Developing an entrepreneurial attitude: qualitative study of a university training model

Abstract

Developing an entrepreneurial attitude, which is an essential component for innovation and entrepreneurship, is an important objective for career guidance in Higher Education, and a contribution to promote economic and social development. This research examines the main variables to form this attitude, using an exploratory study based on a single case of implementation of a university program to develop innovation and entrepreneurship skills, carried out with students of engineering, health, social sciences, sciences, and economics.  Information coming from teachers, program coordination and students is analyzed. The information, obtained through interviews, questionnaires, and focus groups, is analyzed following an inductive-deductive process with the aid of the MAXQDA12 software. This work contributes to the knowledge in the area: (1) by proposing the creation of a learning ecosystem as the most relevant element in the development of an entrepreneurial attitude, (2) by identifying the components of this ecosystem (formative program, students, and ecosystem of regional entrepreneurship) and how they interact, and (3) emphasizing the systemic character of the process that forms the entrepreneurial attitude. As a conclusion, the implementation of this program promotes guidance for professional development within the university, with the public and private environment that shape an entrepreneurial ecosystem, contributing to the understanding of the role that universities can play in career guidance through entrepreneurial training processes and the strengthening of regional entrepreneurial ecosystems.