EMBEDDING ENTREPRENEURIAL TRAITS & COMPETENCIES IN TEACHING TECHNIQUES

AT UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA MALAYSIA

Prof. Dr. Razmi Chik

Assistant Vice Chanselor (Entrepreneurship) MASMED, Universiti Teknologi MARA

Malaysia And

Prof. Dr . Ismail Wahab MASMED, Universiti Teknologi MARA

Malaysia

Present at

UNESCO-APEID Meeting on Entrepreneurship Education 11-12 June 2012

Zhejiang Narada Grand Hotel, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China

Abstract Studies that look at entrepreneurial behaviour as determinant of business success have typically focused on personality traits and personal entrepreneurial competencies. At the same time studies have found that entrepreneurial traits and competencies are strong predictors of business success. Other studies have suggested that entrepreneurial traits and competencies are able to predict entrepreneurial intentions . The purpose of this presentation is, therefore, to share our effort in developing suitable teaching techniques across faculties in order to inculcate entrepreneurial traits and competencies . We believe that by embedding entrepreneurial traits and competencies in teaching techniques will produce entrepreneurial graduates.

Entrepreneurs have been described as individuals who create business ventures (e.g. Bygrave & Hofer, 1991) and are actively involved in the management of the ventures (e.g. Gartner et al., 1994). Others argue that entrepreneurs are not only creators of business ventures but also innovative individuals who use strategic management practices in order to succeed in their ventures (e.g Carland et al., 1984).

ENTREPRENEURS DEFINED

LINKING ENTREPRENEURIAL BEHAVIOUR AND BUSINESS SUCCESS

Studies that look at entrepreneurial behaviour as determinant of business success have typically focused on personality traits (e.g. Mc Clelland, 1987; Chell et al., 1991) and personal entrepreneurial competencies (e.g. McClelland, 1987; Wallace, 1998).

While studies have found that entrepreneurial traits and competencies are strong predictors of business success (Noor Hazlina et al., 2010), some studies have suggested that entrepreneurial traits and competencies are able to predict entrepreneurial intentions (Mohammad Ismail et al., 2009; Martin Obschonka et. al., 2010).

PERSONALITY TRAITS AND COMPETENCY APPORACHES TO ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Personal traits and competencies approach to entrepreneurship generally assumes that there are distinct traits and competencies that distinguish entrepreneurs from non-entrepreneurs.

PERSONAL TRAITS AND COMPETENCIES APPROACH TO ENTREPRENEURSHIP

The following key traits and competencies of successful entrepreneurs have been identified in the literature. They can be grouped under four clusters: creative and innovative, independent and self-confident, proactive, planning, and face challenges and take risks.

ENTREPRENEURIAL TRAITS AND COMPETENCIES

Creative and Innovative Concern for high quality of work – Attention to details and observance of established standards and norms. Efficiency orientation – Concern for conservation of time, money and effort. Problem solving – Taking personal pains to complete a task as scheduled. Use of influence strategies – Eliciting support of others in the venture.

ENTREPRENEURIAL TRAITS AND COMPETENCIES (contd….)

Independent and Self-confident Self-confidence – Not being afraid of the risks associated with business and relying on one’s capabilities to successfully manage the risks. Assertiveness -Conveying emphitically one’s vision and convincing others of its value. Persuasion – Persuading or influencing others for mobilizing resources and obtaining inputs. Internal locus of control – Believing that events that affect one’s life result primarily from his/her own behavior and actions

ENTREPRENEURIAL TRAITS AND COMPETENCIES (contd….)

Proactive Commitment to work contract – Taking personal pains to complete a task as scheduled. Initiative – Acting out of choice rather than compulsion, taking the lead rather than waiting for athers to start. See and act on opportunities – Looking for and taking action on business opportunities.

ENTREPRENEURIAL TRAITS AND COMPETENCIES (contd….)

Systematic Planning Systematic planning– Developing aning uses logical, step-by-step plans to reach goals. Information Seeking Taking action on how to seek information to help achieve goals or clarify problems.

ENTREPRENEURIAL TRAITS AND COMPETENCIES (contd….)

Face Challenges and Take Risks Persistence - Making repeated efforts or taking different actions to

overcome an obstacle that get in the way of reaching goals.

Perseverance - Working hard and able to bear difficulties calmly and

without complaint. Tolerance for failure – Ability to respond gracefully to an unexpected failure

ENTREPRENEURIAL TRAITS AND COMPETENCIES (contd….)

