Your search found 35 results.

Descriptors:
Business Skills; Entrepreneurship; Experiential Learning; Older Adults; Self Employment; Small Businesses

Abstract:
Researchers are finding that older entrepreneurs are an increasing population in many Western countries. It is important to distinguish between entrepreneurs who have simply reached the age of 50 versus those who start up businesses after this age. The latter group is of particular interest because these people have presumably never faced the trials of entrepreneurship before and are. therefore, in a more challenging and unique position. This digest discusses the characteristics of older entrepreneurs and considers the benefits and challenges for older entrepreneurs. (BT) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

Related Items: Show Related Items

Full-Text Availability Options:

 ERIC Full Text (141K)

Descriptors:
American Dream; Cultural Context; Entrepreneurship; Immigrants; Korean Americans; Korean Culture; Self Employment; Small Businesses

Abstract:
For many Korean Americans, the American dream of building a better future in the United States for their families is realized through a focus on entrepreneurship. Their formula for entrepreneurial success is simple and effective: (1) identifying a business opportunity; and (2) working hard to turn the opportunity into a business success. Korean Americans often see opportunity where others do not, and they show unwavering perseverance, even in the face of adversity. This digest discusses Korean-American entrepreneurs within the context of their unique culture. The Digest states that Korean Americans' devotion to family plays an integral role for the success of the entrepreneur, and pinpoints their emphasis on education as another important aspect of Korean immigrants and entrepreneurs. It finds that most Korean businesses are small (typically green grocers, dry cleaners, fish markets, delicatessens, and nail salons) and operated by a husband and wife in tandem, working more than 12 hours a day, 6 or 7 days a week. The digest also discusses some obstacles facing Korean-American entrepreneurs in developing businesses. (BT) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

Related Items: Show Related Items

Full-Text Availability Options:

 ERIC Full Text (148K)

Descriptors:
Definitions; Dual Career Family; Employed Parents; Employment Patterns; Employment Problems; Entrepreneurship; Family Financial Resources; Family Life; Family Work Relationship; Flexible Working Hours; Foreign Countries; National Surveys; Role Conflict; Self Employment; Small Businesses; Spouses; Trend Analysis; Work Environment

Abstract:
The trend of couples starting their own businesses and partnering in self-employment ventures has been dubbed "copreneurship." Copreneurship is the fastest-growing segment of family-based businesses. Husband-and-wife teams constitute the most visible and most researched category of copreneurs. According to a 1997 study, 30% of family businesses were run by copreneurs. Compared with conventional dual-earning couples, copreneurs tend to be older, more likely to live in suburban or rural areas, and more highly educated. Like other self-employed individuals, copreneurs have more flexibility in setting their own schedules, which provides distinct advantages in many aspects of personal and family life. However, copreneurs tend to work more hours than other couples, and like other entrepreneurs, they have less security than workers in typical corporate or salaried jobs--especially since both partners are self-employed. Perhaps the most difficult issue for copreneurs is contending with pursuing the concurrent life goals of running a successful business and maintaining successful relationships. Although it is males who most often assume the leading role in copreneurial ventures, increasing numbers of women are assuming the leading role. The number of copreneurs is poised to rise even higher as more people strive for greater flexibility in managing work and family, increased jobs satisfaction, and more personal time. (MN) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

Related Items: Show Related Items

Full-Text Availability Options:

 ERIC Full Text (149K)

Descriptors:
Business Administration; Business Education; Competition; Graduate Students; Graduate Study; Higher Education; Masters Programs

Abstract:
This document describes business plan competitions sponsored by universities. The idea began in the early 1980s at the University of Texas when Masters in Business Administration (MBA) students created a friendly competitive activity along the lines of the law schools Moot Court competition. Later the competition became national, and then international, involving students from many universities. Business plan competitions have become so accepted that they are considered rites of passage for MBA candidates. The paper describes competitions at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, New York, and the University of Pennsylvania. Some nonacademic competitions are sponsored by private organizations, including venture capital firms, and there are a few competitions involving students who band together, not under the auspices of any single organization or institution. In all of these competitions, there are benefits to be gained from participating, no matter the outcome, but the financial rewards, especially those that nurture a business, undoubtedly attract many students. (Contains 11 references.) (Author/SLD) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

Related Items: Show Related Items

Full-Text Availability Options:

 ERIC Full Text (150K)

Descriptors:
Developing Nations; Economic Opportunities; Entrepreneurship; Females; Financial Support; Small Businesses

Abstract:
Although many of the 100 million women employed in the developing world are entrepreneurs, they are often unable to become self sufficient or to adequately support their families through entrepreneurship. However, in the past decade, several entities, from microlending banks to United Nations task forces, have intervened to enable women in developing countries become successful entrepreneurs and providers. This digest discusses the challenges and barriers that these women face, as well as some of the positive developments, and considers some of the organizations and entities that work with these female entrepreneurs. The digest notes that, in addition to the economic benefits of women's successful entrepreneurship, there are also social and community benefits. It finds that greater and continued support for entrepreneurial activities is needed to further improve the lives of these women and the condition of their communities. (BT) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

Related Items: Show Related Items

Full-Text Availability Options:

 ERIC Full Text (147K)

Descriptors:
Business Administration; Business Education; Curriculum Design; Curriculum Development; Elementary Secondary Education; Entrepreneurship; Higher Education

