Business Research Papers
The Entrebraineur Study
A research study into the Learning Preferences of 55 entrepreneurs in Northern Ireland
This research was carried out by Dr John Kelly of Fingerprint Learning Ltd and Dr Brain Cummins of Stranmillis University College, Belfast in 2010.
The study considered such questions as
- Is there a common pattern to how entrepreneurs are motivated to learn?
- Why do many entrepreneurs not perform strongly in school or reject formal education?
- What elements, if any, in their school experience contributed to their entreprenurial success?
- How can formal education better contribute to fostering and enterprise culture?
- How should government agencies intended to stimulate and support enterprise adapt to encourage entrepreneurship?
Background
The research focussed on the relationship between enterprise, education and entrepreneurship. In the current economic climate governments are looking to the private sector to create more jobs. However the education system is still biased towards providing young people with qualifications and skills to be employed . This is a valid when plenty of jobs are available.
This bias works against training and nurturing young people able to leave education to create employment opportunities for others. Such people are entrepreneurs and the economy of every nation depends on them.
The importance of encouraging enterprise in education has led to a number of valuable initiatives in the last 2 decades. Most of these have involved giving pupils experience in participating in enterprise projects which are ‘bolted on’ to the school curriculum i.e. not integral to the curriculum. Student teachers are not trained to teach or develop enterprise within school.
In the education world, insights into the learning preferences of young people have been developing in parallel with the study of enterprise. This research sought to bring the two lines of study together to consider
- Do entrepreneurs share a preferred learning style?
- If they do, how does this explain their educational experiences in the past?
- What insights can this provide into developing a curriculum that will stimulate enterprise?
- What implications have this for teacher training?
The researchers selected two elements of learning preference for the study
- Right and left hemisphere dominance
- Gregorc’s Mental Styles
Findings
The research demonstrated that a prevalence of characteristics associated with right hemisphere dominance and a Concrete Mental Style (learning through active experience rather than abstract study). In the overwhelming majority of the entrepreneurs the Concrete style was combined with Random characteristics.
The histories of the entrepreneurs indicated that, apart from basic skills such as reading, writing and maths, their school experience had not contributed to their success in enterprise.
Conclusions
If one word was selected to describe the learning preferences entrepreneurs is could be Non-conforming. If we consider the bias of formal education towards left hemisphere dominance and how it deals with non-conforming young people we can assess how successful it will be in nurturing entrepreneurial talent n school.
The research discovered that left hemisphere dominant people were essential in enterprise when they worked in partnership with right dominant entrepreneurs in the lead role. However, they would not be the initiators or drivers of new or existing enterprises.
The research suggest that there is a need for significant adjustments to establish alter the bias towards left hemisphere dominance
- in primary, post-primary and third level education
- enterprise supporting government agencies
It also suggests that successful enterprises involve the positioning of right and left brain dominant individuals in the roles that match these learning preferences.
The Report
The Short Report and the Full Report of the EntreBraineur Study can be viewed and downloaded from the Stranmillis University College website.
Dr Kelly and Dr Cummins are available to give presentation of the research.