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PurposeThis paper seeks to energise discussion around philosophical assumptions in entrepreneurship education (EE). Far from being abstract considerations, this paper underscores that philosophical assumptions – which are embodied in research products and inherited from others – have practical implications.Design/methodology/approachThe study’s approach is to purposefully unsettle taken-for-granted assumptions implicit within 44 influential articles which have been said to reveal EE's Invisible College. The authors utilise three heuristic tools offered by problematisation – identifying paradigmatic assumptions, (re)conceptualising subject matter and making a reversal – to explore the implications of the meta-theoretical underpinnings of this body of work. The goal of this paper is not to find a definitive answer to the question “what is EE's underlying philosophy?” but rather ask, “what can we learn about philosophical assumptions by reconsidering this particular set of influential articles at a deep level?”FindingsWith some notable expectations, EE's Invisible College is a place where ideas about an external social reality accessible to the dispassionate researcher are implicitly accepted, where assumptions about the possibility of objective knowledge and the superiority of scientific methodology dominate and where functionalist research products reproduce the social status quo. Thus, whilst the EE research studied might appear diverse at a surface level (topics, research design, inter-disciplinary perspective), diversity is less apparent when considering the deeper, philosophical assumptions which underpin this body of work.Originality/valueRevealing assumptions which are embodied within research products may prompt critical thinking about the practical implications of research philosophies in the field of EE. In considering the implications of philosophical assumptions, a connection is made between problems that are observed at surface level – from lack of legitimacy, criticality and taken for grantedness of the field – to the deeper hidden system of ideas which lies beneath. Having highlighted potential problems of these deeper assumptions, the paper concludes by posing questions in relation to the type of research that is pursued and legitimised in the field of EE, the socialisation of researchers and the implications for criticality in the field. Such issues illustrate that, far from philosophical assumptions being an abstract or unimportant concern, they are highly practical and have the power to constrain or empower action and the social impact of research.

In this article, I argue that limited attention has been given to the competitive nature of enterprise education targeted at school level, obscuring the fundamental composition of many activities. While concepts such as enterprise education and entrepreneurship education are framed broadly for primary and secondary educators, focused on skills development and confidence building, it can simultaneously be observed that prescribed activities are often competitive. Yet this competitiveness—and its assumed benefits and potential drawbacks—is not clearly distinguished in the literature. Therefore, my broad objective in this article is to develop the concept of Competitive Enterprise Education (CEE) and consider its implications. As part of this endeavor, a linear model synthesized from existing policy is presented, which illustrates assumptions which underpin CEE. I argue that this ordered and rational logic does not reflect the messy human and social context of such activities. An alternative, more realistic, model of CEE is offered, which points to the myriad potential outcomes possible through these activities. The implications of CEE are discussed. Ultimately, by conceptually distinguishing the ubiquitous practice of CEE, new and relevant lines of enquiry and thinking are opened up for researchers and practitioners.

In this paper we introduce a novel method—generative critical conversation (GCC)—which we propose can develop educator and researcher reflexivity and enhance criticality in enterprise and entrepreneurship education (EEE). We ground this method in literature from the field of educational research and reflexivity scholarship. We hybridize three methodological elements—the self-study strategy of reflecting on recorded material; exploring lived experiences through cogenerative dialogue, and a focus on critical questioning—to facilitate the development of educator-researcher reflexivity. We use illustrations from our own conversations to show how GCC opens up space over time to access and move between levels of reflexive interpretation. We suggest enabling conditions that support GCC and its potential as a method for developing educator-researcher reflexivity across EEE, initial teacher education, and other fields of research.

The purpose of this article is to explore the effectiveness of entrepreneurship education (EE) programmes through the lens of realist evaluation (RE). The interest of the authoring team – a practitioner–academic mix with professional experience including developing EE in primary and secondary schools – lies with EE competitions, a type of intervention recommended for and delivered to students and pupils of all ages. RE is a theory-driven philosophy, methodology and adaptable logic of enquiry with which to conceptualize and analyse such programmes. In this study, we undertake an act of ‘organized scepticism’, as described by evidenced-based policy academic Ray Pawson, to identify and question the declared outcomes of EE competitions in European policy over a 10-year period. However, our contribution goes beyond the application of an evaluation approach, novel to EE. We argue that, while education generally, and EE specifically, appears committed to emulating ‘gold standard’ scientific evaluation approaches (e.g. randomized controlled trials, systematic review and meta-analysis), the field of evidenced-based policymaking has moved on. Now, alternative methodological strategies are being embraced and RE in particular has evolved as an approach which better aligns knowledge production with the reality of complex, socially contingent programmes. By using this approach, we not only establish that education and psychology theories challenge the outcomes of EE competitions declared in policy, but also demonstrate the wider relevance of RE to the appraisal and refinement of the theorizing and practice of entrepreneurship programmes and interventions.

The demand for including enterprise in the education system, at all levels and for all pupils is now a global phenomenon. Within this context, the use of competitions and competitive learning activities is presented as a popular and effective vehicle for learning. The purpose of this chapter is to illustrate how a realist method of enquiry – which utilises theory as the unit of analysis – can shed new light on the assumed and unintended outcomes of enterprise education competitions. The case developed here is that there are inherent flaws in assuming that competitions will ‘work’ in the ways set out in policy and guidance. Some of the most prevalent stated outcomes – that competitions will motivate and reward young people, that they will enable the development of entrepreneurial skills, and that learners will be inspired by their peers – are challenged by theory from psychology and education. The issue at stake is that the expansion of enterprise education policy into primary and secondary education increases the likelihood that more learners will be sheep dipped in competitions, and competitive activities, without a clear recognition of the potential unintended effects. In this chapter, we employ a realist-informed approach to critically evaluate the theoretical basis that underpins the use of competitions and competitive learning activities in school-based enterprise education. We believe that our findings and subsequent recommendations will provide those who promote and practice the use of competitions with a richer, more sophisticated picture of the potential flaws within such activities.

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