Social Entrepreneurship Education and Its Association with Perceived Desirability and Feasibility of Social Entrepreneurship among Business Students / Obrazovanje za socijalno poduzetništvo i njegova povezanost s percepcijom poželjnosti i izvodljivosti so

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the association between social entrepreneurship education and experience in prosocial behaviour on the one hand and the perceived desirability and feasibility of social entrepreneurship among business students on the other. A sample consisting of business students was selected bearing in mind the possible implications of this study on business education curricula. The sample included 512 soon-to-graduate business students from five countries: Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Slovenia and The Former Yugoslav Republic (FYR) of Macedonia. Our results indicate a statistically significant positive association between the "know what" component of social entrepreneurship education and both the desirability and the feasibility of social entrepreneurship. The "know how" component of social entrepreneurship education is statistically significantly positively associated with the feasibility of social entrepreneurship. Experience in prosocial behaviour has a statistically significant positive association with both the desirability and the feasibility of social entrepreneurship. Our results suggest that social entrepreneurship education programmes should include gaining some experience in volunteering, activism and making donations. These activities focus students' attention on social problems and empower them to find proper solutions.

A systematic literature review of the influence of the university’s environment and support system on the precursors of social entrepreneurial intention of students

“…The traditional way in which universities may affect the SEI of students is through the offering of social entrepreneurship education programs. The impact of social entrepreneurship education programs on the precursors of the SEI of students has been the subject of several studies in the past (Adelekan et al, 2018;Hockerts, 2017;Kedmenec et al, 2017;Kwong et al, 2012;Piperopoulos & Dimov, 2015;Smith & Woodworth, 2012;Tshikovhi & Shambare, 2015). The investigation of other aspects of the university's ESS such as business incubation and spin-offs (Chiesa & Piccaluga, 2000;Hughes, Ireland, & Morgan, 2007;Markuerkiaga, Caiazza, Igartua, & Errasti, 2016;Mian, 1996Mian, , 1997, technology transfer mechanisms (Bray & Lee, 2000;Etzkowitz, 2003;Poole & Robertson, 2003), university venture funds (Lerner, 2004) and mentoring and networking (Nielsen & Lassen, 2012) are less common in the literature to date.…”

“…This process revealed that no previous researcher has considered the SEI of students as influenced by the university's ESS per se. Some researchers who studied the influence of the university on the SEI of students did so in relation to the effect of social entrepreneurship education (Adelekan, Williamson, & Atiku, 2018;Kedmenec, Rebernik, & Tominc, 2017;Kwong, Thompson, & Cheung, 2012;Piperopoulos & Dimov, 2015;Smith & Woodworth, 2012;Tshikovhi & Shambare, 2015). Thus, the authors modified the inclusion criteria to contain articles that deal with the SEI of students in more general terms.…”

“…Yes Kedmenec et al (2017) "Business students who engage in social entrepreneurship education perceive social entrepreneurship as more desirable. "…”

“…To the best of the authors' knowledge, no previous study has considered the SEI of students as influenced by the university's ESS. Some researchers studied the influence of the university on the SEI of students in relation to social entrepreneurship education (Adelekan et al, 2018;Kedmenec et al, 2017;Kwong et al, 2012;Piperopoulos & Dimov, 2015;Smith & Woodworth, 2012;Tshikovhi & Shambare, 2015). Radin, Rahman, Othman and Pihie (2017) found that public university students have a higher potential to become social entrepreneurs as compared to those from private universities.…”

“…Their results also showed that proactive personality did not make a unique contribution to the SEI of students. Kedmenec et al (2017) examined the association between social entrepreneurship education and experience in prosocial behaviour on the one hand, and the perceived desirability and feasibility of social entrepreneurship among business students on the other hand. Their results indicate a significant positive association between the "know what" (awareness) component of social entrepreneurship education and both the desirability and the feasibility of social entrepreneurship.…”