Entrepreneurship education in Engineering
Schools. The need for promoting
Knowledge Intensive Entrepreneurship
Yannis Caloghirou
Ioanna Kastelli
Unit of Innovation and Entrepreneurship –
National Technical University of Athens
Aim of the presentation
The examination of the engineering graduates
capacity in undertaking knowledge-intensive
entrepreneurial activities in Greece and the role
of engineering education in their effort to do so.
Plan of the presentation



Why promoting Knowledge Intensive
Entrepreneurship is an important issue in Greece?
Presentation of survey results on NTUA graduates
that have undertaken an entrepreneurial venture
Conclusions relating the characteristics of these
entrepreneurial ventures to the role of
entrepreneurship education
Why knowledge - intensive
entrepreneurship is important for the Greek
economy?
Ιn terms of global competition, Greek economy
appears in a strategic position which can be
described as “stuck in the middle”.
Thus, knowledge intensive entrepreneurship can be
considered as an important driver towards the
revitalization of country’s competitiveness.
Characteristics of entrepreneurial activity in
Greece (GEM, 2009)



The lack of important entrepreneurial opportunities
or the limited capability of identifying significant
opportunities
The reduced participation of the well-educated and
highly-skilled part of the population in
entrepreneurial activity
The “shallow” character of entrepreneurship
Survey on entrepreneurial activity
undertaken by engineers – NTUA graduates



Field research: Telephone interviews using a
structured questionnaire
Population: 752 engineers (received their
professional license from the Technical Chamber of
Greece between 1996-2001). In a previous survey
(2005) had declared entrepreneurs or potential
entrepreneurs.
Sample: 389 engineering graduates, 378 usable
questionnaires. Response rate: 52%
Research sample
Entrepreneurs in 2005 and
2007
36%
46%
Potential entrepreneurs in
2005 who have undertaken
entrepreneurial action in
2007
18%
Potential entrepreneurs in
2005 who have not
undertaken entrepreneurial
action in 2007
Characteristics of entrepreneurial activity:
economic sector
Construction
Other consulting services
2.1%
2.5%
3.3%
Other services of private sector
4.5%
Information technology
6.2%
Energy
Trade, transport and storage
Environment
14.8%
64.2%
Manufacturing
Education
Tourism
Characteristics of entrepreneurial activity:
number of employees
1%
5%
1
40%
2 to 9
10 to 50
54%
>50
Characteristics of entrepreneurial activity:
market
11.93%
Regional and national
International
88.07%
Characteristics of entrepreneurial activity:
sales related to innovative products /
services
3.49%
4.37%
11.35%
0%
1 - 20%
21 - 80%
81 - 100%
80.79%
Characteristics of entrepreneurial activity:
degree of integration of research results
38.7%
32.5%
29.2%
28.8%
21.4%
17.3%
12.8%
13.6%
4.1%
None
1.6%
Low
Medium
Incorporation of research results
Use of new technologies
High
Very high
Relationship between subject of scientific
specialization and entrepreneurial activity
32.9%
32.5%
High
Very high
19.3%
10.7%
4.5%
None
Low
Medium
Satisfaction from undergraduate studies at
the NTUA
42.3%
38.1%
35.5%
34.9%
Scientific and technical
knowledge
19.6%
Knowledge in economics and
business administration
13.0%
6.6%
5.6%
3.2%
1.2%
1
2
3
4
5
Importance of including the following
courses in the NTUA curricula
86.0%
Project management
75.4%
Management of technology and…
Business administration
73.0%
Decision making techniqes
71.7%
69.3%
Economics
62.2%
Entrepreneurship
Operational research
57.4%
Business srategy
57.1%
51.5%
Marketing and market research
46.6%
Finance
Highy/Very high
Medium
None /Low
Assessment of the contribution of
undergraduate studies in building nontechnical skills
Undestanding of the wider…
Market analysis and…
2.21
2.42
Communication skills
2.44
Negotiation skills
Creation and coordination of…
Cooperation with third parties
Organization of work
Taking initiatives
1
2
3
4
Relevance of knowledge acquired at the
NTUA to the real economic and business
environment
35.2%
36.8%
14.8%
10.8%
2.4%
None
Low
Medium
High
Very high
Reasons for not undertaking a new business
(% of engineers that assessed the following factors as important
/ very important)
Change of priorities
Fear of failure
Difficulties with initial funding
Lack of knowledge related to the field of activity
37,8
23
35,5
6,6
Lack of knowledge related to the creation, operation 16,3
and management of the firm
Difficulties in finding business partners
17,8
No market interest
10,4
Difficulties arising from the general institutional set- 26,6
up related to new firm creation
Find better job
34,3
Conclusions
Although NTUA engineering graduates can be
assessed as a group of people of increased
capacity that can potentially undertake knowledgeintensive entrepreneurial activity, in their majority
the entrepreneurial ventures undertaken can be
characterized as self-employment, of very small
size, not innovative, with no export orientation.
Conclusions
Entrepreneurship education especially in
Engineering Schools should focus on the
development of a new entrepreneurial mindset, the
improvement of the quality of entrepreneurial
ventures
Conclusions
Prerequisites for enhancing the entrepreneurial
capacity of engineers:
 combination of “technical thinking” and
“engineering feeling”
 with knowledge background on market and
business environment understanding
 and development of strategic thinking and
entrepreneurial feeling
Conclusions
The engineering curricula should advance:
 The development of non-technical skills
 The provision of sufficient knowledge related to
economics and management
 The injection of a culture promoting creativity,
initiative and entrepreneurship
Research method
Sample distribution per engineering branch
Branch
Frequency
Percent
Civil engineers
90
23,8%
Architects
63
16,7%
Rural and surveying engineers
46
12,2%
Electrical and computer engineers
56
14,8%
Mechanical engineers
56
14,8%
Chemical engineers
41
10,8%
Mining and Metallurgical engineers
Naval Architecture and Marine
engineers
18
4,8%
8
2,1%
Total
378
100,0%
Engineering graduates undertook courses
in:
Entrepreneurship 3.97%
76.19%
Management of technology and innovation 7.41%
67.99%
Decision making techniques 7.67%
64.55%
Operational research 11.38%
Project management
Finance
61.64%
19.05%
56.35%
30.16%
Marketing & market research
24.34%
Business strategy
25.93%
54.50%
53.97%
44.71%
Business administration
32.02%
40.74%
Economics
31.75%
40.21%
NTUA
Postgraduate studies
None
Satisfaction from undergraduate
studies per engineering branch
5
4.25
4
3.38
3
2.35
2
1.55
1
CE
ΑRCH
RSE
Scientific-technical knowledge
ECE
ME
CHE
MME
NME
Knolwedge in economics and business administration
Importance of including
entrepreneurship courses in the NTUA
curricula
5
4
3
2
1
CE
ARCH
RSE
ECE
ME
CHE
MME
NME