Designing a Model of Characteristics of Entrepreneurial Schools in Iran Based on Grounded Theory

Schools should be able to be effective in the emergence of such characteristics as creativity, self-confidence, foresight, risk-taking and the desire to succeed (entrepreneurship spirit) in students and one of the duties of education officials is to create favorable atmosphere for the emergence of these characteristics. The current research was conducted with the aim of designing a model of characteristics of entrepreneurial schools in Iran based on grounded theory. This research took a basic approach regarding the objective, while in regard to nature, an exploratory approach based on grounded theory was used. The data collection tool comprised semi-structured in-depth interviews. The statistical population of the study included specialists, educational designers, and entrepreneurship professors and trainers. For the purpose of sampling, purposive sampling method with the snowball technique was utilized. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with experts (27 individuals) until saturation was reached. The collected data were analyzed using open, axial and selective coding and the final model was extracted. The final model consists of 4 core categories, 4 categories of causal conditions, 6 categories of necessary contextual factors, 7 categories of strategies, 5 categories of environmental factors, and 2 categories of consequences of entrepreneurial schools. In general, it can be stated that entrepreneurial schools system prepare students for the real world and provide the opportunity to learn key necessary skills for success in education, career, and life.