Transformation in the liminal space ‘in between’ student and entrepreneur

Abstract

This paper builds on the literature on transformative learning in entrepreneurship education by drawing on the concept of liminality. Scholars have argued that entrepreneurship education should provide experiences that challenge students to think differently about their skills and abilities while developing entrepreneurial attitudes that render them capable of coping with rapid societal changes. The study takes a narrative approach to an in-depth exploration of students' liminal processes in a venture-creation programme: How do the students cope with and learn from being in the liminal space ‘in between’ student and entrepreneur? The findings suggest that students find different ways of coping with liminality and that peers play a vital role in students' transformational processes by providing feedback and stimulating reflection. By exploring the ‘black box’ of student learning processes in entrepreneurship education, this study contributes to the literature on transformational learning and how individuals become entrepreneurial. Moreover, this paper builds on the literature by suggesting how learning through entrepreneurship can help develop liminality competence.