Abstract:

A number of studies have outlined the basic concepts and characteristics of entrepreneurship (Timmons, 1994). Timmons’ analyzed more than 50 studies and in his meta-analysis found six fundamental general characteristics.

These were:
1. Commitment and determination
2. Leadership
3. Opportunity obsession
4. Tolerance of risk, ambiguity and uncertainty
5. Creativity, self reliance, and ability to adapt, and
6. Motivation to excel.

Another group of scholars (Tom Buyers et al) reiterated these characteristics in a slightly different construct consisting of interest, vision, skill, investment, organization and delegation, risk and rewards. Some other salient characteristics of successful entrepreneurs are passion, self-confidence, self-reliance, drive, persistence, the ability to complete tasks, opportunity focused, forward-looking, willing to learn, information seekers, communicators possessing interpersonal, management, teambuilding and leadership skills.

The challenge for us instructors is how many of the above characteristics can we bring in, demonstrate and cultivate in our classrooms and at what levels can we implement them in our classrooms?

What is entrepreneurship?
The definition that has evolved through work done at Harvard Business School defines entrepreneurship as the process of creating or seizing an opportunity and pursuing it regardless of the resources currently controlled (Timmons 1994, p7)
Growthink, a firm that helps foster entrepreneurial thinking indicates that focus, vision, leadership, persistence, passion, technical skills and flexibility are some of the necessary elements for fostering entrepreneurial thinking.

The purpose of this abstract is to look into the idea of bringing entrepreneurship thinking from the teachers’ and students’ viewpoints into our classes and evaluate…why is bringing entrepreneurship into our classrooms necessary, how can we make the principles of entrepreneurship germinate in our classrooms, beginning with us and what are some of the ways we can foster and adopt the principles of entrepreneurship in our classrooms?

References:
[1] Characteristics of the Entrepreneur: Social Creatures, Not Solo Heroes; Byers, Tom, Stanford, Kist, Helen, Stanford, Sutton, Robert J., Hass School of Business, UC-Berkeley.
[2] Timmons, J.A. 1994. New Venture Creation: Entrepreneurship for the 21st Century. Fourth edition. Irwin Press, Burr Ridge, IL.
[3] Critical Entrepreneurial Skills: What It Takes to Be a Successful Entrepreneur…published in growthink ideas, Capital Action

Keywords:

Entrepreneurs in classrooms.