What is entrepreneurship?
Our definition of entrepreneurship is:
"Entrepreneurship is a dynamic and social process where individuals, separately or in a group, identifies opportunities and take actions resulting in an added value in social, cultural and/or economical contexts."
Entrepreneurship is not just about starting a business. It could also be actions in the idealistic sector or developing your work as an employee. For an initiativ to be entrepreneurial though you need to create an added value. Therefore we do the following distinctions:
* To be able to identify a problem and come up with a solution is creativity.
* To be able to identify a problem, come up with a solution and solve it is somewhere between creativity and entrepreneurship.
* To be able to identify a problem, come up with a solution and solve the problem in a way that creates an added value for oneself or someone else is true entrepreneurship.
During this last year we have also started to look at how entrepreneurship can be sustainable. For entrepreneurship to become sustainable you need to have a systematic thinking for all results of your idea/project. Sustainability demands that individuals, society and ecology is gained or at least not misfortuned by your actions. Sustainable entrepreneurship should therefore create added value for all three target groups and a definition for that could be:
"Sustainable entrepreneurship is a dynamic and social process where individuals, separately or in a group, identifies opportunities and take actions resulting in an added value for individuals, the society AND the ecological system "
Open For Business methodology is built on four core principals. These are the pyramid, the continuum, 5 paths to learning and "just do it!". The last one is very important as we believe that "you learn entrepreneurship by doing entrepreneurship". You can earn knowledge by gathering information but to become entrepreneurial you must go out and do things in real life. By challenging yourself you improve the personal qualities that make you entrepreneurial.
We also believe that "all individuals have entrepreneurial qualities that can be developed ". All people are borned with entrepreneurial qualities but if these aren't stimulated and trained then they decline. Parents, teachers, coaches and executives all have important roles in stimulating entrepreneurial behaviour in their children, students and employees.
Open For Business methodology have four core principals that runs through all activities. These are the pyramid, the continuum, 5 paths to learning and just do it!
You can learn more about the four core principals down below. Click on the pictures to see them in a larger format.
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Pyramid (of entrepreneurship) The pyramid has three levels where the lowest level, the base, is the largest one. The base contains a person's qualities and attitudes. For example you can find courage, curiosity, logical thinking, self awareness and self confidence in the base. All these qualities and attitudes can be trained and strenghtened. The middle layer contains general adaptive skills and competences. For example you can find reading, writing, ability to communicate in the middle layer. These skills are general skills that can be adapted to different situations and challenges. The top contains specific knowledge that you learn from specific educations or through interests and experiences. For example you can find languages and knowledge within specific areas or specific professions. The top is required to realize your specific idea or project. All parts of the pyramid are equally important but the shape of the pyramid is the most important issue. If you try to turn a pyramid upside down it will roll over. That is because if you don't have a large and solid base then you have nothing to build the rest upon! |
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Continuum There are six steps on the continuum. These steps represents the different phases that a person can be in when you meet him/her. By identifying what step the person is at you can give him/her the right help and support. Another important part of the continuum is that everyone is allowed to climb in their own pace. There is also nothing wrong in taking a step back if you feel the need. The continuum reaches from being totally unaware of your own potential and capacity all the way to having fulfilled your idea or project. |
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5 paths of learning The 5 paths of learning stands for five different paths to develop and learn about your entrepreneurship. These paths are peer, specific knowledge, planning, experience and mentoring. Each path has its own methodology. Each path is good by itself but together they strenghten each other. The path you choose to learn at could turn out in several different ways but the more narrow it is the harder it will be. We therefore think that you should use as many of the paths as possibel to reach your goals. |
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Just do it! Entrepreneurship can not be taught to you. You have to teach yourself by doing entreprenurial activities. Individuals in a world of change find themselves in situations requiring problem solving. For that reason all activities within Open For Business are focused on turning problems to possibilities. "Just do it" is a experienced based learning process that adjusts to the individual and makes entrepreneurship something funny and exciting! |
Experiental Learing Model (ELM)
The training of trainers/educators within Open For Business concepts is done with help of the Experiental Learning Model (ELM). The model has seven phases to push the process forward.
| Introduction phase | In the introduction phase the trainer describes the focus of the activity. This phase is all about getting the participants focused and motivated. |
| Clarification phase | The clarification phase explains the activity, its purpose and the expectations that are connected to it. The participants shall get a understanding of the goals of the activity. |
| Action phase | The action phase is all about carrying out the planned activity. |
| Reflection phase | The reflection phase follows directly after the experience phase and lets the participants relect on "what did we do", "what happened when we did it" etc. How did they feel when they did the activity? |
| Generalization phase | In the generalization phase is all about finding the lessons learned. The trainer leeds the participants to conclutions without lecturing them. |
| Application phase | The application phase helps the participants to see how to use their newly found knowledges and experiences in their daily work. |
| Evaluation phase | In the evaluation phase the trainer checks with the participants if they've reached the goals and purposes that were connected to the activity and if they have developed their knowledges, qualities and attitudes. |
You can learn more about ELM in our publication "E-boken".
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