Fostering an entrepreneurial mindset by using a design thinking approach in entrepreneurship education

Abstract

Entrepreneurship education has generated considerable interest in recent decades, largely attributable to the evidence of the positive impact of small and medium-sized enterprises on economic growth, job creation, innovation and wealth generation. Since the first entrepreneurship course was held in 1947 at Harvard University, countless courses and programmes have been developed and implemented throughout the world. Nevertheless, there is still much discussion about the scope, objectives and methodologies that are most appropriate for the promotion of an entrepreneurial mindset. This article addresses the suitability of ‘design thinking’ as a teaching approach in entrepreneurship education by using case study research methodology. During the academic year 2012/13, a new one-semester curricular unit was offered to 66 undergraduate students across five courses, using a teaching methodology adapted from the design thinking process. Students’ assessments of the unit were elicited through a questionnaire at the end of the semester. The findings suggest that design thinking had a positive influence on their motivation and their satisfaction with their overall performance.