Title: Students exploring and experiencing innovation in an entrepreneurship programme

Authors: Peter Van Der Sijde, Annemarie Ridder

Addresses: Dutch Institute for Knowledge Intensive Entrepreneurship, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands. ' Dutch Institute for Knowledge Intensive Entrepreneurship, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands

Abstract: In this paper, we describe the results of a course within the curriculum of the Minor Entrepreneurship programme of the University of Twente. The course Entrepreneurship in SMEs (EiS) focused on a more in-depth study of innovation, company growth and growth models, and networks and cooperation. In 2003, students in this course put their knowledge, skills and creativity to the test in a real-life consultancy assignment. Four locally established organisations were interested to act as project initiators. All were looking for opportunities for market and/or product diversification. The students had to form teams, choose an assignment and prepare a planning. The end product had to be an analysis of the problem and advice on actions or improvements. Ten teams did the assignment. In this paper, the results are discussed in the frame of the characteristics of the assignment and team dynamics. In the final section, we discuss implications for entrepreneurship education.

Keywords: entrepreneurship education; innovation; student consultants; The Netherlands; higher education; universities; SMEs; small and medium sized enterprises; teamwork; company growth; growth models; networks; cooperation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJCEELL.2006.010960

International Journal of Continuing Engineering Education and Life-Long Learning, 2006 Vol.16 No.5, pp.280 - 291

Published online: 21 Sep 2006 *

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