Introducing Team Learning in a Developing Economy: Students’ Experiences of Experiential Entrepreneurship Education in Namibia

Riitta-Liisa Arpiainen () and Päivi Tynjälä ()
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Riitta-Liisa Arpiainen: Tampere University of Applied Sciences and Aalto University, Business School, Finland
Päivi Tynjälä: University of Jyväskylä, Finland

Journal of Enterprising Culture (JEC), 2017, vol. 25, issue 02, 179-210

Abstract: Entrepreneurship is considered to be a driving force behind nations’ economic development, and entrepreneurship education’s role is essential in shaping entrepreneurial attitudes, skills and culture. The objective of this study was to investigate students’ experiences of entrepreneurship education in a developing economy, especially as regards learning in and through teams. The research project was conducted in Namibia, where the challenges to breaking out of poverty are huge. Methodologically, the study was based on qualitative thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews (2009–2014) of higher education students (N=13) taking part in an action-based, experiential entrepreneurship programme. In the analysis of students’ teamwork experiences, five main themes related to learning in and through teams emerged — the first three relating to individuals, the fourth to the team, and the fifth to wider social relations: (i) psychological safety, (ii) tolerance of uncertainty, (iii) strengthening of self-efficacy, (iv) strengthening of team-efficacy, and (v) understanding of others and other cultures. The outcomes may be utilised in establishing, developing and planning similar entrepreneurship education programmes across different cultural settings in developing economies.

Keywords: Team; learning environment; experiential entrepreneurship education; developing economies (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
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DOI: 10.1142/S0218495817500078

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