Since economic uncertainties continue to exist worldwide following the global financial crisis, economic revitalization through entrepreneurship has become an extremely important subject of discussion. Entrepreneurship became a slogan for personal, o...
Since economic uncertainties continue to exist worldwide following the global financial crisis, economic revitalization through entrepreneurship has become an extremely important subject of discussion. Entrepreneurship became a slogan for personal, organizational and national success, and it has become a significant topic of discussion among policy makers, educators and business persons. Entrepreneurship resulting from systematic education has become an alternative means of resolving the high unemployment caused by the global economic downturn. Keeping pace with these environmental changes, a greater number of universities are establishing entrepreneurship courses. However, since the introduction of an entrepreneurship curriculum is still being formulated, the shortage of professors and effective teaching materials limits the program’s effectiveness. Universities that conduct systematic entrepreneurship education will graduate potential entrepreneurs and promote the development of related learning.
Considering the immaturity of entrepreneurship education, this study proposes a model for the development of a mixed-methodology that addresses entrepreneurship knowledge and skill, subject details systems, and entrepreneurship curriculum development model. The details and scope of major research carried out in this study are summarized as follows.
First, considering that this study is being conducted during the initial phase of introducing entrepreneurship, it attempts to establish the core concepts of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurs and the scientific identity of entrepreneurship.
Second, this study develops and uses questionnaires to uncover the details of entrepreneurship education based on preceding studies, and conducts Delphi surveys after selecting a group of researchers lecturing on subjects related with entrepreneurship at universities and a group of executives in entrepreneurship consulting as the two focus groups in determining the master curriculum of entrepreneurship. The study derives entrepreneurship knowledge and skill factors needed in the entrepreneurship education of universities through Delphi surveys, telephone and qualitative interviews, and develops AHP questionnaires that assess the importance of each factor. The Delphi surveys are then conducted on the above-said two groups using the developed questionnaires. The results of this study derive relative importance of the main category and the entrepreneurship knowledge and skill factors, the sub-factors of each area.
Third, this study develops questionnaires to deduce entrepreneurship subjects based on preceding research, and conducts Delphi surveys on the two focus groups equal to the respondents to the questions regarding the details of subjects. The results of this study present common primary courses, compulsory, and optional major courses needed to design the entrepreneurship course curriculum of universities.
Fourth, this study presents general curriculum development models and entrepreneurship curriculums through the use of the results of the above-said Delphi surveys. This study is composed of an initial curriculum development phase, curriculum development direction establishing and organizing phase, and the curriculum development and application phase. The proposed model provides a foundation where the curriculums and subjects needed for the entrepreneurship education at universities can be systematically designed.
Fifth, to systemize entrepreneurship education at universities, this study proposes that this study be linked with the entrepreneurship education provided by high schools, graduate schools, and social educational systems.
This study proposes a model for developing school subjects, entrepreneurship subject system, and the entrepreneurship curriculums needed for the systemization of a university’s entrepreneurship education. In doing so, this study will contribute to the creation of a framework needed for the scientific development of the entrepreneurship program which is still in the initial introduction phase. In addition, this study will provide practical suggestions on the design of curriculums linked with the schools’ strategy directions when the university establishes entrepreneurship subjects and opens a major course in entrepreneurship in the future.