There is an old debate on whether entrepreneurship can be taught. Scholars have dealt with this extensively, and some are convinced that it can indeed be taught. But still the discussion keeps popping up from time to time. The evidence seems to be less than rocket solid convincing so far. Many still regard the self-made “natural” entrepreneurs as the only entrepreneurs we will ever get, especially emphasizing the college drop-out entrepreneurs as a proof of this. But let us consider the opposite to self-made entrepreneurs, what would we call them? Manufactured entrepreneurs? Commodity entrepreneurs? Grown entrepreneurs? Cultivated entrepreneurs? Or how about constructed entrepreneurs? There are some other fields where humans have for long tried to create more of what is a natural but rare occurence in nature (or human nature for that sake). Take diamonds, gold or pearls. Nowadays you can buy industrial diamonds, you can actually make gold out of mercury (alchemy) although it is more expensive tha buying gold from the start, and you can cultivate pearls inside a shell. Now, if we would like to understand more about how to construct entrepreneurs, would we study the self-made entrepreneur or the constructed one? I certainly would bet for studying the constructed entrepreneur and examining the environment in which it was created, the “shell” in which he/she was emancipated, the stimulus that transformed him/her into an entrepreneurial mindset. That is how I regard the venture creation programs, a kind of powerful “shell” where we cultivate entrepreneurs that are different from the rare naturally occuring entrepreneurs. Now, if you know of a truly constructed/cultivated entrepreneur, let me know! I will want to have a look at both the precious pearl and the “shell”. And it doesn’t have to be a venture creation program for that sake.
