Educators perspectives of technology and entrepreneurship education in promoting inclusive and sustainable economic growth in India

Background:
India is one of the fastest developing economies in the world, and it is vital that entrepreneurship education (EE) is offered for the large population it has, to achieve inclusive and sustainable economic growth. Technology on the other hand plays an important role in delivering and enhancing entrepreneurship education, particularly in the developing economies like the Indian context, where the digital landscape is fast evolving. During and post Covid19 Scenario, entrepreneurship at various levels is gaining momentum and technology is fuelling this growth worldwide, and this is no exception in the context of India. Entrepreneurship is a global phenomenon, and it is also influenced by several cultural factors, and cultural mindset is considered crucial in understanding and delivering entrepreneurship education. Therefore, it could be possible that technology and EE could possibly change the cultural mindset of future entrepreneurs in India. This paper attempts to address the research question “How can entrepreneurship education, supported by technology, contribute to inclusive and sustainable economic growth in India according to educators' perspectives?”

Method:
Educators who teach and research in higher education are considered for this study as they have the potential to bring change in society and act as change agents. To understand the educators’ perspectives and their experiences, this study considers a qualitative approach. The sampling technique considered for the study is purposive sampling, which allows the researcher to recruit participants based on their expertise and experience in the field of entrepreneurship education. This paper considers ongoing research based on literature and pilot interviews, conducted amongst higher education educators, who teach and research entrepreneurship in higher education and apply technology in their teaching and learning practices in the Indian HEIs. The data for the study will be collected through online interviews and semi-structured interviews would be adopted for collecting the data. The data collected from the study will be analysed by using thematic analysis.

Results:
The preliminary results from the analysis of pilot interviews and the existing range of literature reveals several key themes that are closely related to the role of technology in promoting entrepreneurship education and its potential to foster inclusive and sustainable economic growth in India. Firstly, technology enables accessibility for a wider public. Secondly, technology could be useful in expanding the boundaries. Thirdly, technology could bring more innovation for an inclusive and sustainable business. Finally, the cultural mindset of Indian entrepreneurs and potential entrepreneurs are having an influence on EE in the Indian context. These initial themes suggest that there is more potential for developing EE that suits the Indian context and educators and HEIs in India are well placed to deliver this.

Implications:
These initial findings from this study suggest that educators have a range of experiences and views on technology and entrepreneurship education. Also, entrepreneurship education is different in different contexts, and this is mainly driven by the cultural mindset which has an impact on application in the Indian context. Although the study focussed on educators’ perspectives, it seems that there are several implications for the various stakeholders in India, such as policymakers, HEIs, and potential future entrepreneurs. We argue that technology and EE benefit not only the potential entrepreneurs but also the society at large providing inclusive and sustainable economic growth in the country. The educators who teach and research entrepreneurship in HEIs play a vital role in developing a framework that could inform policy and praxis.