Fostering Social Entrepreneurship: The Role of Entrepreneurship Education

Panagiota Xanthopoulou () and Alexandros G. Sahinidis
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Panagiota Xanthopoulou: University of West Attica
Alexandros G. Sahinidis: University of West Attica

A chapter in Strategic Innovative Marketing and Tourism, 2026, pp 921-929 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract In response to growing global interest in fostering social innovation, this study explores how entrepreneurship education shapes undergraduate students’ social entrepreneurial intentions. The aim of the study is to evaluate the effect of entrepreneurship education practices on the social entrepreneurial intentions of undergraduate students. The study investigated how various educational techniques influence students’ learning experiences, emotional engagement, and ambitions to become social entrepreneurs using a qualitative diary-based research instrument. Framed as an exploratory qualitative pilot study, it draws on weekly diary entries from a purposive sample of 67 students, who answered diary’s questions every week regarding their experiences and emotions with various educational activities. The results revealed that students’ understanding and intention for social entrepreneurship were significantly enhanced by experiential and team-based learning approaches. While team activities like making business canvases and developing and presenting ideas improved cooperation and the real-world application of concepts, the use of interactive movies, reflective writing tasks, and real-world case discussions further enhanced students’ sensitivity, empathy, and critical thinking—among which interactive movies and reflective writing were perceived as the most effective by participants. This study provides actionable insights into enhancing entrepreneurship education by integrating experiential and team-based learning to foster social entrepreneurial intentions. The study offers practical implications for educators, curriculum designers, and policymakers aiming to cultivate socially driven entrepreneurial mindsets in higher education.

Keywords: Entrepreneurship education; Social entrepreneurial intention; Diary research (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:prbchp:978-3-032-12968-0_100

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DOI: 10.1007/978-3-032-12968-0_100

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