Hi,
Entrepreneurial learning takes place in a context. What are the relevant contextual factors that may affect this learning among entrepreneurs in SMEs?
Hi, very interesting issue, and quite original... maybe you can consider cultural/contextual factors such as entrepreneurs' educational background, relationship with stakeholders, early career experiences. See Murphy, Lambrechts, 2015. I wrote something related to knowledge sharing in business transmission, and how contextual factors affect it
Regards, Filippo
I encourage you to start by reading Wang & Chugh (2014) in the International Journal of Management Reviews. They provide a thorough and systematic review of the Entrepreneurial Learning literature and outline the challenges ahead.
Hi Arif,
Interesting question. You have cultural factors and structural factors for example. Both can be contextual.
Thank you all for your enlightening answers. Prof Filippo Ferrari, I have gone through the paper you mentioned and found it very interesting. Prof. Maris Martinsons I have read that article many times as it is one of the core review article on entrepreneurial learning. I was particularly interested in which contextual factors affect what entrepreneurs learn (i.e. the contents of learning) and how these factors influence the process of learning. Francesca, exactly I am trying to examine what aspects of cultural and structural factors affect the learning.
regards
Hi, I agree with all above answers. However, I would like to stress on 3 very important and decisive factors:
1) The legislation of the country. When we read about entrepreneurship usually we think about western business and legislation. But in an emerging economy the legislation may be quite different. The legislation can stimulate or not developing SMEs.
2) Cultural value and the way people think about future and risk acceptance. There are cultures where education and religion do not encourage making decisions in conditions of uncertainty. Or, learning in SMEs means to have the capability of learning from both success and failure. If people are afraid of assuming risks in making decisions their learning style is missing an important component.
3) Learning usually is considered as a rational process. However, learning is a complex process which integrates rational, emotional and spiritual intelligences and the result of such a process should be found in rational, emotional and spiritual knowledge.
For a new approach to understand organizational learning and organizational knowledge dynamics I suggest the following book I published recently:
Constantin Bratianu (2015). Organizational Knowledge Dynamics: Managing Knowledge Creation, Acquisition, Sharing, and Transformation. IGI Global, Hershey, USA. (I attached a short presentation of the book).
Hi Arif,
There is a vast range of learning types, models, definitions, methodologies and mechanisms. Most concepts of Entrepreneurial Learning are linked to Transfer Performance: the implementation of knowledge and learning into the operations and practices of an organization. Learning for entrepreneurs in educational programs is contingent upon participant intent. According to Cope & Watt learning for entrepreneurs is a behavioural change that is often inspired by the acquisition of knowledge (2000, p. 105). The results of learning can be seen as “increasing confidence in action and improving stock of knowledge” through experimentation and repetition. Learning allows for improved decision-making and can be incremental, adaptive or discontinuous. New ideas, possibilities, and theories formed from existing knowledge are the result of learning. Successful general entrepreneurial learning programs must allow for participants to engage in the type of learning that best suites the context of their business and their preferred approaches.
You may find the following papers interesting:
1. David Deakins, Mark Freel, (1998) "Entrepreneurial learning and the growth process in SMEs", The Learning Organization, Vol. 5 Iss: 3, pp.144 – 155 http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/09696479810223428
2. Effective General Entrepreneurial Learning Programs for SME Development http://digitalcollections.sit.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3942&context=capstones
Thanks,
Bridget
Even after an entrepreneur has successfully launched a venture, implemented business concepts and then grown his venture to maturity, challenges remain in managing the venture in a changing environment.
Entrepreneurs must be therefore in a continuous learning and self management mode. You will find the following paper has good insights on the subject:
Synder, C. A., Manz, C. C. & Laforge, R. W. (1983). "Self-Management? A Key to Entrepreneurial Survival?" American Journal of Small Business, Vol. 8, No. 1, pp. 20-26.
Dear Arif very interesting area to explore particularly in Pakistan. I see one trend here in KP particularly in small businesses that if someone starts a business then many others without understanding the real performance also go for the same type of business and at the end results in the failure. The behavior of people here is quite interesting to study that why they do so.
Moreover, I have observed that no body wants to put their business products online they feel that competitors will look at the prices and will offer the same product with less price.
One another important thing to note is that before joining my own business there was no proper accounting/recording system and I wanted to start it or in other words I wanted to streamline the haphazard financial system of our business and therefore I discussed it with my brother. You will be surprised to hear that he said don't do this as HARIS (working as an employee with us and manage cash related matters) will think that we doubt (CHE MONG PEY SHAK KAO) his sincerity.
Thank you all (Constantin Bratianu, Mita Brahma and Dr. Bridget) for valuable input. Indeed these multiple views will enrich my understanding it will help me a lot during the in-depth interviews. Maulana you seem to be potential participant for my interview. Spare some time please :)
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