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A systematic literature review of the evolution of pedagogy in entrepreneurial education research

Gustav Hägg (Sten K. Johnson Centre for Entrepreneurship, School of Economics and Management, Lund University, Lund, Sweden)
Jonas Gabrielsson (Department of Business, Economics and Law, Halmstad University, Halmstad, Sweden)

International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research

ISSN: 1355-2554

Article publication date: 17 May 2019

Issue publication date: 3 August 2020

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to create a better understanding of how entrepreneurial education research has evolved with regard to pedagogy over the past decades.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors employed systematic review methodology to enable an in-depth analysis of the literature in a process that was both replicable and transparent. Guided by the research purpose, the systematic review of 395 articles published between January 1980 and December 2018 was influenced by a configurative approach aimed at interpreting and understanding the phenomenon under study.

Findings

The analysis suggests that the scholarly discourse on pedagogy in entrepreneurial education research has developed over time from teacher-guided instructional models to more constructivist perspectives. A shift in the literature was also observed, where scholarly discussions moved from addressing the issue of teachability to a greater emphasis on learnability. Contemporary discussions centre on the theoretical and philosophical foundations of experience-based teaching and learning.

Originality/value

The study illustrates how entrepreneurial education has evolved into a distinct research theme, characterized by a practice-oriented research agenda that emphasizes the need to connect teaching to “real-world” environments. The practice-oriented agenda has led to continued societal interest in promoting entrepreneurial education, while at the same time creating low academic legitimacy.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

This paper forms part of a special section Filling in the Blanks: ‘Black Boxes’ in Enterprise/Entrepreneurship Education guest edited by Helle Neergaard, William B. Gartner, Ulla Hytti, Diamanto Politis and David Rae.

Citation

Hägg, G. and Gabrielsson, J. (2020), "A systematic literature review of the evolution of pedagogy in entrepreneurial education research", International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, Vol. 26 No. 5, pp. 829-861. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEBR-04-2018-0272

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited

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