Managing for innovation: a process to develop entrepreneurial young leadership in multi‐national firms in Asia

TLDR: In this paper, the authors discuss a management approach by several global leaders to support sustainable entrepreneurship training programs in several countries in Asia, including India, China, Australia, and New Zealand.

Abstract: The objective of this paper is to discuss a management approach by several global leaders to support sustainable entrepreneurship training programs in several countries in Asia. Current literature is reviewed to make a case for the applicability of action‐learning based entrepreneurship training. The results of interviews with more than 50 senior level managers of multi‐national corporation in 5 Asian countries are compared to self‐evaluations of more than 300 student participants and more than 30 faculty evaluations of the program. We use the Practical Entrepreneurship Teaching Engagement (PETE) model to validate this program. This action‐learning based entrepreneurship training program is highly regarded among top‐level executives of large global firms. These executives make significant time commitments to participate. The uptake level among students and satisfaction reported are high, and faculty members confirm significant learning has occurred. It points educators, human resource executives and corporate leaders to a set of tools which can be employed to structure practically relevant entrepreneurship education, and to subsequently identify junior management talent which has demonstrated entrepreneurship skills.