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This paper aims to examine the factors that affect the adoption of technological innovations in a service industry, like the higher education industry. Specifically, the use of Web-based technology (WEBCT/blackboard) by faculty and administrators in universities in Egypt in the delivery of educational material and communication with students and peers is the focus of this study.

A distinctive business-to-business (B2B) model is developed drawing on Rogers’ innovation adoption model, the resource-based view of the firm, as well as theoretical and empirical foundations in previous innovation adoption literature. The model is testified drawing on the results of empirical work in the form of a large survey conducted on 200 faculty and administrators in two different universities in Egypt. Structural equation modeling is used to test the research model.

In addition to the attributes of the innovation, all university-based factors as well as one service provider factor, namely, need for interaction, were identified to have a significant influence on the adoption of technological innovations in the higher education industry.

This paper attempts to enhance current understanding of the adoption of innovations in an important industry like the higher education industry. Empirical results shed light on influential factors when adopting technological innovations by faculty and administrators in the higher education industry. This is the first empirical study of this type to be conducted in the Middle East.

The purpose of this study is to determine the differences and similarities between the terms entrepreneurship and innovation when they are implemented in teaching–learning processes involved in the education field and the main characteristics of entrepreneurial and innovative individuals.

A qualitative methodology was used. A total of 21 Spanish experts in entrepreneurship and/or innovation in education at different levels participated in in-depth structured interviews.

There seems to be some connection between entrepreneurship and innovation, as there are cases in which one involves the other. Although innovation is more related to the improvement of processes, products and services, entrepreneurship is linked to the creation and setting up of businesses. Educational entrepreneurship and innovation could be defined in the same way. Entrepreneurship education, in contrast to innovation education, encompasses innovation but goes beyond it. It includes curricula and long-lasting educational changes that are part of a more comprehensive organisational approach and educational plan, oriented to the accomplishment of teaching–learning outcomes. More characteristics were mentioned for entrepreneurs than for innovators.

This study is an initial attempt to explore ideas from experts in education that could facilitate the work of teachers and educational stakeholders in a crucial area, entrepreneurial and/or innovative education. Having an entrepreneurial attitude is essential for individuals in a globalised society to successfully meet the challenges of the 21st century.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the synergies, similarities and differences between entrepreneurship and innovation education and training programs, with the aim of challenging the context of such programs.

This study utilises an extensive review of extant literature in the fields of innovation, entrepreneurship and education. The literature, propositions and discussion are intended to provide a bridge between entrepreneurship and innovation education and training programs and seek to address the scientific legitimacy of these education and training disciplines as separate, yet integrated disciplines.

Identifies a need to reconsider the diversity and relationship between innovation and entrepreneurship education and training, primarily from contextual, theoretical, measurement, distinctiveness, content, pedagogical and typology points of view. The range of multiple teaching models and learning processes to embrace in various contexts.

The propositions allow for the combination of teaching initiatives in a theory-driven framework and their applicability to specific entrepreneurship and innovation education and training situations.

The authors’ contribution identifies the synergies and differences between entrepreneurship education and training programs. The propositions highlight areas of contextualisation and practice-based view application, to adopt specific learning initiatives between constructs.

The authors address a gap in the literature regarding the delineation of entrepreneurship and innovation education and training, which has thus far remained sparsely addressed in the education and training literature. The authors provide a practice-based view of propositions, developed for future testing.

The purpose of this paper is to propose a theoretical framework to support the embedding of social innovation education in existing academic programmes.

By adopting Conole et al.’s (2004) methodological approach to reviewing, mapping and modelling learning theory, this study addresses four research questions: how can social innovation education be defined? Which learning theories best support social innovation education? How do such learning theories relate to existing models of learning in higher education? What implications does a social innovation pedagogy have for learning design?

Findings suggest that social innovation education is supported by a praxis that is grounded in critical learning theory, transformational learning theory and epistemological development. By extending Conole et al.’s (2004) model of learning theory, the present study proposes a “zone of pedagogical praxis for social innovation education” that supports learning design on a more critical plane.

The proposed model of learning may be of interest to other universities as they work towards stronger thinkers and stronger communities.

Using a theory-informed model for learning design nurtures a pedagogical praxis and underpins the development of a practical toolkit for designing social innovation education.

The findings of this study will provide a point of reference for other higher education institutions as they look for guidance on embedding principles of social innovation into their curricula.

The purpose of this paper is to present an analytical review of the educational innovation field in the USA. It outlines classification of innovations, discusses the hurdles to innovation, and offers ways to increase the scale and rate of innovation-based transformations in the education system.

The paper is based on a literature survey and author research.

US education badly needs effective innovations of scale that can help produce the needed high-quality learning outcomes across the system. The primary focus of educational innovations should be on teaching and learning theory and practice, as well as on the learner, parents, community, society, and its culture. Technology applications need a solid theoretical foundation based on purposeful, systemic research, and a sound pedagogy. One of the critical areas of research and innovation can be cost and time efficiency of the learning.

Several practical recommendations stem out of this paper: how to create a base for large-scale innovations and their implementation; how to increase effectiveness of technology innovations in education, particularly online learning; how to raise time and cost efficiency of education.

Innovations in education are regarded, along with the education system, within the context of a societal supersystem demonstrating their interrelations and interdependencies at all levels. Raising the quality and scale of innovations in education will positively affect education itself and benefit the whole society.

