Title: 'Is entrepreneurship for me, too?': investigating the efficacy of enterprise education in the creative industries in the United Arab Emirates

Authors: Naveed Yasin; Aidin Salamzadeh; Imran Anwar; Muhammad Haroon Rashid; Gayatri Nair; Marc Poulin; Raihan Taqui Syed

Addresses: Abu Dhabi School of Management, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates ' College of Management, University of Tehran, Tehran 1411713114, Iran ' Faculty of Management, Sir Padampat Singhania University, India ' Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China ' Canadian University Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates ' Abu Dhabi School of Management, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates ' United Arab Emirates University, United Arab Emirates

Abstract: This study employed a mixed-methods approach to assess the impact of entrepreneurship education on students in three distinct pathways - media business (MB), interior design (ID), and communications (COM) - within a creative industries program at a higher education institution (HEI) in the UAE, spanning January 2022 to February 2023. The PERI model, combined with template analysis, served as the analytical framework. Results from the t-test revealed significant improvement across all five enterprising characteristics from pre- to post-program, with the most notable gains in 'risk-taking' and the least in 'creativity'. Template analysis provided additional insights, capturing students' diverse experiences and the perceived value of the enterprising traits. Students reflected on the course's impact through their preferences, experiences, recommendations, and impressions, highlighting the varied efficacy of enterprise education interventions in fostering key entrepreneurial characteristics.

Keywords: enterprise education; entrepreneurial characteristics; creative industries; UAE economy; experiential learning; higher education institution; HEI; United Arab Emirates.

DOI: 10.1504/IJESB.2026.152257

International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 2026 Vol.57 No.4, pp.477 - 501

Received: 26 Sep 2024
Accepted: 06 Nov 2024
Published online: 13 Mar 2026 *

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