(Published in the Manila Standard Today, under the Greenlight Column, August 7, 2006)
The Department of Education (DepEd) has introduced this school year the “Know About Business” (KAB) curriculum for pilot implementation in selected public and private high schools in the country using an entrepreneurship module developed by the International Labor Office (ILO) head office in Geneva, Switzerland.
KAB, which has been implemented or is under pilot testing in more than 20 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America, aims to promote awareness among the youth of the opportunities and challenges of entrepreneurship and self-employment, as well as their role in shaping their future and that of the country’s economic and social development.
This program is perhaps the first of its kind in the country. But actually, teaching entrepreneurship is nothing new. Entrepreneurship is being taught in many schools around the globe. In the country, a number of colleges and universities offer undergraduate and graduate degrees in entrepreneurship. The De La Salle Professional Schools (DLS-PSI) offer entrepreneurship courses in its MBA program. In my Management Principles class in the MBA program of DLS-PSI (0ne of the first courses taken by the students), I devote an entire session on introduction to entrepreneurship.
Developing the entrepreneurial mindset
But despite the widespread evangelization of entrepreneurship in universities and schools, still many believe that entrepreneurship cannot be taught. Supporters of this view believe that entrepreneurs are born with innate gifts to seize the moment and capitalize on an opportunity. They argue that one cannot teach someone to dream and transform this into reality, the way entrepreneurs do.
In addition, Newton and Henricks of Entrepreneur Magazine in the US observes that “the business students who filled the multiplying classrooms [of entrepreneurship classes] weren't all planning to start businesses of their own. Some just wanted to pad their resumes with courses that would convince potential employers they possess the entrepreneurial mindset.”
While an educator might not be able to teach someone to be like Bill Gates or Tony Tan Caktiong, he or she may help the student develop an entrepreneurial attitude and thinking - achievement-oriented, opportunity-seeking, innovation, risk-taking, and control over one’s life – that may later lead him or her to start a business venture. A case in point is the study by the UCT Graduate School of Business in South Africa has found that “exposure by South African school students to an experiential entrepreneurship program, significantly increased the likelihood of individuals reporting that they have the skills, experience and knowledge to start a business. It did this while simultaneously increasing their knowledge of business.”
Applying the values of entrepreneurship
Indeed, countless studies point to the importance of entrepreneurial activity in market activity, job creation, and ultimately to economic progress though new and sustained business ventures. Many of these successful ventures can be attributed to “graduates of entrepreneurship”.
While many students of entrepreneurship courses do not end up setting up their own businesses, the entrepreneurial mindset and attitude learned will not be useless. Many may apply the values of opportunity-seeking, innovation, and risk-taking in private companies, either to start a new product category, enter new markets, or recommend new ways of doing business.
Spurring innovation via intrapreneurship
Creating something new inside an existing company rather than through a new venture, also called “intrapreneurship”, helps in spurring innovation and business activity, just like entrepreneurship. One good example of a successful intrapreneur is Art Fry of 3M, who in 1974 was a church choir singer thought of a paper marker for a choir hymnal that would adhere to the page but not damage it when it was pulled off. He used company resources, sourced his own materials, did his own market research, and created his project groups to give birth to the ubiquitous Post-It Notes, making it the flagship product of 3M. According to William Coyne, retired senior VP of Research and Development of 3M, "Ten years from now, I expect half of 3M's sales will come from products introduced in the previous four years". New products like these, apart from new services and new business models, will likely come from innovations created by intrapreneurs.
Teaching them young
That is why teachers of entrepreneurship, especially for adult learners, should include modules of intrapreneurship for those who do not end up starting a business venture, but rather working in a corporate environment. If entrepreneurship can be taught, so is intrapreneurship.
It is laudable that DepEd’s “Know About Business” program for high school students, not only includes modules that ask “Why entrepreneurship?” and “How do I become an entrepreneur?”, but also modules asking “How do I find a good business idea?”. In this way, our schools will develop more entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs alike with enterprise know-how, and ability to innovate and capitalize on opportunities.
It is said that it is easier to learn while young, and the young high-school learners are key contributors to society and economic development in the coming years. More entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs of this generation will mean more jobs, more innovations, and economic progress in the future.
