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Dr. Rajesh N. Pahurkar Associate Professor Department of Management Sciences, (PUMBA) Savitribai Phule Pune University Formerly University of Pune)Pune. |
Advances in technology have evolved new methods and techniques in the field of human learning and growth (Jordan 2010). Educational contents are available online and no more geographical ristictions to reach and teach. Students are more techno savvy and exposed to world dynamic. Availability of digital contents in the form of audio and video supporting to self learning in many field of education, it has changed teaching learning experience, but the final outcome is that educational system is creating the manpower to fit in existing job market only. Educational institutes are not putting special efforts to nurture and strengthen entrepreneurial qualities among the student community. These institutes need to develop and use various interactive activities/ methods for developing entrepreneurial qualities (mindset). Advances in teaching must be coupled with interactive method or technique or a blending of activities may be useful to develop entrepreneurial qualities (Pahurkar 2016). A fully interactive approach with the help of various methods and techniques was used to teach entrepreneurship to the IBP (International Business Program) students at the University of Warsaw. Almost all students were made participative during the program and at the end an overwhelming positive feedback received. This underlines that interactive experiments and techniques to behavior modification and behavioral change are to be necessarily used in entrepreneurial teaching.
The word ‘entrepreneur’ is derived from the French verb ‘enterprendre’. It means “to undertake”. The Frenchmen who organized and led military expeditions were referred to as “entrepreneurs” (Holt 2006). Around 1700 A.D. the term was used for architects and contractor of public works. In many countries, the term entrepreneur is often associated with a person who starts his own new business. Business encompasses manufacturing, transport, trade and all other self employed vocation in the service sector (Blanchflower & Oswald 1998, Chernovskaya 2005). Entrepreneurship has been considered as the propensity of mind to take calculated risk with confidence to achieve predetermined business objectives. There are many views and opinions on the concept of entrepreneurship forwarded by some of the world famous management gurus and economists as mentioned below which will help in understanding this concept.
“A person who sets up a business or businesses, taking on financial risks in the hope of profit”
An individual who bears the risk of operating a business in the face of uncertainty about the future conditions
“The entrepreneur in an advanced economy is an individual who introduce something new in the economy- a method of production not yet tested by experience in the branch of manufacturing, a product with which consumers are not yet familiar, a new source of raw material or of new markets and the like” (Donald 2005).
“An entrepreneur is the one who always searches for change, responds to it and exploits it as an opportunity. Innovation is the specific tool of entrepreneurs, the means by which they exploit changes as an opportunity for a different business or different service” (Drucker 2006). All the above definitions have focused light on entrepreneurship; on the basis of that one can differentiate between corporate manager and entrepreneur. There are so many differences between traditional managers or corporate manager and entrepreneur (Desai 2007). Traditional manager delegates and supervises the subordinates while having least direct involvement. The entrepreneur has more of direct involvement with lest delegation i.e. entrepreneur believe in direct involvement with least delegation. Traditional manager avoid risk while entrepreneur ready to accept risk. Present management education includes the traditional management concept which can help to become successful manager. Those who do not have formal management education they learn it through their experience after spending long time in their business organization (Shetty 2004). Whereas people with management education learn it theoretically while studying management and apply it practically when they start their own business (Vijay & Pani 2006).
The management education has an important place in corporate world; but how to make it more favorable to develop entrepreneurship is the area of prime concern and also whether is it possible to design such management education system and blending appropriate methods/Techniques which will develop the following entrepreneurial qualities (Pahurkar 2015, Isobel & Verheul 2003) among the management students. Creativity and innovativeness Dignity for labor Flexibility High self esteem Initiative taking ability Knowledge for commercial and legal aspect of business Need for achievement Need for influencing others Need for power Optimism Problem solving attitude Risk taking ability Strong willpower Time management
There are many teaching tools and techniques used in management programmes. We should find out the appropriate combination of teaching technique and quality development. Simply to find out the better match or suit of teaching technique and it applicability for development of entrepreneurial quality (Isobel & Verheul 2003, Kuratko & Hodgetts 2006). For the research purpose researcher has consider the best proven seven number of techniques (Pareek & Rao 2002) used in the world of management education system namely – 1. Assignments and Projects 2. Business Games 3. Case Studies 4. Industry Academia Interaction 5. Psychological Counseling 6. Role Play 7. Structured Syllabus
A proposed possible combination of above activities/methods based on Experience and Observations (Neck et. al. 2014 & Pahurkar 2016). for developing entrepreneurial qualities - It is found that while plying business games students starts to think differently to succeed in it. This will automatically leads to the development of creativity and innovativeness. While interacting with different industry gives opportunity to the students to see the people working in factory environment and discuss the various issues related with work environment. This makes the students to develop dignity for labor. An assignment, projects and business games creates new situations which forces students to change themselves to adopt the change and this may leads to the development of flexibility. Psychological counseling creates confidence in the mind of students that they can achieve whatever they wants in their life which leads to the development of high self esteem. An assignment, projects and business games creates new situations which forces students to take initiative to accomplish the job successfully. The structured syllabus in the form of full fledge theory subject can make acquainted students about commercial and legal aspect of business. Interaction with industry can make students aware about commercial and legal aspect of business. The business games develop the winning attitude among students and industry interaction motivates students to start own venture which eventually leads to the development of need for achievement. A role play and business game gives opportunity to act like protagonist this ultimately results into development of need for influencing others. Industry and academia interaction motivate students to become successful business person. This ultimately results into the development of need for power to become successful. In today’s competitive environment it’s very important to have positive attitude to be successful and a psychological counseling is a tool which can boost the optimism. Case studies and business games develop analytical skills which is useful for the development of problem solving attitude. Business games create various hypothetical challenges which compel players to face it by taking risk. Psychological counseling develops confidence that one can become successful by utilizing all available competencies. Assignment and projects are time bound academic activities which teaches students to plan all their actions to accomplish it successfully within a given time period.
