Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

The effect of entrepreneurship education in schools on entrepreneurial outcomes: a systematic review

  • Published:
Management Review Quarterly Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study systematically reviewed 21 quantitative and qualitative articles on the effect of entrepreneurship education in schools. We reviewed short-term effects, focusing on the effect of entrepreneurship education on children and adolescents during or right after exposure to it, as well as long-term effects focusing on the effect in later years. We found the impact of entrepreneurship education in schools to be gender and age sensitive: for female and older pupils, entrepreneurship education has a negative effect on entrepreneurship outcomes compared to male and younger pupils. We further found that a positive effect of entrepreneurship education is generally stronger if the programme under investigation is less achievement oriented. We not only contributed to structuring currently fragmented impact research, but we also identified directions for future research and encouraged those designing entrepreneurship education programmes in schools to take into account the heterogeneity of participants.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ajzen I (1987) Attitudes, traits, and actions: dispositional prediction of behavior in personality and social psychology. Adv Exp Soc Psychol 20:1–63

    Google Scholar 

  • Ajzen I (1991) The theory of planned behavior. Organ Behav Hum Decis Process 50(2):179–211. https://doi.org/10.1016/0749-5978(91)90020-T

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ajzen I (2011) The theory of planned behaviour: reactions and reflections. Taylor & Francis, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Alwin DF (1994) Aging, personality, and social change: The stability of individual differences over the adult life span. In: Lerner RM, Perlmutter M, Featherman DL (eds) Life-span development and behavior. Life-span development and behavior. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Inc., Hillsdale, pp 135–185

    Google Scholar 

  • Anderson JR (1982) Acquisition of cognitive skill. Psychol Rev 89(4):369

    Google Scholar 

  • Athayde R (2009) Measuring enterprise potential in young people. Entrep Theory Pract 33(2):481–500. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-6520.2009.00300.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Atienza-Sahuquillo C, Barba-Sánchez V, Matlay H (2016) The development of entrepreneurship at school: the Spanish experience. Educ Train 58(7/8):783–796. https://doi.org/10.1108/et-01-2016-0021

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bae TJ, Qian S, Miao C, Fiet JO (2014) The relationship between entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial intentions: a meta-analytic review. Entrep Theory Pract 38(2):217–254. https://doi.org/10.1111/etap.12095

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bandura A (1989) Regulation of cognitive processes through perceived self-efficacy. Dev Psychol 25(5):729

    Google Scholar 

  • Bennett R (2006) Business lecturers’ perceptions of the nature of entrepreneurship. Int J Entrep Behav Res 12(3):165–188

    Google Scholar 

  • Bergman N, Rosenblatt Z, Erez M, Haan UD (2011) Gender and the effects of an entrepreneurship training programme on entrepreneurial self-efficacy and entrepreneurial knowledge gain. Int J Entrep Small Bus 13(1):38. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJESB.2011.040415

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bijedic T (2013) Unternehmerisch handeln macht Schule: Legitimation, Voraussetzungen und Ergebnisse einer Entrepreneurship Education in der Sekundarstufe II. Zeitschrift für ökonomische Bildung 1:44–72. https://doi.org/10.7808/zfoeb.1.1.63

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blanchflower DG, Oswald AJ (1998) What makes an entrepreneur? J Labor Econ 16(1):26–60

    Google Scholar 

  • Bouncken RB, Gast J, Kraus S, Bogers M (2015) Coopetition: a systematic review, synthesis, and future research directions. RMS 9(3):577–601

    Google Scholar 

  • Boyd NG, Vozikis GS (1994) The influence of self-efficacy on the development of entrepreneurial intentions and actions. Entrep Theory Pract 18(4):63–77

    Google Scholar 

  • Brockhaus RH, Nord WR (1979) An exploration of factors affecting the entrepreneurial decision: personal characteristic vs. environmental conditions. Acad Manag Proc 1:364–368

    Google Scholar 

  • Brunello G, Schlotter M (2011) Non cognitive skills and personality traits: labour market relevance and their development in education & training systems. IZA discussion papers (5743) Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