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Reynaldo Lugtu, Jr. teaches management and marketing courses in the MBA Program of De La Salle Professional Schools. He may be e-mailed at rlugtu2002@yahoo.com.
KAB, which has been implemented or is under pilot testing in more than 20 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America, aims to promote awareness among the youth of the opportunities and challenges of entrepreneurship and self-employment, as well as their role in shaping their future and that of the country’s economic and social development.
This program is perhaps the first of its kind in the country. But actually, teaching entrepreneurship is nothing new. Entrepreneurship is being taught in many schools around the globe. In the country, a number of colleges and universities offer undergraduate and graduate degrees in entrepreneurship. The De La Salle Professional Schools (DLS-PSI) offer entrepreneurship courses in its MBA program. In my Management Principles class in the MBA program of DLS-PSI (0ne of the first courses taken by the students), I devote an entire session on introduction to entrepreneurship.
Developing the entrepreneurial mindset
But despite the widespread evangelization of entrepreneurship in universities and schools, still many believe that entrepreneurship cannot be taught. Supporters of this view believe that entrepreneurs are born with innate gifts to seize the moment and capitalize on an opportunity. They argue that one cannot teach someone to dream and transform this into reality, the way entrepreneurs do.
In addition, Newton and Henricks of Entrepreneur Magazine in the US observes that “the business students who filled the multiplying classrooms [of entrepreneurship classes] weren't all planning to start businesses of their own. Some just wanted to pad their resumes with courses that would convince potential employers they possess the entrepreneurial mindset.”
While an educator might not be able to teach someone to be like Bill Gates or Tony Tan Caktiong, he or she may help the student develop an entrepreneurial attitude and thinking - achievement-oriented, opportunity-seeking, innovation, risk-taking, and control over one’s life – that may later lead him or her to start a business venture. A case in point is the study by the UCT Graduate School of Business in South Africa has found that “exposure by South African school students to an experiential entrepreneurship program, significantly increased the likelihood of individuals reporting that they have the skills, experience and knowledge to start a business. It did this while simultaneously increasing their knowledge of business.”
Applying the values of entrepreneurship
Indeed, countless studies point to the importance of entrepreneurial activity in market activity, job creation, and ultimately to economic progress though new and sustained business ventures. Many of these successful ventures can be attributed to “graduates of entrepreneurship”.
While many students of entrepreneurship courses do not end up setting up their own businesses, the entrepreneurial mindset and attitude learned will not be useless. Many may apply the values of opportunity-seeking, innovation, and risk-taking in private companies, either to start a new product category, enter new markets, or recommend new ways of doing business.
Spurring innovation via intrapreneurship
Creating something new inside an existing company rather than through a new venture, also called “intrapreneurship”, helps in spurring innovation and business activity, just like entrepreneurship. One good example of a successful intrapreneur is Art Fry of 3M, who in 1974 was a church choir singer thought of a paper marker for a choir hymnal that would adhere to the page but not damage it when it was pulled off. He used company resources, sourced his own materials, did his own market research, and created his project groups to give birth to the ubiquitous Post-It Notes, making it the flagship product of 3M. According to William Coyne, retired senior VP of Research and Development of 3M, "Ten years from now, I expect half of 3M's sales will come from products introduced in the previous four years". New products like these, apart from new services and new business models, will likely come from innovations created by intrapreneurs.
Teaching them young
That is why teachers of entrepreneurship, especially for adult learners, should include modules of intrapreneurship for those who do not end up starting a business venture, but rather working in a corporate environment. If entrepreneurship can be taught, so is intrapreneurship.
It is laudable that DepEd’s “Know About Business” program for high school students, not only includes modules that ask “Why entrepreneurship?” and “How do I become an entrepreneur?”, but also modules asking “How do I find a good business idea?”. In this way, our schools will develop more entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs alike with enterprise know-how, and ability to innovate and capitalize on opportunities.
It is said that it is easier to learn while young, and the young high-school learners are key contributors to society and economic development in the coming years. More entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs of this generation will mean more jobs, more innovations, and economic progress in the future.
--------------------------------
Reynaldo Lugtu, Jr. teaches management and marketing courses in the MBA Program of De La Salle Professional Schools. He may be e-mailed at rlugtu2002@yahoo.com.
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