Exploring Students’ Motivation to Participate in Entrepreneurial Marketing Education

Despite recognition of Entrepreneurial Marketing’s (EM) growing global importance, Entrepreneurial Marketing Education (EME) is relatively under-researched. Applying the concept of autonomous motivation, this article proposes that EME might offer a more valuable learning experience for students and their future employers as compared with either Entrepreneurship Education (EE) or Marketing Education (ME). Through two studies involving undergraduate students, the research found that when set alongside EE and ME, EME is not more attractive to students overall, but was more likely to be participated in by business students as compared with non-business students. However, when little or no prior knowledge of EM was possessed, likelihood to participate by any student was very low. Evidence emerged that EME is not only or mainly associated with starting a business but instead is seen as relevant to students expecting to work in a smaller organization. The research confirms that intrinsic motivation is not sufficient to encourage participation but rather extrinsic motivation, in the form of an appreciation of the benefits that it might generate, is also required. Recommendations are made as to how EME can be presented to business and non-business students such that motivation to participate is enhanced.