devolved nations Archives - Dr David Bozward

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the heartbeat of every economy. They employ more than half the world’s workforce, drive innovation, and hold deep community roots. Yet many SME owners spend their days firefighting—caught in the demands of daily operations, chasing cash flow, managing staff, navigating regulation, and trying to stay one step ahead in a rapidly shifting world.

In the middle of all this, entrepreneurship education might sound like a luxury—something for startups, students, or aspiring founders. But here’s the truth: entrepreneurship education could be one of the most valuable investments an SME owner can make—not only for themselves, but for their team, their growth, and their long-term survival.

In fact, when SME leaders adopt an entrepreneurial mindset and embed that thinking across their organisation, they don’t just adapt to change—they lead it.

Let’s explore how.

Rethinking Entrepreneurship: It’s Not Just for Startups

First, we need to expand the definition.

Entrepreneurship is not just about founding the next tech unicorn or pitching investors in Silicon Valley. At its core, entrepreneurship is about spotting opportunities, solving problems creatively, creating value, and managing risk with intent.

It’s just as relevant to a five-person construction firm as it is to a fintech startup.

Entrepreneurship education, then, is not about teaching people how to launch new businesses—it’s about embedding the skills, habits, and strategies that help SMEs survive, adapt, and thrive in a changing market.

It helps you ask better questions:

How do we add more value to our customers?
What new revenue streams could we unlock?
Where are we wasting time or money?
How do we build a culture of innovation inside our team?

The Business Case: Proven Benefits of Entrepreneurial Thinking in SMEs

1. Improved Strategic Decision-Making

Entrepreneurship education trains business owners to step back from the day-to-day and think strategically. It introduces frameworks like Lean Startup, Business Model Canvas, or Design Thinking—tools that help you test ideas faster, reduce waste, and make data-informed decisions.

A study by the Kauffman Foundation found that SME leaders who had undergone entrepreneurship training made faster and more effective decisions around pivoting, product development, and resource allocation.

The benefit? You spend less time stuck—and more time steering.

2. Greater Adaptability in Uncertain Markets

Markets change. Technology evolves. Customer behaviour shifts. SMEs that survive aren’t the biggest or best-funded—they’re the most adaptable.

Entrepreneurship education helps you build that adaptability into your business DNA. You learn how to prototype new services, experiment with pricing models, diversify offerings, and respond to feedback quickly—without risking your core business.

During COVID-19, SMEs with prior exposure to entrepreneurial learning were more likely to adapt their models—shifting to online sales, developing new delivery methods, or entering adjacent markets.

3. Enhanced Team Performance and Innovation

Entrepreneurial education isn’t just for the boss. When your team learns entrepreneurial thinking, something powerful happens:

Staff take more initiative
Problems are solved internally rather than escalated
Creativity flourishes
Customer service improves

Imagine your receptionist suggesting a new way to automate bookings. Or your warehouse staff proposing a system that cuts delivery time by 20%. When employees think like entrepreneurs, they look beyond tasks—they look for opportunities.

Fostering what’s called “intrapreneurship” within your team can dramatically improve engagement, retention, and innovation. And it starts with how you train and empower them.

4. Increased Business Resilience

Entrepreneurship education teaches you how to handle failure, mitigate risk, and bounce back. These are not abstract skills—they are survival tools for SME owners.

The UK’s Enterprise Research Centre found that SMEs run by owners with entrepreneurship education were more likely to bounce back from shocks, avoid closure, and retain customers—even when facing industry disruption or economic downturns.

Resilience isn’t just emotional—it’s strategic. And it can be learned.

Common Myths That Hold SME Owners Back

Let’s clear up a few misconceptions:

Myth 1: “I’ve already been in business for years—I don’t need more education.”
Even the most experienced business owners can become trapped in routines or outdated assumptions. Entrepreneurship education challenges your thinking, introduces fresh tools, and helps you rediscover curiosity and innovation.

Myth 2: “Entrepreneurship education is for big companies or startups.”
It’s for anyone who wants to grow, adapt, or innovate. In fact, smaller businesses often benefit most—because they can implement change faster and test new ideas without layers of bureaucracy.

