University Training for Entrepreneurship—An Action Frame of Reference

Abstract Abstract Global concern for knowledge about and competencies for entrepreneurship and small business is growing. When discussing university training for entrepreneurship an action-oriented approach is needed. Originating in an elaboration of Kolb's model of action learning, an 'entrepreneurial action capability' (EAC) test is constructed. The test is based on the 'critical-incident' technique and validated against other images of entrepreneurial characteristics. Swedish university students, including those on special programmes oriented towards innovation and entrepreneurship, as well as existing small-business owner-managers are analyzed with the help of the EAC and associated tests. Substantive conclusions indicate that owner-managers, business students and engineering students score differently on the EAC test. It is argued that these groups use their intuition and analogical reasoning differently. The lest findings are used to modify the original learning model. Methodological lessons are that any formal tests, however realistic with respect to contents, are alien to practitioners. Thus, comparisons across different learning contexts for entrepreneurship entail great difficulties.