Questioning the Magic Pill: A Critical Discourse Analysis of International Organisations’ Entrepreneurship Education Policy

• In Event: Neoliberalism and Globalization

Proposal

This study seeks to better understand how entrepreneurship education became so popular and widely adopted across organisations and contexts, how it is being introduced, and how it is explained as a response to nearly any national and global challenge. We analyse the official documents on Entrepreneurship Education policy of three international organizations from year 2006 to year 2018: The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), the European Union (EU), and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Using critical analyses of the written discourse (e.g., Wodak & Meyer, 2016), we interpret the text, wording, problem and solution framing, communication strategies and other aspects of discourse shaping. In doing so, we examine how these organizations discursively shape and justify the concept of entrepreneurship education. Specifically, we address the following questions: How can the discourse about entrepreneurship education be characterized? What are the similarities and differences between those organizations discourse shaping, and what can it imply?
We chose to analyse the growth and development of entrepreneurship education in light of three central concepts: the neo-liberal state, globalisation, and international organisations. Neo-liberalism espouses economic freedom for individuals, promoting free enterprise, competition, and the transfer of responsibility to private bodies perceived as more efficient and smarter than state institutions. However, application of the neo-liberal approach worldwide is increasing inequality, both within and between countries (Springer, 2016).
In the scope of this study, globalisation can be summed up as a phenomenon that includes the movement of people, capital, and knowledge beyond their native national and cultural boundaries, which seemingly creates access to new cultures and markets. From a liberal point of view, mostly adopted by economist in this context, among other benefits, globalization assures efficiency and increased welfare to all countries taking part in it (Busch, 2016). In practice, not everyone benefits from the fruits of globalisation. Some individuals and certain groups of countries are harmed by elements of this phenomenon (Rivzi & Lingard, 2000).
The combination of globalisation and neo-liberalism led to the emergence of a ‘new world order,’ partially characterised by the expanding influence of international organisations. States’ membership in these bodies creates a certain status, influences their power, and impacts their economy and society. To gain admittance to such ‘elected-membership clubs’ a country must comply with certain conditions; in other words, it must comply with the principles of neo-liberalism (Chomsky, 1998).
Against the background of globalization and the neo-liberal notions of the international organizations, educational policies are formulated, designed and applied in various areas in different ways. Underlying these policies is the perceived need to provide the tools and skill-set each student will need to become a future contributor to the market’s economic growth. Many policy documents identify entrepreneurship skills as key characteristics of a graduate of the national educational system.
The concept of ‘entrepreneurship education’ originated in the business world. Notably, no consensual definition of entrepreneurship exists, but most definitions involve components of innovation, locating and exploiting opportunities, and setting up a new business or organisation (Miller, 1983; Pozen, 2008; Shane & Venkataraman, 2000). The connection between entrepreneurship and education has many manifestations. In this study, we focus only on the process of imparting entrepreneurial skills to students on the broadest educational continuum, in ways that involve both theoretical knowledge and actual practice. Among the skills considered within this context are openness to technology, flexibility of thought and creativity (Matricano, 2014).
The emergence of the entrepreneurial education phenomenon is part of the expansion of the neo-liberal view, and a natural continuation of the neo-liberal trend in education. Individuals strive to improve their economic standing and their happiness, and entrepreneurial skills contribute to their ability to do so. In the context of international organisations, neo-liberalism has expanded to areas such as politics, society, and education (Springer, Birch, & Macleavy, 2016). As part of those trends, an economic discourse entered the field of education that includes reference to education as a ‘product,’ to students and their parents as ‘clients,’ and to the school as a ‘service provider’. In a knowledge economy, the individual’s mind is the most significant means of production, and the main goal of education is to equip future employees with abilities and skills that will benefit them and the market (Patrick, 2013). However, while these could help the strong become stronger, if the weak remain weak they will be blamed for failing despite the fact they seemed to have been given all the tools to succeed. Hence, the perpetuation of inequality due to education for entrepreneurship has become a source of criticism to it, and the fear is that capitalist and egotistical values are penetrating the educational system at the expense of human values (Lackéus, 2017).
The OECD, the EU and UNESCO maintain a relationship involving both competition and cooperation (Barnett & Finnemore, 2005). Notably, although their stated goals, structure, and modes of governance differ, in recent years all three have expanded and deepened their involvement in shaping education policies in general and entrepreneurship education in particular. In comparing between these three organisations, we seek to examine how despite their diverse initial areas of focus, the three converged around the same policy of promoting entrepreneurship education.
Our research shows different aspects of discourse shaping that placed the notion of ‘entrepreneurship education’ very high on the agenda of international organisations and countries, being one of the main strategies countries utilise in dealing with massive challenges such as climate problems, financial instability, employment and earning opportunities and migration among others.
Adopting critical discourse scholars' notion of language as social practice and discourse being shaped by social events as well as shapes them, this study contributes a critical examination of some aspects of a large and wide-ranging policy that is being introduced in many countries, led by large international organisations. Being aware to it can help better design education policies, so that entrepreneurship education will not be considered a response to all global ills, but rather, more proportionally, one of many ways to deal with challenges through education.

Authors

• May Amiel, Tel Aviv University

• Miri Yemini, Tel Aviv University

• Nina Kolleck, Freie Universität Berlin