  • Cárcamo-Solís MDL, Arroyo-López MDP, Alvarez-Castañón LDC, García-López E (2017) Developing entrepreneurship in primary schools. The Mexican experience of “My first enterprise: entrepreneurship by playing”. Teach Teach Educ 64:291–304. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2017.02.013

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carter NM, Gartner WB, Shaver KG, Gatewood EJ (2003) The career reasons of nascent entrepreneurs. J Bus Ventur 18(1):13–39. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0883-9026(02)00078-2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cheung CK (2008) Practicing entrepreneurship education for secondary pupils through the operation of a new year stall in Hong Kong. Asia-Pac Educ Res 17(1):15–32

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen L, Manion L, Morrison K (2002) Research methods in education. Routledge, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Corbett AC (2005) Experiential learning within the process of opportunity identification and exploitation. Entrep Theory Pract 29(4):473–491. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-6520.2005.00094.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cruz NM, Rodriguez Escudero AI, Hernangomez Barahona J, Saboia Leitao F (2009) The effect of entrepreneurship education programmes on satisfaction with innovation behaviour and performance. J Eur Ind Train 33(3):198–214

    Google Scholar 

  • Cunha F, Heckman J (2007) The technology of skill formation. Am Econ Rev 97(2):31–47. https://doi.org/10.1257/aer.97.2.31

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cunha F, Heckman JJ, Schennach SM (2010) Estimating the technology of cognitive and noncognitive skill formation. Econometrica 78(3):883–931. https://doi.org/10.3982/ECTA6551

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dainow R (1986) Training and education of entrepreneurs: the current state of the literature. J Small Bus Entrep 3(4):10–23. https://doi.org/10.1080/08276331.1986.10600245

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Do Paço A, Palinhas M (2011) Teaching entrepreneurship to children: a case study. J Vocat Educ Train 63(4):593–608

    Google Scholar 

  • Do Paço A, Ferreira JM, Raposo M, Rodrigues RG, Dinis A (2015) Entrepreneurial intentions: is education enough? Int Entrep Manag J 11(1):57–75

    Google Scholar 

  • Drnovšek M, Wincent J, Cardon MS (2010) Entrepreneurial self-efficacy and business start-up: developing a multi-dimensional definition. Int J Entrep Behav Res 16(4):329–348

    Google Scholar 

  • Eagly AH, Steffen VJ (1984) Gender stereotypes stem from the distribution of women and men into social roles. J Pers Soc Psychol 46(4):735

    Google Scholar 

  • Elert N, Andersson FW, Wennberg K (2015) The impact of entrepreneurship education in high school on long-term entrepreneurial performance. J Econ Behav Organ 111:209–223. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jebo.2014.12.020

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Elfving J (2009) Contextualizing entrepreneurial intentions: a multiple case study on entrepreneurial cognition and perception. Åbo Akad, University Press, Turku

    Google Scholar 

  • Elfving J, Brännback M, Carsrud A (2009) Toward a contextual model of entrepreneurial intentions. In: Carsrud AL, Brännback M (eds) Understanding the entrepreneurial mind. Springer, New York, pp 23–33

    Google Scholar 

  • Falck O, Heblich S, Luedemann E (2012) Identity and entrepreneurship: do school peers shape entrepreneurial intentions? Small Bus Econ 39(1):39–59. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11187-010-9292-5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fayolle A, Gailly B (2015) The impact of entrepreneurship education on entrepreneurial attitudes and intention: hysteresis and persistence. J Small Bus Manag 53(1):75–93

    Google Scholar 

  • Fitzgerald J (1999) Promoting entrepreneurship among inner-city high school students: does it improve student outcomes? Urban Educ 34(2):155–180

    Google Scholar 

  • Gartner WB (1988) “Who is an entrepreneur?” is the wrong question. Am J Small Bus 12(4):11–32

    Google Scholar 

  • Gneezy U, Niederle M, Rustichini A (2003) Performance in competitive environments: gender differences. Q J Econ 118(3):1049–1074

