Bending Moments to Business Models: Integrating an Entrepreneurship Case Study as Part of Core Mechanical Engineering Curriculum

Abstract

This is a pilot study of an instructional technique that teaches important solid mechanics concepts within the context of an entrepreneurship case study and lab. Students were tested preand-post the case study/lab experiences to determine changes in engineering and entrepreneurial content knowledge, entrepreneurial self-efficacy and career intent. Results show that students can increase their knowledge of targeted entrepreneurship concepts without diminishment of learning core engineering concepts. While the case study experience did not significantly change entrepreneurial career intentions it did grow students' perceived entrepreneurial self-efficacy (as measured by confidence in business skills), which can be a precursor to changing career intent. The case study experience also appealed to a broad spectrum of students with career interests ranging from working for a start-up to working for an established global business. The implications of entrepreneurial case study instruction are discussed.

Entrepreneurial Motivations for High-Interest Students

“…Entrepreneurial education is increasingly being recognized as aligning with the goals of engineering education (Duval-Couetil, Kisenwether, Tranquillo, & Wheadon, 2015), and is emerging as a trend in engineering education across America (Green, Smith, & Warner, 2012;Schar, Sheppard, Brunhaver, Cuson, & Grau, 2014;Tryggvason, Schaufeld, & Banks, 2010;Weaver & Rayess, 2010;Wheadon & Duval-Couetil, 2014). Many authors have focused on the implementation of new approaches to teaching engineers to participate in entrepreneurship.…”

Fostering Institutional Change in Innovation and Entrepreneurship: A Social Network Analysis Approach

“…Faculty champions across the U.S. have integrated I&E into engineering education in a number of ways 2 including through the development of extra-curricular offerings 12 , the design of makerspaces 13 , integration into existing courses 14 , as well as through the design of specialized courses and programs 15 . However, although faculty have long worked on integrating I&E into engineering, these individualized efforts have not resulted in lasting and widespread change 1 .…”

Developing Practice Fields for Interdisciplinary Design and Entrepreneurship Exposure

“…Schar, Sheppard, Brunhaver, Cuson, and Grau (2013), discovered that integrating entrepreneurship case studies in a mechanical engineering class would increase entrepreneurial self-efficacy and not diminish engineering skills, but does not necessary increase interest in pursing entrepreneurship as a career. Other universities have expanded entrepreneurial activity to included students from diverse disciplines (Boni, Weingart, & Evenson, 2009;Cobb, Agogino, Beckman, & Speer, 2008).…”