Matt Symonds on Teaching Entrepreneurship

In a recent article published in Business Week magazine, chief editor of MBA50.com and director of Fortuna Admissions Matt Symonds discusses the conditions in which an entrepreneurial mindset can flourish and the role of B-schools in teaching entrepreneurship.

Matt Symonds says that business schools might not need a classroom to teach entrepreneurship. However, they have an opportunity to create the conditions in which an entrepreneurial mindset can flourish, and provide students with the tools and the confidence to take the path toward business creation.

Speaking at the World Entrepreneurship Forum in Singapore, entrepreneurship researcher Norris Krueger said that there are three key ingredients to train and develop entrepreneurial thinking: a supportive network, outstanding mentors, and personal reflection. The co-founding business schools of the event, E.M. Lyon and Nanyang Technological University have understood that beyond teaching core business skills, the interaction with business leaders and social entrepreneurs provided a massive learning opportunity for their students. Hearing speeches from various dignitaries inspired students at the event to believe they can also create change.

Speakers shared their experiences, the lessons they learned and the wisdom they gained with the students which offered the real insight for would-be entrepreneurs. For hands-on learning, students were encouraged to take responsibility for junior World Entrepreneurship Forums in cities around the world. This experience will provide a networking platform for connections with like-minded individuals, besides providing valuable lessons in delivering commitments.

Bruno Bonnel, a successful entrepreneur and President of E.M. Lyon, said that events such as World Entrepreneurship Forum gives you opportunity for self-reflection, to ask yourself where you really want to be headed, and who you want to share that path with. So, when it comes to building new businesses, B-schools should focus less on teaching and more on creating the conditions that would allow would-be entrepreneurs to flourish.

Read more details in Business Week magazine

Do you also believe that B-schools might not need a classroom to teach entrepreneurship? Tell us in the comments below.

Posted in collaboration with BillRingle.com.

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