    Google Scholar 

  • Gorman G, Hanlon D, King W (1997) Some research perspectives on entrepreneurship education, enterprise education and education for small business management: a ten-year literature review. Int Small Bus J 15(3):56–77. https://doi.org/10.1177/0266242697153004

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grammer JK, Coffman JL, Ornstein PA, Morrison FJ (2013) Change over time: conducting longitudinal studies of children’s cognitive development. J Cognit Dev 14(4):515–528. https://doi.org/10.1080/15248372.2013.833925

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guerrero M, Rialp J, Urbano D (2008) The impact of desirability and feasibility on entrepreneurial intentions: a structural equation model. Int Entrep Manag J 4(1):35–50

    Google Scholar 

  • Hannon P (2007) Enterprise for all? The fragility of enterprise provision across England’s HEIs. J Small Bus Enterp Dev 14(2):183–210

    Google Scholar 

  • Herron L, Robinson RB (1993) A structural model of the effects of entrepreneurial characteristics on venture performance. J Bus Ventur 8(3):281–294. https://doi.org/10.1016/0883-9026(93)90032-Z

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huber LR, Sloof R, van Praag M (2014) The effect of early entrepreneurship education: evidence from a field experiment. Eur Econ Rev 72:76–97

    Google Scholar 

  • Hynes B (1996) Entrepreneurship education and training—introducing entrepreneurship into non-business disciplines. J Eur Ind Train 20(8):10–17. https://doi.org/10.1108/03090599610128836

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hytti U, O‘Gorman C (2004) What is “enterprise education”? An analysis of the objectives and methods of enterprise education programmes in four European countries. Educ Train 46(1):11–23. https://doi.org/10.1108/00400910410518188

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johansen V (2013) Entrepreneurship education and start-up activity: a gender perspective. Int J Gend Entrep 5(2):216–231. https://doi.org/10.1108/17566261311328864

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johansen V, Schanke T (2014) Entrepreneurship projects and pupils’ academic performance: a study of Norwegian secondary schools. Eur Educ Res J 13(2):155–166. https://doi.org/10.2304/eerj.2014.13.2.155

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Judge T, Bono J (2001) Relationship of core self-evaluations traits—self-esteem, generalized self-efficacy, locus of control, and emotional stability—with job satisfaction and job performance: a meta-analysis. J Appl Psychol 86(1):80–92

    Google Scholar 

  • Köhn A (2017) The determinants of startup valuation in the venture capital context: a systematic review and avenues for future research. Manag Rev Q 68(1):1–34

    Google Scholar 

  • Kourilsky M, Esfandiari M (1997) Entrepreneurship education and lower socioeconomic black youth: an empirical investigation. Urban Rev 29(3):205–215

    Google Scholar 

  • Kourilsky ML, Walstad WB (1998) Entrepreneurship and female youth: knowledge, attitudes, gender differences, and educational practices. J Bus Ventur 13(1):77–88. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0883-9026(97)00032-3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kourilsky ML, Walstad WB (2002) The early environment and schooling experiences of high-technology entrepreneurs: insights for entrepreneurship education. Int J Entrep Educ 1(1):1–20

    Google Scholar 

  • Krueger N (1993) The impact of prior entrepreneurial exposure on perceptions of new venture feasibility and desirability. Entrep Theory Pract 18(1):5–21

    Google Scholar 

  • Lazar I, Darlington R, Murray H, Royce J, Snipper A, Ramey C (1982) Lasting effects of early education: a report from the consortium for longitudinal studies. Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, i-151

  • Lee SM, Chang D, Lim SB (2005) Impact of entrepreneurship education: a comparative study of the U.S. and Korea. Int Entrep Manag J 1(1):27–43. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11365-005-6674-2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leffler E, Svedberg G (2005) Enterprise learning: a challenge to education? Eur Educ Res J 4(3):219–227. https://doi.org/10.2304/eerj.2005.4.3.6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liñán F, Fayolle A (2015) A systematic literature review on entrepreneurial intentions: citation, thematic analyses, and research agenda. Int Entrep Manag J 11(4):907–933. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11365-015-0356-5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liñán F, Ceresia F, Bernal A (2018) Who intends to enroll in entrepreneurship education? Entrepreneurial self-identity as a precursor. Entrep Educ Pedagogy 1(3):222–242

