The role of entrepreneurship education and start‐up experience for handling communication and liability of newness

Abstract

Purpose -The aim of this study is to test the assumption that ability to handle communication and liability of newness (LoN) is enhanced by academic entrepreneurship education and/or previous startup experience. Design/methodology/approach -The data collection includes a questionnaire with a total sample of 392 responding entrepreneurs in Sweden. Statistical analyses are made between entrepreneurs with academic entrepreneurship education respectively previous start-up experience. Findings -The findings show that entrepreneurs with experience from entrepreneurship education report more developed communicative skills in the dimensions of openness as well as adaptation, whereas the dimension of other-orientation is found to be learned by previous start-up experience. When it comes to perceived problems related to LoN the differences between the groups were not as strong as assumed. However, the differences observed imply that also for handling LoN the authors identify a combined effect of possessing start-up experience as well as experience from entrepreneurship education. Consequently, entrepreneurs with experience from both, show in total the most elaborated skills. Practical implications -One way to improve future entrepreneurship educations is to make students more aware of the mutual profit in a business agreement and how to communicate this in a marketing situation. Another suggestion is to include starting business as a course work. Originality/value -This study not only meets the call for actual outcome from entrepreneurship educations in terms of changed behaviour but also for interdisciplinary research in the entrepreneurship field in integrating leadership research with focus on communication.

Formal and Informal Financing Decisions of Small Businesses

“…In particular, being 1 year older is associated with a decrease in the use of external finance of approximately 2%, and this is for both internal and external sources. This is aligned with previous findings that show that younger entrepreneurs are more optimistic and risk-tolerant than their older counterparts (Ulvenblad et al 2013).…”

Niveles de los atributos empresariales de los estudiantes universitarios en Puerto Rico

“…It is interesting to note that use of outside resource persons (L) and taking initiative and seeking personal responsibility (M) was a common least developed trait in all countries. Taking initiative and seeking personal responsibility is discussed in the reviewed literature as a basic step in the entrepreneurial process (Holland & Shepherd, 2013;Tasnim et al, 2014;Ulvenblad et al, 2013).…”

“…As an integral part of human relations, entrepreneurs need competence in their communication ability to interact with different shareholders and stakeholders. Being able to communicate ideas efficiently and effectively, both verbally and in writing, has proven to be important in the entrepreneurial process (Ulvenblad, Berggren, & Winborg, 2013).…”

Rethinking What Is Entrepreneurship Education: A Macro Integrative Perspective

“…Stanford values a culture to foster a broad liberal arts foundation for its undergraduate education (Stanford University, n.d.), which has an inseparable relation to its outstanding status as the nation's top entrepreneurial university. More important than academic and theoretical training, the content of EE training and programs is becoming increasingly competence oriented, which aims at enhancing multi-dimensional competencies and soft skills in various fields, such as venture financing, corporate entrepreneurship, and entrepreneurial strategies (Kuratko, 2005), as well as specific skills in negotiation, leadership (Kuckertz, 2013;Ulvenblad, Berggren, & Winborg, 2013) and "deal-making" skill (Ronstadt as cited in Kent, 1990, p.79). Beside entrepreneurial competences, EE programs start to be engaged in community outreach activities as EE is considered a component of social support system (Mwasalwiba, 2010).…”