Abstract:
This digest discusses curricula for entrepreneurship education in K-12 and higher education and reviews a sampling of courses at each level. In the entrepreneurship curriculum, texts are aimed at giving only the necessary information, and worksheets are used to help students focus on how they would develop their own businesses. Students gain hands-on experience in creating a business in either a simulated environment or in the real marketplace. In elementary and middle schools, entrepreneurship is often integrated into curricula as a social studies unit; in high school, a business education unit. This digest lists several programs for the K-12 environment, including The New Youth Entrepreneur, PACE (Program for Acquiring Competence in Entrepreneurship), and Own the Place. It also discusses curricula and specific programs for at-risk youth. In the higher education environment, university professors and community college instructors have developed a variety of curricula for entrepreneurship, covering such topics as: concept of entrepreneurship, the characteristics of entrepreneurs, the value of entrepreneurship, building a business, developing an idea, and managing a business. Textbook sources for the college classroom are also presented. (JA) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

Related Items: Show Related Items

Full-Text Availability Options:

 ERIC Full Text (167K)

Descriptors:
Business Education; Community Colleges; Course Content; Curriculum; Curriculum Development; Definitions; Educational Needs; Educational Objectives; Entrepreneurship; Guidelines; High Schools; Higher Education; Marketing; Research Utilization; Teaching Guides; Two Year Colleges; Universities

Abstract:
Entrepreneurship education is a growing field in university business schools, community colleges, and public schools. According to the literature, business education focuses on running a business whereas entrepreneurship education focuses on the skills needed to conceive of and start up a brand new business venture. The necessary components of entrepreneurship education may be categorized as follows: opportunity recognition; the marshaling and commitment of resources; and the creation of an operating business organization. The following topics have been suggested for inclusion in the entrepreneurship education curriculum: defining entrepreneurship; completing a self-assessment; creating an idea; developing a business plan; running a business; and environmental, political, and international issues. Recommended curricular goals of entrepreneurship education are as follows: (1) learn to develop ideas (learning to research opportunities, researching customer insights, understanding market needs, conducting a self-assessment of personal creativity, conducting a feasibility study, and identifying various business entry strategies); (2) prepare to start a business (by assessing personal resources and finances, researching and evaluating the risks necessary to get started, writing a working business plan, and approaching others for money and resources); and (3) build a viable business (by learning to allocate resources, using various marketing strategies, and managing money and personnel). (MN) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

Related Items: Show Related Items

Full-Text Availability Options:

 ERIC Full Text (121K)

Descriptors:
Business Education; Creativity; Entrepreneurship; Graduate Students; Higher Education; Program Implementation

Abstract:
The rapid rise in entrepreneurship programs and centers has been fueled by unprecedented student demand, and the popularity of entrepreneurship courses is outstripping the supply in programs across the United States. Entrepreneurship education has been criticized as a fad by some, but it appears to have established a firm beachhead in higher education. Entrepreneurial education emphasizes imagination, creativity, and risk-taking, and traditional business programs have come under increased criticism for failing to be relevant to the needs of the changing business environment. Data on the success of entrepreneurial education programs are still very preliminary, but graduate schools continue to build programs and conduct research to foster entrepreneurial education. (SLD) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

Related Items: Show Related Items

Full-Text Availability Options:

 ERIC Full Text (145K)

Descriptors:
Corporate Support; Educational Finance; Educational Research; Entrepreneurship; Financial Support; Foreign Countries; Government School Relationship; Higher Education; Institutional Characteristics; Institutional Role; Linking Agents; Partnerships in Education; Privatization; Research and Development Centers; Research Utilization; School Business Relationship; Universities

Abstract:
This digest examines some of the literature on entrepreneurial arrangements within academic institutions--arrangements that often mirror the conflicted town/gown attitude between small cities and the institutions of higher education located within their limits. The main reason cited for the involvement of higher education institutions in commercial endeavors is decreasing financing for higher education, but the report notes Derek Bok's caution that efforts to turn university activities into revenue may change the institution's image and force it to sacrifice its most essential academic values. The report notes two studies of Australian universities where the success of the entrepreneurial arrangement led to status bifurcation within academic units. Also noted is a study conducted of a Canadian project to accelerate college entrepreneurship which resulted in the ideas of competition becoming more firmly embedded in the thinking of Canadian governmental and educational leaders. Other studies note the need for a balance between business demands and academic values and the concern that university-corporate ties may diminish the objectivity of university research. In summarizing a study of European entrepreneurial universities, the report notes that while entrepreneurial activity can increase institutional autonomy, diversify income, and reduce dependence on government, it may also lead to fragmentation of academic goals and institutional purpose. (Contains 7 references.) (JM) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

Related Items: Show Related Items

Full-Text Availability Options:

 ERIC Full Text (119K)

Descriptors:
Corporate Support; Educational Finance; Educational Research; Higher Education; Innovation; Linking Agents; Partnerships in Education; Private Financial Support; Privatization; Research and Development Centers; Research Utilization; School Business Relationship; Technology Transfer; Universities

Abstract:
This digest examines some of the literature on technology transfer in the context of higher education, noting that the practice of capitalizing on academic research for commercial purposes has the potential to generate financial resources for the participating institutions of higher education. Several examples of technology transfer are cited, including initiatives at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology such as the university's Leaders in Manufacturing program and its Industrial Liaison Program, with a membership that includes more than 300 companies. Another partnership cited involves the Washington University Medical School (Missouri) and the Monsanto Company, which seeks new discoveries relating to the health field. Critics of technology transfer claim that the practice goes against the four norms characteristic of the practice of science cited by Robert Merton: namely, universalism (shared scientific ideas), communism (collective ownership of knowledge), disinterestedness in personal gain, and organized skepticism (independent validation), and suggests that successful practice of technology transfer must take these values into account, as well as the ethical issues and financial and research gains. (Contains 7 references.) (JM) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

Related Items: Show Related Items

Full-Text Availability Options:

 ERIC Full Text (133K)