    Google Scholar 

  • Marques CS, Ferreira JJ, Gomes DN, Gouveia Rodrigues R (2012) Entrepreneurship education: how psychological, demographic and behavioural factors predict the entrepreneurial intention. Educ Train 54(8/9):657–672

    Google Scholar 

  • Martin BC, McNally JJ, Kay MJ (2013) Examining the formation of human capital in entrepreneurship: a meta-analysis of entrepreneurship education outcomes. J Bus Ventur 28(2):211–224. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusvent.2012.03.002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Matlay H, Frank H, Korunka C, Lueger M, Mugler J (2005) Entrepreneurial orientation and education in Austrian secondary schools. J Small Bus Enterp Dev 12(2):259–273. https://doi.org/10.1108/14626000510594647

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McClelland D (1965) N achievement and entrepreneurship: a longitudinal study. J Pers Soc Psychol 1(4):389–392

    Google Scholar 

  • Menzies TV, Paradi JC (2002) Encouraging technology-based ventures: entrepreneurship education and engineering graduates. N Engl J Entrep 5(2):57–64

    Google Scholar 

  • Moberg K (2014) Two approaches to entrepreneurship education: the different effects of education for and through entrepreneurship at the lower secondary level. Int J Manag Educ 12(3):512–528. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijme.2014.05.002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mueller SL, Thomas AS (2001) Culture and entrepreneurial potential: a nine country study of locus of control and innovativeness. J Bus Ventur 16(1):51–75. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0883-9026(99)00039-7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mwasalwiba E (2010) Entrepreneurship education: a review of its objectives, teaching methods, and impact indicators. Educ Train 52(1):20–47. https://doi.org/10.1108/00400911011017663

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Obschonka M (2016) Adolescent pathways to entrepreneurship. Child Dev Perspect 10(3):196–201

    Google Scholar 

  • Obschonka M, Silbereisen RK, Schmitt-Rodermund E (2010) Entrepreneurial intention as developmental outcome. J Vocat Behav 77(1):63–72. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2010.02.008

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Obschonka M, Silbereisen RK, Schmitt-Rodermund E (2011) Successful entrepreneurship as developmental outcome. Eur Psychol 16(3):174–186. https://doi.org/10.1027/1016-9040/a000075

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • O’Connor A (2013) A conceptual framework for entrepreneurship education policy: meeting government and economic purposes. J Bus Ventur 28(4):546–563. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusvent.2012.07.003

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oosterbeek H, van Praag M, Ijsselstein A (2010) The impact of entrepreneurship education on entrepreneurship skills and motivation. Eur Econ Rev 54(3):442–454. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.euroecorev.2009.08.002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peterman NE, Kennedy J (2003) Enterprise education: influencing students’ perceptions of entrepreneurship. Entrep Theory Pract 28(2):129–144. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1540-6520.2003.00035.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ronstadt R, Vesper KH, McMullan WE (1988) Entrepreneurship: today courses, tomorrow degrees? Entrep Theory Pract 13(1):7–13

    Google Scholar 

  • Sánchez JC (2013) The impact of an entrepreneurship education program on entrepreneurial competencies and intention. J Small Bus Manag 51(3):447–465. https://doi.org/10.1111/jsbm.12025

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schmitt-Rodermund E (2004) Pathways to successful entrepreneurship: parenting, personality, early entrepreneurial competence, and interests. J Vocat Behav 65(3):498–518. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2003.10.007

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schmitt-Rodermund E, Vondracek FW (2002) Occupational dreams, choices and aspirations: adolescents’ entrepreneurial prospects and orientations. J Adolesc 25(1):65–78. https://doi.org/10.1006/jado.2001.0449

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schoon I, Duckworth K (2012) Who becomes an entrepreneur? Early life experiences as predictors of entrepreneurship. Dev Psychol 48(6):1719–1726. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0029168

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schröder E, Schmitt-Rodermund E (2006) Crystallizing enterprising interests among adolescents through a career development program: the role of personality and family background. J Vocat Behav 69(3):494–509. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2006.05.004

