ENTREPRENEURIAL MINDSETS IN ENTREPRENEURIAL SCHOOLS

Abstract

Schools should be active partners in the process of building entrepreneurship as well as fostering entrepreneurs, new heroes for the future! The role of the educational leader is important to reflect on this aspect of the major changes. Can the leader turn apparent problems into challenges, and challenges into creative opportunities? This paper is a presentation of results from research based on interviews with school leaders who have also been students at courses in pedagogical entrepreneurship. The course has been designed with a special purpose in mind: the implementation of entrepreneurial measures at the student‘s own school in order to help promote entrepreneurship at the school. The importance of the ability to exercise entrepreneurial activity in society is that it forms the basis of achieving economic growth and social security. This well-documented principle applies both to industrialised countries and to countries that are undergoing intensive development. Within the commercial sector it is not unusual even today to see entrepreneurship defined narrowly in terms of establishing companies. But research also demonstrates important links between education, creative business development and production quality. When it can be documented that entrepreneurial training yield an increase in entrepreneurs who can produce qualitatively better results, this will naturally be an important justification for new investment. This paper is also based on a concentrated survey of literature in addition to an empirical study. So – our research question is: What kind of leadership needs an entrepreneurial school? Entrepreneurship is on the agenda in various contexts within the Norwegian society. However this is not typical for Norway, but because of a lack of an entrepreneurial culture, and the importance to have a leading edge in this development, a goal must be to strengthen the competitive ability in schools through emphasising entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship is a mindset as well as a force behind developing activities in schools and society. In Norway curriculum for entrepreneurship has been a growing field of interest among politicians, in universities, colleges, and in public school. To start a discussion on entrepreneurship in schools, it should be useful to look at definitions of entrepreneurial education. How is entrepreneurship education defined, and what are the critical components of entrepreneurial training in different contexts? Entrepreneurship education needs to be defined more broadly than business management in that it includes fostering creativity and innovation, traits not normally nurtured in a standard business environment.