Becoming an Intrapreneurial University: The Role of the External Entrepreneur in the Academic Heartland of Art and Design.

Abstract

This thesis examines the entrepreneurial university concept from a Faculty of Art and Design perspective, with a particular focus on external entrepreneurs. The concept of the entrepreneurial university is described as one that actively seeks to innovate in how it goes about its business (Clark, 2008).The thesis aims to understand the role external entrepreneurs have on the academic heartland, as the Faculty of Art and Design. It considers the implications for what may be the implications for the future of the concept of the entrepreneurial university, and whether new insights can be developed that might be useful for more contemporary settings.

The primary research question is; how do external entrepreneurs contribute to the entrepreneurial activity within the academic heartland of a university? This research question aims to explore a phenomenon noticed by the author, who came into contact with entrepreneurs whilst she was working at a post-92 university that labelled itself as ‘entrepreneurial’. One of the central views is that the external entrepreneurs themselves were playing a role, perhaps an unconscious one, in challenging the entrepreneurial concept. This study focuses on a group of ten entrepreneurs who worked with a Faculty of Art and Design over a three-year period.

The subject of the research is important because of the current focus on universities in a new and marketised setting and changing priorities of government policy and disruptions at national and local levels. As a consequence, it was a good time to observe the changes happening on a day to day basis through the research methodology of self ethnography.

The findings suggest that the role the external entrepreneurs play has implications for the future. Firstly, it introduces other dimensions to a concept that is more intraprenuerial, in addition to entrepreneurial. Secondly, it proposes that some aspects of the academic heartland might need revision and that the notion of an expanded heartland, which could include external entrepreneurs, is more appropriate. Finally, the notion of collective entrepreneurship is positive as there can be shared attitudes to risk, and attributes of co-design would suit art and design academics, whilst enabling the university to remain comfortable within its own regulatory frameworks.

Date of Award	27 Oct 2017
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Bath
Supervisor	Rajani Naidoo (Supervisor)