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schröder E, Schmitt-Rodermund E, Arnaud N (2011) Career choice intentions of adolescents with a family business background. Fam Bus Rev 24(4):305–321. https://doi.org/10.1177/0894486511416977

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shapero A (1975) The displaced, uncomfortable entrepreneur. Psychol Today 9:83–133

    Google Scholar 

  • Shapero A, Sokol L (1982) The social dimensions of entrepreneurship. In: Kent CA, Sexton DL, Vesper KH (eds) Encyclopedia of entrepreneurship. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, pp 72–90

    Google Scholar 

  • Sobel RS, King KA (2008) Does school choice increase the rate of youth entrepreneurship? Econ Educ Rev 27(4):429–438. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econedurev.2007.01.005

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Souitaris V, Zerbinati S, Al-Laham A (2007) Do entrepreneurship programmes raise entrepreneurial intention of science and engineering students? The effect of learning, inspiration and resources. J Bus Ventur 22(4):566–591

    Google Scholar 

  • Terjesen S, Willis A (2016) Experimental economics and business education: an interview with Nobel Laureate Vernon Lomax Smith. Small Bus Econ 47(1):261–275. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11187-016-9726-9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thompson P, Kwong C (2016) Compulsory school-based enterprise education as a gateway to an entrepreneurial career. Int Small Bus J 34(6):838–869. https://doi.org/10.1177/0266242615592186

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tranfield D, Denyer D, Smart P (2003) Towards a methodology for developing evidence-informed management knowledge by means of systematic review. Br J Manag 14(3):207–222

    Google Scholar 

  • Vansteenkiste M, Deci EL (2003) Competitively contingent rewards and intrinsic motivation: can losers remain motivated? Motiv Emot 27(4):273–299

    Google Scholar 

  • Vesper KH, Gartner WB (1997) Measuring progress in entrepreneurship education. J Bus Ventur 12(5):403–421

    Google Scholar 

  • Volery T, Müller S, Oser F, Naepflin C, del Rey N (2013) The impact of entrepreneurship education on human capital at upper-secondary level. J Small Bus Manag 51(3):429–446. https://doi.org/10.1111/jsbm.12020

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Von Graevenitz G, Harhoff D, Weber R (2010) The effects of entrepreneurship education. J Econ Behav Organ 76(1):90–112

    Google Scholar 

  • Wai Mui YC, Wing Yan Man T (2007) The sustainability of enterprise education: a case study in Hong Kong. Educ Train 49(2):138–152. https://doi.org/10.1108/00400910710739496

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walter SG, Block JH (2016) Outcomes of entrepreneurship education: an institutional perspective. J Bus Ventur 31(2):216–233

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang Y, Chiew V (2010) On the cognitive process of human problem solving. Cogn Syst Res 11(1):81–92. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cogsys.2008.08.003

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Webster J, Watson RT (2002) Analyzing the past to prepare for the future: writing a literature review. MIS Q 26(2):xiii

    Google Scholar 

  • Willms JD (2003) Student engagement at school: a sense of belonging and participation (results from PISA 2000). Organisation for Economic Co-operative and Development

  • Wilson F, Kickul J, Marlino D (2007) Gender, entrepreneurial self-efficacy, and entrepreneurial career intentions: implications for entrepreneurship education. Entrep Theory Pract 31(3):387–406. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-6520.2007.00179.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wright M, Robbie K, Ennew C (1997) Venture capitalists and serial entrepreneurs. J Bus Ventur 12(3):227–249. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0883-9026(96)06115-0

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Entrepreneurship and Finance, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Universitätsstr. 1, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany

    Natalie Brüne & Eva Lutz

Authors
  1. Natalie Brüne
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Eva Lutz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Natalie Brüne.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Brüne, N., Lutz, E. The effect of entrepreneurship education in schools on entrepreneurial outcomes: a systematic review. Manag Rev Q 70, 275–305 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11301-019-00168-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11301-019-00168-3

Keywords

JEL Classification

Search

Navigation