://www.glassdoor.com/blog/no-degree-required/ (Accessed 18 June 2020).
Green, F. and McIntosh, S. (2007), “Is there a genuine underutilization of skills amongst the over-qualified?”, Applied Economics, 39(4), pp. 427-439. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00036840500427700
Gundry L. K., Ofstein L. F. and Kickul J. R. (2014), “Seeing around corners: how creativity skills in entrepreneurship education influence innovation in business”, The International Journal of Management Education, 12(3), pp.529-538. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijme.2014.03.002
Hashim, N.A.B., Raza, S. and Minai, M.S. (2018), “Relationship between entrepreneurial competencies and small firm performance: Are dynamic capabilities the missing link?”, Academy of Strategic Management Journal, 17(2), pp. 1-10.
Henderson, R. and Hirst, E. (2007), Reframing academic literacy: re-examining a short-course for'disadvantaged'tertiary students (Doctoral dissertation, Waikato University).
Koch, L.T. (2003). “Theory and Practice of Entrepreneurship Education: a German View”, International Journal of Entrepreneurship Education, 1(4), pp. 633-660.
Le defi Media, Access to finance: DBM sets to create more entrepreneurs, available at: https://defimedia.info/access-finance-dbm-sets-create-more-entrepreneurs, (Accessed on 18 May 2020).
Leich, C. M and Harrison, R. T. (1999), “A process model for entrepreneurship education and development”, International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour and Research, 5(3), pp. 83-109. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/13552559910284065
Levie, J. (1999), Entrepreneurship education in higher education in England: A survey, London Business School.
Ministry of Business, Enterprise and Cooperatives (2013), “10 Year Masterplan for SMEs in Mauritius”, available from http://enterbusiness.govmu.org/English/ Documents/SME%20Master%20Plan_Full%20Version_FINAL.pdf, (Accessed 15 May 2020).
Ministry of Education and Human Resources (2019), “Entrepreneurship Education: preparing young people to succeed in an entrepreneurial economy”, available from http://www.govmu.org/English/News/Pages/Entrepreneurship-Education-Preparing-young-people-to-succeed-in-an-entrepreneurial-economy.aspx (Accessed on 18 May 2020).
Padachi, D.K. and Carole, H. (2014), “Focus on working capital management practices among Mauritian SMEs: Survey evidence and empirical analysis”, E3 Journal of Business Management and Economics, 5(4), pp. 97-108, available at: https://ideas.repec.org/a/etr/series/v5y2014i04p097-108.html, (Accessed on 18 May 2020).
Papagiannis, G.D. (2018), “Entrepreneurship education programs: The contribution of courses, seminars and competitions to entrepreneurial activity decision and to entrepreneurial spirit and mindset of young people in Greece”, Journal of Entrepreneurship Education, 21(1), pp. 1-21.
Parton, B., Robb, A. and Valerio, A. (2014), Entrepreneurship education and training : insights from Ghana, Kenya, and Mozambique (English), Washington, DC : World Bank Group.
Pham, D. (2018), “Contemporary issues in entrepreneurship research volume 7: Entrepreneurship education: New perspectives on research, policy & practice”, International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, 24(1), pp. 317-319. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/ijebr-01-2018-426
Roopchund, R. and Ramlowat, D. (2019), “Adapting the Mauritian higher education system for effective workforce development”, Industry and Higher Education, 33(6), pp.414-424. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0950422219878384
Sun, H., Lo, C.T., Liang, B. and Wong, Y.L.B. (2017), “The impact of entrepreneurial education on entrepreneurial intention of engineering students in Hong Kong”, Management Decision, 55(7), pp. 1371-1393. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/md-06-2016-0392
Turbine (2019), “Business Incubator and Coworking”, available from https://turbine.mu/, (Accessed on 18 May 2020).
Wei, X., Liu, X. and Sha, J. (2019), “How Does the Entrepreneurship Education Influence the Students’ Innovation? Testing on the Multiple Mediation Model”, Frontiers in psychology, Volume 10. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01557
YEDAC (2019), “Young Entrepreneurship Development in Action”, available at: http://www.european-teachers.eu/aim-of-the-network/news/61-the-yedac-project, (Accessed on 20 May 2020).
YUVA (2019), “Youth United in Voluntary Action”, available at: https://yuvamauritius.com/, (Accessed on 25 May 2020).
Published
2020-10-20
How to Cite
Roopchund, R. (2020) “Analysing the different Entrepreneurship Education initiatives for the development of a conducive and motivating entrepreneurial ecosystem in Mauritius”, Management and Entrepreneurship: Trends of Development, 3(13), pp. 97-113. doi: https://doi.org/10.26661/2522-1566/2020-3/13-08.
Section
Entrepreneurship, Trade and Exchange Activities
