The effect of various learning environments on the development of adolescents’ entrepreneurial potential

Abstract

This dissertation explores how different kinds of learning environments (school, family, and hobbies) affect the development of adolescents’ entrepreneurial potential. Entrepreneurial potential is defined as a combination of knowledge, mindset, and perceptions related to entrepreneurship, which may lead to entrepreneurial behaviour or remain latent. The study emphasises adolescence as a critical phase for fostering this potential and argues that entrepreneurship education should be viewed as a learnercentred process.

Drawing on a large-scale survey of over 27,000 15-year-old learners in Finland, the research integrates formal and informal learning contexts to examine their distinct roles. The findings reveal that hobbies are the most influential in developing entrepreneurial competences, whilst family environments strongly shape entrepreneurial mindset and perception. In contrast, school-based entrepreneurship education has a limited and sometimes negative effect on students’ perception of entrepreneurship.

This dissertation consists of three peer-reviewed articles. The first article compares the impact of school, family, and hobbies on entrepreneurial potential. The second introduces the concept of the role aspirant and highlights the importance of positive perception in role modelling. The third investigates the alignment between vocational education teachers’ practices and students’ entrepreneurial learning needs, revealing a mismatch that calls for more tailored pedagogical approaches. Theoretically, the study contributes to entrepreneurship education by advocating for a process-based, contextual, and individualised approach. In practical terms, it offers recommendations for educators and policymakers to integrate informal learning, recognise learner diversity, and design entrepreneurship education that supports long-term development. The research underscores the need to move beyond standardised models and embrace the complexity of entrepreneurial learning across varying environments and life stages.