Mean Score (7 = very high, 1 = very low)

ENTREPRENEURIAL TRAITS & COMPETENCIES SCORE MEAN CREATIVE & INNOVATIVE

4.69 CONCERN FOR QUALITY OF WORK 4.79 EFFICIENCY ORIENTATION 4.94 PROBLEM-SOLVING 4.78 USE OF INFLUENCE STRATEGIES 4.26 INDEPENDENT & SELF-CONFIDENT

4.41 SELF-CONFIDENCE 4.23 ASSERTIVENESS 4.17 PERSUASION 4.85 INTERNAL LOCUS OF CONTROL 4.37 PROACTIVE

4.46 COMMITMENT 4.68 INITIATIVE 4.41 SEE & ACT ON OPPORTUNITITES 4.29 PLANNING

5.05 SYSTEMATIC PLANNING 4.76 INFORMATION SEEKING 5.34 FACE CHALLENGES & TAKE RISKS

4.78 PERSEVERENCE 4.81 PERSISTENCE 4.52 TOLERANCE FOR FAILURE 5.01 OVERALL MEAN 4.64

RESULTS: STUDENTS’ ENTREPRENEURIAL COMPETENCIES LEVEL

SEMESTER JAN – MAY 2012 (N = 1,437 students)

The list of key entrepreneurial traits and competencies provides the basis for developing relevant teaching strategies and techniques that emphasise experience, action and reflective practices which can help students acquire entrepreneurial traits and competencies. At least 57 teaching techniques have been discovered in order to instill and enhance students’ entrepreneurial traits and competencies.

TEACHING TECHNIQUES

Compliance to standard report writing style.

Insist on full participation of group work (no passengers).

Emphasize on marks given based on quality of work – set benchmark.

Provide more feedback on students’ performance in tests/assignments/projects/etc.

Give more quizzes and assignments.

Set time limit for assignment Give more freedom in completing assignments on minimum

supervision. Give more room and opportunity for students to explore more on

all areas.

CREATIVE & INNOVATIVE

TEACHING TECHNIQUES

TEACHING TECHNIQUES

Provide multiple solutions to a single problem.

Provide no right/wrong answers for cases discussed in class. Give rewards for creative and innovative solutions to problems.

Organize debate sessions on any issues related to the course.

Encourage students to conduct personal interviews with experts about current issue.

Allow students to try a variety of activities in order to find their true

interests.

Set aside time during each lecture to ask and answer questions, to ask students to solve a problem, or to discuss an issue.

CREATIVE & INNOVATIVE (contd.)

TEACHING TECHNIQUES

Listen fully to students’ questions/answers; avoid interrupting.

When students are working in groups, avoid providing quick answers and encourage them to find answers themselves by relying on the abilities of their members.

Always ask open questions to encourage creative thinking.

Don’t criticize students when don’t approve some of the things that they propose.

Help students create a “link” when teaching something new.

CREATIVE & INNOVATIVE (contd.)

TEACHING TECHNIQUES

Compulsory individual presentation of contemporary issues.

More group projects

Encourage free flow of discussion/answers.

Every student is required to summarise the topic that have been discussed in previous class.

Real life case study related to current situation.

Encourage two-way communication.

Always remind students of their responsibilities.

Encourage students to explore their strengths and counter their weaknesses.

Tell students how they can improve and do better in a motivational way.

Encourage students to keep trying when they face challenges, and remind them that lecturers are available to provide extra help.

INDEPENDENT & SELF-CONFIDENT

TEACHING TECHNIQUES

make clear from the beginning your expectation that students will actively participate.

Arrange the room in a way that encourages active participation.

Place the emphasis on students’ ideas.

Provide a lot of verbal encouragement throughput the class especially before tests/exams.

Don’t let your own likes or dislikes influence your students’ classes and career choices.

Give frequent, early, positive feedback that supports students’ belief that they can do well.

Share with the students the good work done by their peers.

Ask students to interview successful person/entrepreneur and share the results with other students.

INDEPENDENT & SELF-CONFIDENT (contd.)

TEACHING TECHNIQUES

Group/individual assignments with minimum guidelines

Give credit/marks for students’ initiative and creativity.

Encourage students to take initiative and always be the first to react on every opportunity.

Use game and interactive activities to encourage students to show initiative in everything they do.

PROACTIVE

TEACHING TECHNIQUES

Help students set realistic goals and work hard to achieve them.

Encourage students to break each large task into actionable and manageable easy tasks.

Encourage students to prioritize the tasks.

Encourage students to use multiple “to-do” lists.

Set deadlines for every assignment.

Encourage and help students set achievable goals for themselves.

Encourage students to evaluate their own performance.

PLANNING

TEACHING TECHNIQUES At the end of each test, exams or assignment, ask students to

comment on how they feel they are doing.

Encourage students to try many different things and get involved.

Avoid giving in to students’ pleas for “the excuses” on homework problems.

Demonstrate and share your own willingness to take acceptable risks.

Emphasize mastery of learning rather than grades and rewards.

Help students to set goals that are not too easy or too difficult to reach.

Deduction of marks on late submission of assignments.

Have special interaction with successful people.

FACE CHALLENGES & TAKE RISKS

CONCLUSIONS

An understanding of key entrepreneurial traits and competencies of successful entrepreneurs are important in order to provide the basis for developing relevant teaching strategies and techniques. Effectiveness of teaching techniques is largely related to the lecturers’ skills and their knowledge of using appropriate teaching techniques in order be able to q1inculcate entrepreneurial traits and competencies in the students.

THANK YOU