No abstract

This study examines the relationship between instructional interaction and student persistence among adult students in online courses. A survey research methodology was used to examine the frequency and the method of instructional interaction in online courses, student attitudes regarding instructional interaction, and the reasons online students provide for persisting in, or withdrawing from, online courses. The results indicate that student perceptions regarding the contribution of asynchronous, discussion forum use combined with frequent use of asynchronous discussion account for 26% of the variance in course persistence rates. Consistent with the literature on adult student dropout, the findings identify additional situational and institutional barriers to persistence among students in online courses. The findings suggest that strategies to facilitate student persistence in online courses should address online instructional techniques, faculty development, technology development, and program development.

No abstract

This study utilized the setting of a technology incubator to analyze how nascent entrepreneurs develop and leverage networks to secure resources as part of the venture creation process. Through rigorous qualitative methods, we examined how six medical device entrepreneurs used networks to obtain needed resources, the types of resources pursued and differences among entrepreneurs based on their level of network skill. Our findings illustrate the importance of the incubator in providing both tangible resources (funding, space, equipment) and less tangible but equally important resources (credibility, relationships, access to networks). Initial findings suggest that differences in the level of an entrepreneurs' network skill relate to the development, but not necessarily the success, of the venture.RéSUMé. Cette étude examine la façon dont les nouveaux entrepreneurs établissent et tirent parti des réseaux pour obtenir des ressources dans le cadre du processus de création de l'entreprise dans le contexte d'un incubateur de technologie. En faisant appel à de rigoureuses méthodes qualitatives, les auteurs ont examiné la façon dont six entrepreneurs dans le domaine du matériel médical ont tiré parti de réseaux pour obtenir les ressources nécessai-res, les genres de ressources recherchées, et les différences entre les entrepreneurs selon leur degré d'habileté de réseautage. Les résultats obtenus révèlent l'importance de l'incubateur dans l'obtention de ressources tangibles (financement, locaux, équipement) ainsi que de ressources moins tangibles, mais tout aussi importantes (crédibi-lité, relations, accès à des réseaux). Les résultats préliminaires indiquent que le degré d'habileté de réseautage est lié au développement, mais non à la réussite, de l'entreprise.

Research Summary: As a firm-level attribute, entrepreneurial orientation (EO)'s beneficial relationship to firm performance has been established in the corporate sector; however, its implications in other sectors including university settings remain a rather underexplored area. Based on a sample of 107 universities in the United States, we examine the impact of EO on a wide range of university performance measures from commercialization of intellectual property to more comprehensive university performance metrics. Our findings underscore the critical importance of EO in the context of universities and also reveal the moderation effects of university characteristics such as size and the presence of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) focus.