Education + Training

Researching enterprise and entrepreneurship education

Harry Matlay

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To cite this document:
Harry Matlay , (2015),"Researching enterprise and entrepreneurship education", Education + Training , Vol. 57 Iss 8/9 pp. Permanent link to this document:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/ET-07-2015-0065
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INTRODUCTION
Researching enterprise and entrepreneurship education

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This double Special Issue is the 16th consecutive, annual publication in a long and successful series of
specialised articles to appear in Education + Training, commencing with 2000. Within a large and
diverse international community of academics, researchers, students and practitioners, the reputation
of this series is now well established. It is based not only upon longevity and continuity, but also on
its innovative and cutting edge approach to the dissemination of an impressive range of theoretical,
practical and cross-disciplinary articles in the emergent field of education and training research.
Importantly, the series is known and acknowledged for its empirical rigorousness, which it achieves
through multiple, independent and anonymous refereeing of individual articles as well as the special
issue in its entirety. For those interested to know more about it, the genesis and strategic development
of the double Special Issue in Education + Training has been detailed elsewhere (see Matlay, 2008a).
I have previously highlighted a growing obsession with entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial
outcomes, at both national and international level (Matlay, 2005; 2006). This is particularly visible
amongst governments in industrially developed and developing nations, as well as in countries in
transition (Matlay, 2008b). In addition, there exists a sizeable range of major and minor stakeholder
groupings that also claim to have a keen interest in entrepreneurship, as the panacea to economic
stagnation and decline (Rae et al., 2014). These include individuals clustered around family, business
and community interests as well as socio-economic, educational and political activities. Not
surprisingly, such a keen interest in, and focus upon, entrepreneurship has generated an awareness and
realization that enterprise and entrepreneurship education could potentially contribute to the
development of more and better entrepreneurs to enter an economy (Matlay, 2009). Thus, the recent
expansion of enterprise and entrepreneurship education, at all levels of the educational system, should
not be perceived as accidental, incidental or unexpected. Interestingly, however, enterprise and
entrepreneurship education, as a research topic, has been developing and maturing at a faster pace
than that experienced by entrepreneurship or economics. Perhaps the urgency of its development and
growth is symptomatic of the economic turbulence experienced during recent times in both domestic
and international markets...
Much of the extant research in enterprise and entrepreneurship education, and related themes, can be
traced directly and/or indirectly to government inspired and/or funded initiatives (Matlay, 2011).
Independent research is also expanding at a fast rate and contributes considerably to a more rounded
and better informed debate. Regretfully, there exists a marked paucity of practitioner input,
dissemination and representation amongst the many articles and commentaries that appear in peer
refereed journals. Nevertheless, a vast proportion of practitioner contributions appear in Education +
Training and the journal has been credited with facilitating the voice of most, if not all, the major
stakeholders that actively promote enterprise and entrepreneurship education. As the guest editor of
the double Special Issue, I fully support the publication of empirically rigorous articles on enterprise
and entrepreneurship education. We welcome, support and facilitate the dissemination of papers that
focus on a variety of enterprise and entrepreneurship education aspects, originating in industrially
advanced, developing and transitional countries. These articles aim to make a significant and
empirically rigorous contribution to the rapidly expanding body of knowledge in this important topic
of research.
The 16th double Special Issue in Education + Training comprises 12 articles which, individually and
collectively, offer a critical perspective on diverse aspects and contexts associated with enterprise and
entrepreneurship education. The Special Issue is designed to be convergent, rather than divergent in
nature. It seeks to make a significant contribution to the development of conceptual, contextual and
practical aspects of this fast moving topic of research. In planning, developing and completing the
double Special Issue, I have benefited considerably from the advice, expertise and guidance of a
number of individuals, too many to mention by name. I wish to thank all contributors, referees and

advisors for their hard work and continued commitment to high standards of academic, research and
practitioner publishing. Thanks are also due to Martin McCracken, the Editor of Education +
Training, for his support and to Sophie Barr, Senior Content Editor, for her assistance during the final
stages of the submission process.
Harry Matlay
Global Independent Research, Coventry, UK

References

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Matlay, H. (2005), Researching entrepreneurship and education, part 1: what is entrepreneurship and
does it matter?, Education + Training, Vol. 47 Nos 8/9, pp. 665-667
Matlay, H. (2006), Researching entrepreneurship and education, part 2: what is entrepreneurship
education and does it matter?, Education + Training, Vol. 48 Nos 8/9, pp. 704-718
Matlay, H. (2008a), Vocational Education and Training in SMEs: The Role of Education +
Training in Promoting Quality Research, Education + Training, Vol. 50 No. 1, pp. 67-70
Matlay, H. (2008b), The impact of entrepreneurship education on entrepreneurial outcomes,
Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, Vol. 15 No. 2, pp. 382-396
Matlay, H. (2009), Entrepreneurship education in the UK: a critical analysis of stakeholder
involvement and expectations, Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, Vol. 16 No.
2, pp. 355-368
Matlay, H. (2011), The influence of stakeholders on developing enterprising graduates in UK HEIs,
International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour & Research, Vol. 17 No. 2, pp. 166-182
Rae, D., Matlay, H., McGowan, P. and Penaluna, A. (2014), Freedom or Prescription: The case for
curriculum guidance in enterprise and entrepreneurship education, Industry & Higher Education,
Vol. 28 No. 6, pp. 387-398

Guest editor bio:

Professor Harry Matlay is Dean of Research at Global Independent Research, Coventry, United
Kingdom. He specializes in entrepreneurship and small business development, entrepreneurship
education, training and learning. Previously, he worked in senior research positions at the SME
Centre, Warwick University Business School, Birmingham City Business School and the University
of the West of Scotland Business School.