Principals managing entrepreneurship education in schools
Hämäläinen, Minna (2023-06-16)
Väitöskirja
Hämäläinen, Minna
16.06.2023
Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology LUT
Acta Universitatis Lappeenrantaensis
School of Business and Management
School of Business and Management, Kauppatieteet
Kaikki oikeudet pidätetään.
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-335-946-8
https://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-335-946-8
Tiivistelmä
This study contributes to the entrepreneurship literature by providing a comprehensive understanding of principals’ actions when managing entrepreneurship education in their schools.
The aim of the study is addressed through two research questions: 1) how are principals managing entrepreneurship education in schools, and 2) what elements support entrepreneurship education management in schools? Using a quantitative approach, this study investigates those activities which are merely under the authority or responsibility of the principal.
The findings of this thesis suggest that entrepreneurship education management in
schools is not dependent on principals’ personal and professional backgrounds, such as gender, earlier business experience or work experience. Instead of personal background, entrepreneurship education management in schools is more affected by principals’ training in entrepreneurship education and willingness to develop entrepreneurship education activities. Providing principals with models, tools and information about available resources directly affects their efforts to manage entrepreneurship education.
Secondly, this study contributes by highlighting the relevance of context in the principal’s work. That is, school size affects principals’ abilities to guide education development in their schools, thereby managing entrepreneurship education. The empirical results suggest that entrepreneurship education management grows along with the size of the school. The larger the school, the more critical the principal’s role is in managing entrepreneurship education activities at every level. In addition, cooperation with entrepreneurship education stakeholders is also important, especially in larger schools. On the other hand, small schools are more agile in implementing entrepreneurship education, and strong management activities do not have to play so much of a role.
In conclusion, it can be argued that key elements to entrepreneurship education
management in schools are providing entrepreneurship-related knowledge and training for principals and encouraging them to take active roles in developing entrepreneurship education plans and managing implementation and practices.
The aim of the study is addressed through two research questions: 1) how are principals managing entrepreneurship education in schools, and 2) what elements support entrepreneurship education management in schools? Using a quantitative approach, this study investigates those activities which are merely under the authority or responsibility of the principal.
The findings of this thesis suggest that entrepreneurship education management in
schools is not dependent on principals’ personal and professional backgrounds, such as gender, earlier business experience or work experience. Instead of personal background, entrepreneurship education management in schools is more affected by principals’ training in entrepreneurship education and willingness to develop entrepreneurship education activities. Providing principals with models, tools and information about available resources directly affects their efforts to manage entrepreneurship education.
Secondly, this study contributes by highlighting the relevance of context in the principal’s work. That is, school size affects principals’ abilities to guide education development in their schools, thereby managing entrepreneurship education. The empirical results suggest that entrepreneurship education management grows along with the size of the school. The larger the school, the more critical the principal’s role is in managing entrepreneurship education activities at every level. In addition, cooperation with entrepreneurship education stakeholders is also important, especially in larger schools. On the other hand, small schools are more agile in implementing entrepreneurship education, and strong management activities do not have to play so much of a role.
In conclusion, it can be argued that key elements to entrepreneurship education
management in schools are providing entrepreneurship-related knowledge and training for principals and encouraging them to take active roles in developing entrepreneurship education plans and managing implementation and practices.
Kokoelmat
- Väitöskirjat [1037]