Myth 3: “I don’t have time.”
Many entrepreneurship programmes are designed for busy owners—offered as short courses, workshops, or even microlearning modules that take 15 minutes a day. Think of it as time spent working on your business, not just in it.

What Kind of Education Should You Look For?

The best entrepreneurship education for SME owners is:

Practical – Focused on real-world application, not just theory.
Flexible – Fits your schedule and business demands.
Interactive – Offers community, mentoring, or peer exchange.
Affordable – Often supported by local authorities, business support organisations, or grants.

Look for programmes from:

Local enterprise partnerships (LEPs)
Chambers of commerce
Adult learning colleges
Online platforms like Coursera, FutureLearn, or Enterprise Nation
Universities offering executive education for SMEs

Also consider bringing it in-house: host a team “innovation sprint” or sponsor key staff to complete a short enterprise training programme. The ROI will surprise you.

Beyond Profit: Entrepreneurship as a Culture

The real benefit of entrepreneurship education isn’t just improved margins—it’s a culture shift.

It encourages openness to ideas, comfort with ambiguity, and a willingness to challenge the status quo. It makes your business more proactive, less reactive. More agile, less fragile.

It also re-engages you as a leader. It reminds you why you started in the first place—not just to survive, but to build something of value.

And in a world where AI, global competition, and economic volatility are constant forces, that mindset is your greatest asset.

Final Thought: What’s Your Business Learning?

Your business is learning all the time—whether you’re guiding it or not. The question is: are you learning with it?

Entrepreneurship education is not about stepping away from your business. It’s about stepping into a better version of it. One where you lead with clarity, adapt with purpose, and grow with intention.

If you’re a small business owner ready for your next stage—don’t just hire more people or buy more equipment. Invest in what matters most: your own thinking, and that of your team.

Because in business, just like in life, your greatest competitive advantage is the ability to learn faster and apply smarter.

References

1. QAA: Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Education Guidance (2018)

A comprehensive framework for UK higher education providers to embed entrepreneurial learning across curricula.
🔗 Read the full guidance

2. Advance HE: New Framework for Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Education

An updated framework supporting institutions in developing enterprise education strategies.
🔗 Explore the framework Advance HE

3. Enterprise Educators UK: Policy Resources

Guidance and policy documents for enterprise educators across the UK.
🔗 Access policy resources Enterprise Educators UK

4. Evaluation of Enterprise Education in England (DfE Research Report)

An evaluation highlighting the impact of enterprise education in English schools.
🔗 Read the report GOV.UK

5. The Impact of Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Education on Regional Development

A study analyzing how enterprise education influences regional economic growth.
🔗 View the study GOV.UK

6. Entrepreneurship Education in the United Kingdom

An overview of the evolution and current state of entrepreneurship education in the UK.
🔗 Read the article

7. HEPI: Evolution of Devolution in Higher Education Policy

An analysis of how higher education policies have diverged across the UK’s devolved nations.
🔗 Download the report HEPI+1HEPI+1

8. GOV.UK: Improving Entrepreneurship Education

Recommendations to the Prime Minister on enhancing entrepreneurship education in universities.
🔗 Read the correspondence GOV.UK

9. Learning and Progression in Entrepreneurship Education (Wales)

Guidance on embedding entrepreneurship education within the Welsh curriculum.
🔗 Access the document

10. Enterprise Education Impact in HE and FE – Final Report

An evaluation of enterprise education’s impact in higher and further education institutions.
🔗 Read the final report

11. The Impact and Effectiveness of Entrepreneurship Policy (Nesta)

An examination of publicly supported policies for entrepreneurship development.
🔗 View the working paper Nesta Media

12. The Value of Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Education (British Council)

Insights into the significance of embedding entrepreneurship education in vocational training.
🔗 Explore the resource

13. Entrepreneurship Education in the UK: Impact and Future Research Directions

A review of the effectiveness of UK’s undergraduate entrepreneurship education programs.
🔗 Read the blog post Dr David Bozward

14. Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Education Policy for the English Education Ministry

A proposed policy framework aiming to foster entrepreneurial mindset among students.
🔗 View the policy proposal Dr David Bozward

15. Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Education Guidance (UWE Draft)

Draft guidance intended to inform and promote the development of enterprise education in higher education.
🔗 Access the draft guidance www2.uwe.ac.uk

16. The History of Entrepreneurship Education in the UK 1860-2020

A historical analysis of the development of entrepreneurship education in the UK.
🔗 Download the paper

17. Entrepreneurship Policy and Practice Insights – ISBE

Insights into current policy and practice issues related to entrepreneurship research.
🔗 Explore the insights Quality Assurance Agency+4Enterprise Educators UK+4Startups Magazine+4

18. The Innovation and Entrepreneurship Education in UK and China

A comparative study on innovation and entrepreneurship education between the UK and China.
🔗 Read the article

19. University of Huddersfield – REF Impact Case Studies

Case studies demonstrating the impact of entrepreneurship education on policy shaping.
🔗 View the case studies

20. The Case for the Devolution of Higher Education Policy – HEPI

An argument for devolving higher education policy to better address regional needs.
🔗 Read the article HEPI+1HEPI+1

Universities in the UK often struggle with entrepreneurship. It doesn’t fit neatly into traditional academic structures—it’s not a defined career path, it’s taught like a vocational add-on, and worst of all (to some), entrepreneurial students tend to challenge authority. But in today’s unstable higher education sector, that might be exactly what’s needed.

I once spoke with Professor Allan Gibb about this disconnect. His model (Figure 5 in Gibb, A., Haskins, G., & Robertson, I. (2009). Leading the entrepreneurial university. University of Oxford. of the entrepreneurial university still holds true, but implementation varies wildly. Vice Chancellors don’t seem to know where entrepreneurship fits, so they stick it wherever there’s space—like rolling a dice.

So, I made a literal dice: six faces, six random “homes” for entrepreneurship.

Research & Enterprise – Often tied to funding pots like HEIF.
Employability & Careers – Think Graduate Businesses and initiatives like Northumbria’s.
Innovation & Enterprise – See UCL’s Enterprise or Birmingham’s Collaborate.
Business Schools – Sometimes embraced, often sidelined.
Institutes or Centres – Coventry University’s Enterprise unit is one model.
Technology Transfer – Like Newcastle’s IP and licensing efforts.

The randomness highlights the problem—and the opportunity. Maybe it’s time to stop rolling dice and start placing strategic bets.

Lets quickly look at each and see what the pro’s and cons of each are:

1. Research & Enterprise

Pros: Strong alignment with funding (e.g., HEIF), links to knowledge exchange, impact, and spinouts.
Cons: Tends to favour staff-led innovation over student engagement; risk of entrepreneurship becoming a reporting metric which leads to cash to pay for other things.

2. Employability & Careers

Pros: Focused on graduate outcomes, enterprise skills, and real-world readiness.
Cons: Can reduce entrepreneurship to CV-enhancing workshops, lacking depth and strategic investment. Focused B3 Progression measured at 15 months after completion, so long term entreprneurial development is not supported.

3. Innovation & Enterprise Units

Pros: Dedicated structures (e.g., UCL, Birmingham) often offer incubators, funding, and expert support.
Cons: Can be isolated from the academic curriculum and suffer from poor integration across faculties.

4. Business Schools

Pros: A natural home—entrepreneurship is a recognised academic discipline with research, teaching, and networks.
Cons: Can become too theoretical, divorced from practice, or siloed from other departments. Provides many students who can create a business model but never be able to execute it.

5. Institutes or Centres

Pros: Flexible and agile, like Coventry’s model; can act as cross-university hubs.
Cons: Vulnerable to funding changes and may lack influence in university decision-making.

6. Technology Transfer Offices

Pros: Ideal for commercialising university research and developing staff-led startups.
Cons: Student entrepreneurship is often ignored; focus is on IP, patents, and licensing rather than broader enterprise education.

Each model has its merits and its blind spots. But the real issue is that entrepreneurship in higher education still feels like an afterthought—tacked onto existing structures rather than strategically embedded.

So maybe it’s time to stop rolling dice and start making intentional, informed decisions.

Where does entrepreneurship live in your institution—and more importantly, where should it?