The present educational system is developing manpower to work for others. Now there need to be change that along with government policies/support, many other promotional activities like the tie ups with various entrepreneurship development institutions and venture funding agencies need to undertake for the development of entrepreneurship. Academicians (Universities), students, industries and government can get associated to undertake various entrepreneurial activities. There can be various entrepreneurial options available with the various universities. All potential entrepreneurs might not be suitable to all the available entrepreneurial options. The matching of individual to each of the entrepreneurial option may be depends on the type of perceived barriers, qualities & skill sets possessed and personal motivation to particular work. Hence the university’s job should be to find out appropriate match of the individual and available entrepreneurial option (Pahurkar 2015).
The present education system can be made more oriented to build up confidence in the minds of students that they can become successful entrepreneurs. An appropriate syllabus can be developed to motivate students to become entrepreneurs.
Student’s views and opinions were taken formally and informally during and at the end of entrepreneurship development programme - • Demanded more such classes – An appropriate mix of above teaching techniques creates more interest and involvement in teaching. Students learn to relate theory with practices which is recommended by many world renowned universities. Teacher needs to develop relevant activities for different subjects and topics therein. • Perceived value addition – in teaching learning process, when students participate voluntarily and demand more and more sessions shows the high perceived value. • Outcome – Practice Entrepreneurship in real life – entrepreneurship is per se not about starting business venture but to be venturous in life. Students learnt living life entrepreneurially. • Recommendation to next batch – it was so natural that many students voluntarily acclaimed the course and written very positive comment to continue this course in a future.
• Long term relations – conducting one such session, once in a while will not work for longer time. A sustainable output of creating entrepreneurs is possible through long term commitment to implement and executive such educational course/module. • Collaboration – need to have association for experience sharing and involving experts from various areas to brainstorm. • Active Networking – Universities, Industries and other institutions must actively get connected for common goal and support.
In interactive environment it’s always great opportunity to learn from other participants. Me too taken this as great learning time - • Be patient and Consistent - initially some students may not be comfortable to participate and open up. By seeing others who participated and enjoying, it stimulated others to equally active in class. It may take some time to happen. • How to stimulate students interest and learning – throwing challenges in simulated environment will create peer pressure to perform. A thrilling experience while competing as team with other team. • Dealing with Multicultural – Multinational Batch – it’s an opportunity to understand and learn about business environment and culture across the world. • Relax – Things will move with active participation – once students realize the value of participation, class will be well accepted and will move smoothly with no limits. • Party and Celebration – life is full of fun and love, if one gets the right career goal based on own likings. Satisfaction derived through accomplishment/ challenge will make life gala.
The discernment of respondents about development of entrepreneurial qualities and appropriate teaching techniques/tools to be used are – Creativity and innovativeness - Business games Dignity for labor - Industry and academia interaction Flexibility – Assignment, Projects and Business games High self esteem - Psychological counseling Initiative taking ability - Assignment, Projects and Business games Knowledge for commercial and legal aspect of business - Structured syllabus and Industry and academia interaction Need for achievement - Business games and Industry and academia interaction Need for influencing others - Role play and Business games Need for power - Industry and academia interaction Optimism - Psychological counseling Problem solving attitude - Case studies and Business games Risk taking ability - Business games Strong willpower - Psychological counseling Time management - Assignments and projects
The faculty members and the trainers must use the appropriate mix of theory and above mentioned methods/techniques in classroom teaching. There should be a regular use of all proven teaching techniques and tools to develop entrepreneurial quality and its execution in the class may be fine tuned based on experience and interest of the students.
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