Positive Learners’ Experiences in Social Entrepreneurship Education and Social Entrepreneurial Intentions: A Preliminary Analysis

Abstract

Although prior research has generally reported a positive relationship between social entrepreneurship education (SEE) and social entrepreneurial intention (SEI), less is known about the actual process through which learners’ educational experiences translate into intention formation, especially in an emerging economy context. The study examines the effects of graduate learners’ participation in courses on social entrepreneurship on their perceptions of SEI in Vietnam. Using an interpretive qualitative design, this study involved in-depth interviews with 18 graduate learners from three different disciplinary clusters, and the data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis. The findings identify six interrelated themes through which SEE appears to influence SEI: capacity building for social entrepreneurship, expected outcomes, self-discovery, collaboration and networking, social influence, and support from organisations and governments. These findings suggest that SEE is not simply about teaching entrepreneurship knowledge and skills, but also about motivating participants to consider how attractive, viable, and relevant a societal venture is for impact. This study also extends the existing literature on SEE by providing a processual account of how it has been found to influence the intention to be more socially entrepreneurial, supported by contextually informed empirical evidence from Vietnam.