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Exploring Entrepreneurial Practices in Higher Education: A Case Study
Abstract
Traditional higher education institutions are undergoing a major transformation that is requiring them to respond to the new demands of a global market economy. These institutions are experiencing challenges from key external environmental forces of globalization and the market economy, as well as key internal forces that are together affecting the traditional paradigm of higher education. The forces examined in this study include government accountability of higher education, the growth of global knowledge, and advanced technology, and the changing public perception of the role of institutions of higher education.
The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of entrepreneurial practices at one Western Canadian traditional university. This case study design examined two specific, entrepreneurial graduate programs (Masters and Doctoral) within a department at this mid-size institution of higher education. In-depth interviews with 16 central and senior administrators, and faculty members provided the bulk of data collected. Secondary data included organizational documents and research literature pertinent to the study's purpose.
This study identified two areas of concern to participants' interviewed - inconsistent policies and practices regarding entrepreneurial innovations, and academic resistance to these entrepreneurial practices. This study appears to indicate that in order for the adoption of entrepreneurial practices and innovations to be successful, clear and consistent policies and guidelines must be in place, and academic resistance addressed.
Submitted by
Susan Cran, Ed.D., Graduate Coordinator
Community Rehabilitation & Disability Studies Program
Dept. of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary
Calgary, Alberta
Email: spcran@ucalgary.ca
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