Learning to become entrepreneurial through a change laboratory methodology

Abstract

Following Clark’s early work, the concept of the entrepreneurial university has been circulating for a number of years. Being entrepreneurial entails that  staff develop the sort of open-ended, problem-solving, and innovative solution-generating thinking underlying the concept. This manner of thinking may  be important as an orientation to working life both inside and outside the university, not only in the commercial sense, but also in dealing with societal  issues. Although there are guides as to what areas a university should develop to become entrepreneurial, there is little guidance as to how staff may  explore and develop their own entrepreneurial thinking. This article suggests that the problem and solution generating approach of the change  laboratory, underpinned by the theory of expansive learning (and transformative agency), may provide such guidance. Furthermore, forwarding this  approach may support the critical developmental and transformative role that universities can play in society and so serve to balance out the more   commercial thrusts often proposed by managing bodies.