What is it about?

Entrepreneurs in Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) play an important role for growth in society. However, a paradox has been revealed between on one hand entrepreneurs with the need for faster and more efficient and effective learning, and on the other hand universities producing continuous new knowledge, which the entrepreneurs do not use. Entrepreneurs only to a very limited extend attend university courses and hereby entrepreneurs miss opportunities, which they could have had if they had known the new knowledge available in universities.

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Why is it important?

It is beneficial that entrepreneurs have access to new knowledge, because they 'learn from doing' and therefore can create growth for society through continous application of new knowledge. However, it seems that universities does not understand how they can support the learning of entrepreneurs. Universities typically provide specialized knowledge, which is of limited use for entrepreneurs in their daily interdisciplinary operations. What entrepreneurs need for application is an action learning approach where the meaning of the knew knowledge can be explored and exploited to enable innovation.

Perspectives

Entrepreneurs can enable continous innovation through an action learning approach, which can provide more value to stakeholders and to society. Here universities can support entrepreneurs through a much more interdisciplinary action oriented approach to learning.

Associated Professor Tove Brink
Syddansk Universitet

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This page is a summary of: Entrepreneurial learning requires action on the meaning generated, International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour & Research, August 2015, Emerald,
DOI: 10.1108/ijebr-09-2014-0171.
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