Identification and Design of an Entrepreneurial Competency Development Model for University Faculty Members

Faculty members are the main stakeholders of the higher education system and play a pivotal role in the performance of universities. Therefore, identifying the entrepreneurial competencies of faculty members could enhance the quality of universities. The present study aimed to propose an entrepreneurial competency development model for faculty members.

This was an applied study in terms of objective and an integrated study (qualitative-quantitative) in terms of implementation. The sample population of the qualitative section included 25 university elites, entrepreneurs, professors, and the faculty members of the development and entrepreneurship sectors in the quantitative section. In total, 1,500 participants were selected from universities across Iran. Morgan’s table was used to estimate the sample size at 306. In the quantitative section, data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire, which was developed based on the findings of the qualitative section. The validity of the quantitative section was evaluated and confirmed by face and content validity, and reliability was confirmed using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. Data analysis was performed in SPSS and PLS by open, axial, and selective coding and structural equation modeling.

According to the qualitative findings, the influential factors in the development of entrepreneurial competencies of faculty members included five main categories (entrepreneurial competencies, skills, personal competencies, entrepreneurial facilitators, and intervening factors) and 85 sub-categories. Correspondingly, the entrepreneurial competency model of faculty members was developed, and the results of the quantitative section indicated the good fit of the model.

Entrepreneurial competency of faculty members is a multidimensional and complex framework, affected by several factors such as personal characteristics, skills, cultural background, and organizational structure.