Caught in the net: the network‐entrepreneurship connection in public schools

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the association between public schools' networks and strategies of entrepreneurship.

Design/methodology/approach

The Public School Entrepreneurship Inventory (PSEI) and a questionnaire on schools' networks were administered to a stratified, random sample of teachers and principals from 140 Israeli elementary schools.

Findings

It was found that although the network is associated with school entrepreneurship, it is limited to non‐radical entrepreneurship. Thus, extensive connections in the school's network may be considered an advantage for some entrepreneurial purposes and a burden for others. It may therefore be concluded that extensive connections create pressure to conform with network norms, thus restricting radical endeavors.

Orginality/value

The study bridges the gap between the general literature on networks and the literature on educational networks, reflecting how a school's entrepreneurship is contingent on the qualities of its network ties.

Citation

Eyal, O. (2008), "Caught in the net: the network‐entrepreneurship connection in public schools", International Journal of Educational Management, Vol. 22 No. 5, pp. 386-398. https://doi.org/10.1108/09513540810883131