Entrepreneurialism in Alberta's Public University Business Schools: An Exploratory Mixed Methods Approach

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atmire.migration.oldid5698
dc.contributor.advisorPatterson, Margaret (Peggy)
dc.contributor.authorGray, Alison Jayne
dc.contributor.committeememberWilliams-Whitt, Kelly
dc.contributor.committeememberWoiceshyn, Jaana Marketta
dc.contributor.committeememberKowch, Eugene Gary
dc.contributor.committeememberKesten, Cyril
dc.date.accessioned2017-06-21T15:22:06Z
dc.date.available2017-06-21T15:22:06Z
dc.date.issued2017
dc.date.submitted2017en
dc.description.abstractAlberta’s publicly funded university business schools operate within environments that are challenging and changing. Specifically, Alberta has historically been a significant contributor to Canada’s economy, driven by the energy sector. Recently, low oil prices and geopolitical uncertainties have created a recessionary environment. This boom-bust economy, along with Alberta’s reputation as an entrepreneurial heartland, provide a unique landscape for university business schools that are contending with increased competition, pressures to maintain quality programming, and the need to secure sustainable funding. This research explored the rationale and extent to which publicly funded Alberta university business schools exhibit an entrepreneurial presence. The study sought to understand: (1) the entrepreneurial strategies pursued by Alberta public university business schools; (2) the reasons why entrepreneurialism is a part of the business school strategic plan; (3) how entrepreneurial success is being achieved; and (4) barriers to entrepreneurial success. The outcome of the study was an entrepreneurial business school roadmap model. A sequential mixed methods research design was followed. Phase I consisted of semi-structured interviews with 12 Alberta university business school leaders at two sites. The results of Phase 1 informed the development of an electronic survey that was deployed in Phase 2 to business school leaders and faculty at five publicly funded Alberta university business schools. The results of Phase 1 and 2 were then combined. The core theme that emerged was that “business schools are at the centre of an entrepreneurial ecosystem engaging through entrepreneurship oriented centres, executive education, and pedagogical innovations as a key driver of the institutional entrepreneurial effort.” The evidence suggested that business school entrepreneurial activity occurs in two areas: a) entrepreneurship centres, and b) executive education. Eight clusters comprise the Alberta business school entrepreneurial ecosystem and these clusters became the supporting foundation of the entrepreneurial business school roadmap model. This model depicts the business school playing a central role in extending entrepreneurial activities within the university. The entrepreneurial business school roadmap model may interest policy-makers, leaders, and faculty who develop strategy for business schools. It illustrates the relationship between opportunities, drivers, and outcomes within the entrepreneurial ecosystem using a business school extension approach.en_US
dc.identifier.citationGray, A. J. (2017). Entrepreneurialism in Alberta's Public University Business Schools: An Exploratory Mixed Methods Approach (Doctoral thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/25916en_US
dc.identifier.doihttp://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/25916
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11023/3894
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisher.facultyGraduate Studies
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Calgaryen
dc.publisher.placeCalgaryen
dc.rightsUniversity of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.
dc.subjectEducation--Administration
dc.subjectEducation--Business
dc.subject.otherbusiness schools
dc.subject.otherentrepreneurialism
dc.subject.otherentrepreneurism
dc.subject.otherentrepreneurship
dc.subject.otherentrepreneurial ecosystem
dc.subject.otherentrepreneurship centre
dc.subject.otherexecutive education
dc.subject.otherentrepreneurial university
dc.subject.otherentrepreneurial business school roadmap model
dc.subject.otherhigher education administration
dc.titleEntrepreneurialism in Alberta's Public University Business Schools: An Exploratory Mixed Methods Approach
dc.typedoctoral thesis
thesis.degree.disciplineEducational Research
thesis.degree.grantorUniversity of Calgary
thesis.degree.nameDoctor of Education (EdD)
ucalgary.item.requestcopytrue
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