Perspectives on Entrepreneurial Learning in a Pre-Incubation Program

Abstract

This era is characterized by an increasingly volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous world as well as changing societies, resulting in a higher frequency of ill-defined wicked societal, economic, and environmental problems. Education must continuously evolve to develop approaches that foster lifelong learning and equip individuals to tackle these challenges effectively. A potential approach that can develop the required knowledge, skills, and attitudes is entrepreneurship. Despite an increasing interest in entrepreneurial learning and competencies, there remains no consensus on how entrepreneurship is learned. This study aimed to deepen the understanding of entrepreneurial learning in a pre-incubation program through a 360-degree perspective. A qualitative intrinsic case study was conducted using semi-structured interviews with a heterogeneous group (N = 10) of university students, coaches, and entrepreneurial experts. The data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis, which identified five central themes: motivational factors, entrepreneurial challenges, a broad range of entrepreneurial competencies, the need for support and guidance, and the learning environment. In conclusion, pre-incubators are perceived to enrich entrepreneurial learning processes through providing an experiential learning environment and structured support and guidance. Further research is needed to investigate the benefits that pre-incubation programs can have on the acquisition and development of entrepreneurial competencies.