Norris,
Always an interesting question. I can send you a '96 JSBM article I did entitled, "A longitudinal investigation of the impact of family background and gender on interest in small firm ownership" if you have an interest. It was a follow-up to a '95 article entitled, "Family background and gender: Implications for interest in small firm ownership," I published in Entrepreneurship & Regional Development which was non-longitudinal.
On the specific question of students rushing out to start ventures after completing one of entrepreneurship programs, I have always felt that examining immediate launch is the wrong metric. It is a metric to be sure, but certainly not definitive. We all studied math in school not necessarily to be mathematician; English not necessarily to be poets; history not necessarily to be historians, etc.
I am sure the mission statement I wrote for the Center for Entrepreneurship here at the University of Cincinnati is very similar to others. In part, it states that the study of entrepreneurship prepares students to:
- launch their own venture if so desired;
- interact more knowledgeably with other small, entrepreneurial, and family businesses engaged in commerce with larger firms;
- think entrepreneurialy across all aspects of entrepreneurism: individual, corporate, and social.
One of the more difficult aspect of entrepreneurship as an academic discipline is the difficulty that many, including some Dean's, is to get their arms around the fact that entrepreneurship is not primarily about job placement. It is more about a way of thinking and ultimately job creation. Historically/traditionally, it was a fairly simple matter have and measure Accounting majors going to work for a Big Eight or other accounting firm; finance majors being employed by banks, etc.; marketing majors going to work for Procter & Gamble or an advertising firm, etc. To further complicate things, Entrepreneurship majors often double major and seek work experience before launching a venture, especially amongst undergrads.
Anyway, I have gone on too long... Hope this helps...
Chuck
Charles H. Matthews, Ph.D.
Professor of Entrepreneurship and Strategic Management
Executive Director, UC Center for Entrepreneurship
Education & Research Phone: 513-556-7123
College of Business Fax: 513-556-5499
University of Cincinnati Email:
charles.matthews@uc.edu
Cincinnati, OH 45221-0165 Web:
www.ucecenter.org
---- Original message ----
>Date: Tue, 10 Jul 2007 12:45:40 -0600
>From: Norris Krueger <
norris.krueger@GMAIL.COM>
>Subject: [ENTREP] Another crazy question?
>To:
ENTREP@AOMLISTS.pace.edu
>
>"Why don't entrepreneurship majors rush out & start businesses? Or do
>they? Or.... *Should* they??"
>
>Has anyone reviewed the literature on any of these questions?
>
>Do we have a sense of the rate of formation by ENT students:
>a) upon graduation?
>b) while still in school?
>c) after a time lag (IIRC, Harvard & UWO did studies suggesting ~10 year lag)
>
>Heck, do any of you know (or did) a great study on this question?
>
>TIA - I have a friend who's getting beat up because his ENT students
>aren't all rushing out to launch businesses. How else might this
>professor sell the impact of his program? (I suggested, of course.
>measuring cognitive changes, LOL - but I suspect there are better
>options!)
>
>As always, I will post the full list of items sent me!
>
>Cheers,
>Norris
>
>--
>Norris Krueger, Jr., Ph.D.
>Teams / Entrepreneurship Northwest
>"How can I help you to help grow entrepreneurs?"
>(208) 440-3747
>skype: norris.krueger
>
>"I criticize by creation, not by finding fault" -Cicero
>
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>Ventures HO!
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This message is from ENTREP which is sponsored by the Entrepreneurship Division of the Academy of Management.
Please do not post messages with attached files. Commercial messages or spammed messages are not allowed on the list. The use of auto-responder "out-of-office" messages may also lead to your removal from the list.
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If you have questions or need help, please contact Dr. John Bunch
jbunch@benedictine.edu.
Ventures HO!