February 20, 2015

 Robert Edgell , PhD

Assistant Professor of Technology Management

"A pilot study of design immersion and network engagement exposure as positive mediators for entrepreneurial capacity development"

Donovan G152

Noon - 2 pm

Abstract

Although a burgeoning number of management and STEM scholars have begun to explore various aspects of design culture, few have studied the effects of collaborative design processes as mediators for institutional entrepreneurial capacity development. For this empirical pilot study, we collected and analyzed pre- and post-exposure survey data from participants in a major interdisciplinary team-based design project and a control group. Preliminary analysis of our results confirm positive mediating effects of design immersion (DI) and network engagement (NE) exposure on the dependent variable entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE). In addition, the results partially support positive effects on collaboration self-efficacy (CSE) and perceptions of opportunity (PO). Results for the mediating effects of DI and NE on overall propensity to remain (PR) and affect geopolitical (A) are not supported. However, the PR dimension, likelihood to remain (PR.1) is supported. We conclude with critical comments and recommendations for future research.