Entrepreneurship education in UK business schools : Conceptual, contextual and policy considerations

Purpose – This paper aims to critically evaluate the conceptual, contextual and policy issues relating to the expanding field of research on entrepreneurship education in UK business schools. Design/methodology/approach – The author carried out an extensive literature review of, and a methodical evaluation of current knowledge on, topics related directly and indirectly to entrepreneurship education in UK business schools. Findings – A critical evaluation of the literature on entrepreneurship education in UK business schools highlighted a number of inherent definitional, conceptual and contextual issues relating to this area of research. Individually and cumulatively, such concerns can cast doubts upon the validity, comparability and generalisation potential of some of the research results and related hypotheses. The author calls for more empirically rigorous and comparable research that would bridge the knowledge gap that still exists between the perceptions and interests of various stakeholders in this important area of policy making. New research would offer a realistic and relevant benchmark to evaluate and inform progress in entrepreneurship education at local, regional and national levels. Furthermore, it could provide a more realistic measure of ongoing policy intervention as well as an expedient response base in a rapidly changing socio‐economic environment. Research limitations/implications – The evaluation and interpretation of relevant findings represent the author's own perceptions and experiences, and should, therefore, be viewed with caution. These are subject to the usual bias and singular perspective that is typically attributable to “viewpoint” papers. Originality/value – Provides an evaluation of research on entrepreneurship education in UK business schools.