Entrepreneurship education in developing country: Exploration on its necessity in the construction programme

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the entrepreneurship module offered in the Master's Degree in Project Management by the School of Housing Building and Planning, Universiti Sains Malaysia.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper reviews the scenario of the construction industry to demonstrate the necessity of entrepreneurship education in the University's construction programme.

Findings

The findings are discussed in relation to the important role played by small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in supporting the national growth. The existence of high number of SMEs in the construction industry indicates the significant role of entrepreneurship education in the courses related to construction management. The importance of entrepreneurship education in Malaysia is in line with Malaysia's quest to achieve developed status by 2020, as many business opportunities across all economic sectors will be created. This also applies to the construction industry, owing to its significant contribution to the country's development.

Originality/value

The findings of the paper are of relevance to entrepreneurial development in the construction industry by showing that entrepreneurship education should be emphasized in the industry to produce better quality entrepreneurs in the future.

Citation

Jaafar, M. and Rashid Abdul Aziz, A. (2008), "Entrepreneurship education in developing country: Exploration on its necessity in the construction programme", Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology, Vol. 6 No. 2, pp. 178-189. https://doi.org/10.1108/17260530810891306