Title: Company visits as an opportunity for entrepreneurial learning

Authors: Kaarina Sommarström; Elena Ruskovaara; Timo Pihkala

Addresses: Lappeenranta University of Technology (LUT), Sepetlahdentie 7 A 15, 02230 Espoo, Finland ' Lappeenranta University of Technology, PL 20, 53851 Lappeenranta, Finland ' Lappeenranta University of Technology, Saimaankatu 11, 15140 Lahti, Finland

Abstract: The research field of entrepreneurship education has emerged rapidly. However, there is a lack of knowledge regarding the organisation of company visits. Especially, the utilisation of companies to expand the learning environment has been largely dismissed. This study examines company visits as an opportunity for entrepreneurial learning in compulsory education. The empirical part of this study considers five cases. The informants are teachers in compulsory education. The findings show that company visits are a broader concept than previous literature suggests, and depending on the way the visits are organised, they create very different learning possibilities. The cases indicate that teachers willingly cooperate with companies, although organising company visits remains a challenge. The findings highlight the positive effects of school-company cooperation, and especially the cases where students implement the process to create significant potential for entrepreneurial learning.

Keywords: company visits; compulsory education; entrepreneurial learning; entrepreneurship education; school-enterprise cooperation; entrepreneurial learning environment.

DOI: 10.1504/JIBED.2017.085505

Journal for International Business and Entrepreneurship Development, 2017 Vol.10 No.3, pp.298 - 315

Received: 30 Aug 2016
Accepted: 09 Dec 2016
Published online: 28 Jul 2017 *

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