Design and evaluate a digital entrepreneurship curriculum for business students

Thesis Abstract

In an increasingly digital economy, the integration of digital entrepreneurship skills into business education curricula is imperative to equip students with the competencies necessary for contemporary enterprise creation and management. Despite this necessity, many higher education institutions lack comprehensive, contextually relevant digital entrepreneurship curricula that effectively bridge theoretical knowledge and practical application. This study aims to design, implement, and evaluate a tailored digital entrepreneurship curriculum for undergraduate business students to enhance their entrepreneurial competencies and digital literacy. The primary objectives include (1) to identify the key digital skills and entrepreneurial competencies required for digital entrepreneurship within the current business landscape; (2) to develop a curriculum grounded in contemporary pedagogical frameworks and aligned with identified industry needs; (3) to implement the curriculum among a sample of business students; and (4) to evaluate its effectiveness in improving students’ digital skills, entrepreneurial intentions, and perceived readiness for digital entrepreneurship activities. The study adopts a mixed-methods research design, integrating quantitative and qualitative approaches to ensure comprehensive assessment. The quantitative component involves a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design with a sample of 200 final-year undergraduate business students from a nationally representative university, selected via stratified random sampling. The qualitative component consists of focus group discussions and in-depth interviews with 20 students and 10 faculty members involved in curriculum delivery, facilitating an in-depth understanding of contextual challenges and perceived benefits. Data collection instruments include validated digital literacy and entrepreneurial attitude questionnaires, student reflective journals, and interview guides. The validity and reliability of the quantitative instruments are established through expert review and pilot testing, achieving Cronbach’s alpha values exceeding 0.85. The data are analyzed using paired sample t-tests and ANOVA to determine significant changes in knowledge, skills, and attitudes pre- and post-intervention. Thematic analysis is employed for qualitative data to identify recurring themes related to curriculum relevance, pedagogical effectiveness, and student engagement. Expected findings include significant improvements in students’ digital literacy skills, increased entrepreneurial intentions, and more positive perceptions of their readiness to pursue digital ventures. The analysis is anticipated to reveal critical curriculum components linked to successful digital entrepreneurship education, aligned with theories such as the Innovation Diffusion Theory and Experiential Learning Theory. The study’s findings are expected to fill existing gaps in the literature concerning curriculum design tailored to local contexts and provide evidenced-based recommendations for integrating digital entrepreneurship into mainstream business education. Contributing to knowledge, this research advances understanding of effective pedagogical strategies for teaching digital entrepreneurship and underscores the importance of contextualized curriculum development. The study also provides a validated model for curriculum design that can be adapted across diverse educational settings. Main conclusions highlight the transformative potential of a well-structured digital entrepreneurship curriculum in equipping students with necessary skills and fostering entrepreneurial mindsets. Recommendations include adopting the curriculum at institutional levels, incorporating industry partnerships, and embedding continuous feedback mechanisms to refine digital entrepreneurship education. The study further suggests avenues for future research, particularly longitudinal studies to track graduate entrepreneurial activities and digital venture success over time. Overall, this research affirms the critical role of curriculum innovation in preparing business students to thrive in a digital-driven economy.