Exploring and modeling adolescent entrepreneurial learning behaviours through antecedents and consequences

Abstract

AIM: This research is to explore the entrepreneurial behaviours of adolescents and to measure them with consequential behaviours. David Kolb‟s Dynamic Learning Experience (DLE) model (Kolb, 1981; 1984) was used to conceptualise entrepreneurial learning through personal and environmental experiences and build a conceptual model in order to explore and measure adolescent entrepreneurial behaviours. BACKGROUND: Entrepreneurial education is an evolving term that is changing with the needs, influences and economic level of its society. Previous business knowledge was taught in simple maths, economic subjects. Today business is taught via business creation, operation and company closure. The intention of Young Enterprise Program (YES) is to provide entrepreneurial and business experience skills to students at secondary school level. The program initiative has been in existence for over 20 years and has evolved through different ownership and changing political, economic, social, technology, legal and environmental influences. Students from low to high decile schools from around New Zealand are asked to participate and must be from enrolled in year 11 to year 13. Each year is recycled and business ideas are started and ended within each year. Students form into teams (companies) if possible or individual if numbers do not make it possible. METHODLOGY: The activity data between 1995 and 2010 had a population sample of 48,882. Post cleaning and recoding of data, the actual years that show healthy data only exist between 2004 and 2010. Therefore the sample size was reduced to 20,752, which was still sufficient for analysis.This research was divided into two research studies. Alpha study used a database collection of information captured during 1995 to 2010 and calculated at 1,865,861 recorded data from the program‟s registration of demographic, geographic, psychographic and financial information i.e. profit tax paid. Alpha study used a combination of SQL data conversion to Excel and uploaded into SPSS (Version19) to handle the large amount of data. The multivariate analysis was used to test, support or not support hypothesis. Bravo study used a narrative sample based on 22 interviews from participants who were involved in the program 1995 to 2010 but had since left and moved into industry and or in a post secondary school experience. consequential alumni behaviours were measured from career experiences and perspectives regarding achievements, failure, career changes and future career expectations.Bravo study used qualitative research approach to gain insights into alumni perspectives on current career status, challenges, successes, failure and expectations. YES participants that were involved in 1995 were approximately 13-16 years oldand theAlumni data was collected between 1995 and 2010 making the approximate age of participant 15 years older therefore this would make the age of the alumni approximately 33 years old. RESULTS: The results suggest thatgender and ethnicity diversity provides different perspectives and innovation process. However, with limited diversity in a workforce and in regions suggests higher in productivity results. Intangible and tangible resources are vitally important, just as in real business environments. Economic, political, social, technology, legal and environmental concerns that effect business environments are also mirrored in the program with regard to tax paid work, e.g the global economic crisis. Supervision and product choice factors had an insignificant effect on economic outcomes. The Dynamic Learning Experience (DLE) designed YES program increases adolescent experiential confidence, job satisfaction, and job selection and increases the chances of adolescents advancing into higher education.