New Publication on Entrepreneurial Learning

August 17, 2012

Luke Pittaway and his co-author Prof. Richard Thorpe (University of Leeds) have had a new research paper published in the journal of Entrepreneurship and Regional Development.  The paper entitled ‘A Framework for Entrepreneurial Learning: A Tribute to Jason Cope’ focuses on the life and research work of Dr. Jason Cope and provides a review and summary of his contributions to theories about entrepreneurial learning.

Abstract

Cope’s theory of entrepreneurial learning is explained and the paper shows how it can be applied, to deepen understanding about and practice in, entrepreneurship education. The paper starts by providing a biography of Dr. Jason Cope. The biography explains his academic life and provides a timeline of his publications. The paper then explores his research on entrepreneurial learning and the contributions he made to the subject. This part is split into three components. In the first section Cope’s early work is introduced and his explanation of concepts such as: learning by doing; reflective learning; learning through crises; and, the role of personal exposure in entrepreneurial learning; are explained. In the second part Cope’s publications following his PhD are reviewed and his conceptual framework derived from this research is explained. Here ideas, such as, transformative learning and double loop learning are discussed in terms of their relevance to entrepreneurship. In the third part Cope’s complete entrepreneurial learning theory is explained and the key contributing concepts are described. Here the paper looks at the theory and how Cope applied it to undertake research and subsequently explain how entrepreneurs learn from failure. In the final sections of the paper the implications of his theory to entrepreneurship education are explored. The paper examines entrepreneurship education both for students and for entrepreneurs; showing that the theory has significant implications in both contexts. Finally, it concludes by explaining why Cope’s work has been described here as a theory of entrepreneurial learning.