Page 226 - Štremfel, Urška, ed., 2016. Student (Under)achievement: Perspectives, Approaches, Challenges. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut. Digital Library, Documenta 11.
P. 226
define, one certain thing is that it is possible to create conditions in which cre-
ativity is more likely to thrive’.
Encouraging students to think up new ideas is merely the first step. A good
idea then needs to be developed further, it needs to be given a tangible form,
put into practice and must eventually also be marketed (Likar, 2004). Creativ-
ity linked to entrepreneurship skills can help an individual put an idea into
action, develop and implement it. If creativity is ‘the prime source of innova-
tion’ (Council of the European Union, 2008), innovation is the application and
implementation of creativity (Craft, 2005). In spite of numerous different at-
tempts at finding concordance regarding definitions of both creativity and in-
novation, innovation may be understood as ‘the ability to produce work that is
both novel and appropriate’ (Sternberg and Lubart, 1999). Dubina (2005) per-
ceives innovation as the ability of an organisation to actualise the creativity of
its members and transform it into innovative action-taking and innovative ide-
as. According to this, creativity and innovation are related and innovation may
thus be understood as the application of the creative process or a product. This
means that without ambition and action, creativity is merely an empty word.
226 There is no simple answer to the question ‘What is entrepreneurship is
who has entrepreneurial spirit?’. It is obvious that different people have a dif-
ferent understanding of the concept of entrepreneurship. The most simplified
answer may be that the entrepreneurial spirit may be attributed to any person
who is successful in facing different work challenges and tasks. A similar thing
applies to students – in them entrepreneurial competency is developed simul-
taneously with the development of innovative behaviour. This entrepreneur-
ial competency is not an absolute ability, independent of work and life-relat-
ed contexts (Svetlik, 2009). It is in facing up to uncommon circumstances that
an individual exhibits the highest level of competency. Such competency con-
sists of several dimensions, including knowledge, skills, ways of thinking and
personality traits. Entrepreneurial competency needs to be distinguished from
the concept of entrepreneurship, which is broader, and in addition to entre-
preneurial actions also encompasses the knowledge and skills related to es-
tablishing and managing small-sized businesses (Jones and Iredale, 2010). En-
trepreneurship is an important social activity and occupation. However, it does
not have much in common with school practice.
Within school systems, changes are generally accepted reluctantly. It
comes as no surprise therefore that fostering entrepreneurship has not won
much favour. Some authors have pointed out difficulties in upper secondary
education in particular (Surlemont, 2007). However, in spite of numerous issues
in relation to the development of entrepreneurship, there are several success-
ful initiatives both in Slovenia (Škrinjar, 2013) and worldwide (Hampson et al.,
2011). Key significance here is attached to the role of the school management
and its teachers. Namely, the development and realisation of creative activi-
student (under)achievement: perspectives, approaches, challenges
ativity is more likely to thrive’.
Encouraging students to think up new ideas is merely the first step. A good
idea then needs to be developed further, it needs to be given a tangible form,
put into practice and must eventually also be marketed (Likar, 2004). Creativ-
ity linked to entrepreneurship skills can help an individual put an idea into
action, develop and implement it. If creativity is ‘the prime source of innova-
tion’ (Council of the European Union, 2008), innovation is the application and
implementation of creativity (Craft, 2005). In spite of numerous different at-
tempts at finding concordance regarding definitions of both creativity and in-
novation, innovation may be understood as ‘the ability to produce work that is
both novel and appropriate’ (Sternberg and Lubart, 1999). Dubina (2005) per-
ceives innovation as the ability of an organisation to actualise the creativity of
its members and transform it into innovative action-taking and innovative ide-
as. According to this, creativity and innovation are related and innovation may
thus be understood as the application of the creative process or a product. This
means that without ambition and action, creativity is merely an empty word.
226 There is no simple answer to the question ‘What is entrepreneurship is
who has entrepreneurial spirit?’. It is obvious that different people have a dif-
ferent understanding of the concept of entrepreneurship. The most simplified
answer may be that the entrepreneurial spirit may be attributed to any person
who is successful in facing different work challenges and tasks. A similar thing
applies to students – in them entrepreneurial competency is developed simul-
taneously with the development of innovative behaviour. This entrepreneur-
ial competency is not an absolute ability, independent of work and life-relat-
ed contexts (Svetlik, 2009). It is in facing up to uncommon circumstances that
an individual exhibits the highest level of competency. Such competency con-
sists of several dimensions, including knowledge, skills, ways of thinking and
personality traits. Entrepreneurial competency needs to be distinguished from
the concept of entrepreneurship, which is broader, and in addition to entre-
preneurial actions also encompasses the knowledge and skills related to es-
tablishing and managing small-sized businesses (Jones and Iredale, 2010). En-
trepreneurship is an important social activity and occupation. However, it does
not have much in common with school practice.
Within school systems, changes are generally accepted reluctantly. It
comes as no surprise therefore that fostering entrepreneurship has not won
much favour. Some authors have pointed out difficulties in upper secondary
education in particular (Surlemont, 2007). However, in spite of numerous issues
in relation to the development of entrepreneurship, there are several success-
ful initiatives both in Slovenia (Škrinjar, 2013) and worldwide (Hampson et al.,
2011). Key significance here is attached to the role of the school management
and its teachers. Namely, the development and realisation of creative activi-
student (under)achievement: perspectives, approaches, challenges