Originality is in the systemic approach to education and educational innovations, in offering a comprehensive classification of innovations; in exposing the hurdles to innovations, in new arguments about effectiveness of technology applications, and in time efficiency of education.

Bureaucratic theory, systems theory and a review of research on innovation, provide a conceptual framework on which seven predictions are posited. The predictions relate to the innovative behaviour of a bureaucratic education system throughout a period of twenty years. An innovation is defined as a new structure or process that appeared for the first time in the education system. One hundred and sixty‐four innovations are identified and classified as task‐oriented, personnel‐oriented and organization‐oriented. When tested the predictions reveal inter alia, (1) an upward trend in the annual frequencies of innovation through the period 1946 to 1965, (2) educational policies of state governments appear to be distinguished by different rates of innovation, (3) the frequency of innovation tends to increase following the succession to office of a new Director‐General and (4) innovation tends to occur least in the central office system.

The capability to create and manage innovations is recognized as an important skill not only for entrepreneurial activities but also for the survival of organizations. The last few decades have seen a noticeable growth in innovation education programs across the world. Innovation education is on the cusp of moving from being an optional subject to becoming a part of the core curricula. Given these recent developments, it is timely to review scholarship on innovation education carried out to date. The purpose of this paper is to present a review of the literature on innovation education programs.

This article employs a systematic and reproducible thematic analysis of the literature.

The review finds innovation education to be an emerging field with multiple concepts and frameworks in need of consolidation. Additionally, there is a marked dominance of this subject in traditional domains such as engineering, business, medicine and little or no presence in nontraditional domains such as humanities or social sciences. Challenges remain in the field for the development of standardized effectiveness measurement techniques.

This article puts forward a case for considering scholarship on innovation education as a unique field on its own and examines previous work in this domain to understand the emerging frameworks, pedagogy, evaluations and definitions. By doing so, the article aims to offer guidance for the adoption of innovation education, as well as creating a foundation for further research in this area by highlighting the gaps in the existing literature.

The purpose of this paper is to characterize the trends for educational innovation in higher education in Brazil, constructing a conceptual model of innovation trends in the sector.

A preliminary profile online was done with 76 experts in university education, and 17 were contacted for in-depth perceptions. The analysis of the content was made of all material and, as a result, the critical analysis of the results, which culminated in the development of a conceptual model and characterization of trends, dimensions and subdimensions to innovation in higher education.

The dimension universal design of accessibility and learning had major considerations, contributing to implementation of new innovative practices for higher education. Some subdimensions emerged, namely, governance, risk management, curricular extension and affirmative policies.

The difficulty in performing the deepening of all dimensions involved in terms of plurality of specialties involved.

The use of the model and characterization of trends could serve as tools to support the strategic planning of HEI, and the trends allow planning innovation practices, favoring improvements of higher education institutions (HEI), students, employees and community to learning organization.

The identification of trends for higher education, highlighting innovation indicators or successful practices, and the characterization of the dimensions and subdimensions trends, and undeniable contribution to measure the educational innovation in higher education.

Encourages researchers, in partnership with institutions, to develop scientific projects with other institutions and researchers, to meet interests not only of HEI as a whole but also of countries that prioritize education with quality, to reach the real educational objectives.

Much justification for third sector involvement in education advances from the notion that attributes from business and non-profit fields could benefit state-run public schools. The purpose of this paper is to explore this issue by examining theoretical underpinnings and expectations for third sector participation in public education systems, particularly with respect to educational innovations and improvements, and the structural opportunities, incentives, and impediments for such innovation.

The question is how third sector participation shapes the rate, nature, and types of innovations in education as schools interact in response to competitive pressures. This conceptual analysis of the third sector examines the political-economic features and structures of the sector in fostering innovation, with reference to the US sector that was specifically positioned to enhance the innovative capacity of publicly funded education.

The analysis indicates that educational innovations are not necessarily more prevalent in or because of the third sector, and that there are obstacles to their creation and diffusion. Moreover, schools often respond to competitive incentives in ways unanticipated by policymakers, such as school marketing rather than instructional improvement, sometimes in ways detrimental to goals set out for public education, such as social sorting. In fact, instead of the third sector simply developing or incentivizing innovations, there is evidence that this sector has adopted innovations developed in the state sector.

The analysis suggests that a third sector based more on a professional, as opposed to a competitive, model may better facilitate the development of innovative capacity in education.

Access to finance and corruption are two major institutional obstacles hindering firm innovation in Africa whose implication on the fit between managerial characteristics and firm innovation has not been examined. The purpose of this paper is to examine whether firms may want to hire managers with a good fit when faced with institutional constraints and the authors suggest managerial level of education and experience within an industry could play a vital role in helping such firms innovate.

Secondary data was obtained from the World Bank Enterprise Survey on 17 African countries and a series of hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to achieve the aim of the research.

The findings show that while managers with primary and secondary education had a negative relationship with firm innovation (product and process), managers with a university degree had a positive relationship. This relationship was also confirmed when the authors’ split the full sample into two sub-samples (the firms that are institutionally constrained by access to finance and corruption) and therefore confirm the institutional implications of managers fit for firm’s innovation.

While research on the effect of management characteristics on firm innovation has focused more on large firms and mostly from developed economies testing both direct and mediation effects, little research exists as to whether the institutional obstacles faced by small firms could influence the type of managers required to drive their innovation.