entrepreneurship – Robin Bell

This week brought the publication of two books that I co-edited, both released within the same week. Although I have previously written a number of book chapters, probably around a dozen depending on where the classification line is drawn, I had never before been involved in editing or producing a full book. Then, within the space of a couple of months, the opportunity arose to co-edit not one but two books.

The first, Cases on Entrepreneurship and Artificial Intelligence, was co-edited with my colleague Scott Andrews from Worcester Business School. The book explores the rapidly developing relationship between entrepreneurship and AI through a series of international case studies. It examines both the opportunities and challenges that AI creates for entrepreneurs and organisations, whilst also engaging with the ethical and governance questions that increasingly surround the use of AI in business and education. One of the strengths of the book is its practical orientation, with the cases designed to support teaching, discussion, and critical reflection around the use of AI within entrepreneurial contexts.

The second book, Applied Practices and Emerging Perspectives Towards Entrepreneurship Education, was co-edited with Robert James Crammond and Trudie Murray. While geographically further away than Worcester, they are still relatively close by compared with many international collaborations. This book focuses on contemporary developments within entrepreneurship education, bringing together contributions that explore teaching philosophies, educational practice, innovation in delivery, and emerging challenges shaping the field. The chapters examine topics ranging from AI and entrepreneurship education to coaching, mentoring, entrepreneurial mindsets, and future research agendas. What emerged particularly strongly through the editing process was the diversity of approaches and perspectives that currently exist within entrepreneurship education internationally.

Working on the two projects simultaneously was also an enjoyable experience because of the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues from different institutions and backgrounds, all bringing different perspectives and expertise to the projects. One of the most interesting aspects of editing Cases on Entrepreneurship and Artificial Intelligence was seeing the diverse ways AI is already being used in entrepreneurial practice, ranging from opportunity recognition and business development through to decision-making and education. Bringing these different examples together created a valuable opportunity to share emerging practice and explore how quickly the relationship between entrepreneurship and AI is evolving.

Similarly, Applied Practices and Emerging Perspectives Towards Entrepreneurship Education highlighted the wide range of innovative work currently taking place within entrepreneurship education internationally. Across both books, it was rewarding to help bring together contributions that not only reflect current developments in the field, but which will hopefully also support further discussion, experimentation, and future collaboration.

October was a busy month for travel, with DBA teaching in Bielefeld and a trip to Istanbul, but a real highlight was the opportunity to deliver a keynote on entrepreneurship education and AI at the Entrepreneurship Education Share and Learn Symposium hosted by Dublin Technological University. AI in entrepreneurship education has developed rapidly in recent years, and it has been interesting to watch the field progress since my early work in the area, when I published the first paper on AI and entrepreneurship education in an established journal. Editing a forthcoming case collection book on AI and entrepreneurship has also provided valuable insights into how AI is being used in practice and what this means for teaching, which I was delighted to share.

My keynote explored how artificial intelligence is reshaping both entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship education. I discussed why students now need to understand AI’s influence on opportunity recognition, innovation processes, and decision-making, as well as the ethical and governance challenges it presents. The session examined the core competencies entrepreneurship students now require, including data literacy, digital fluency, prompt engineering, and the ability to critically evaluate AI-generated outputs.

I also highlighted how the subjective and non-linear nature of AI reinforces the value of constructivist and reflective approaches to teaching, helping learners to question, interpret, and apply AI responsibly. Finally, I explored why entrepreneurship educators are uniquely positioned to embed AI into the curriculum and prepare students for an entrepreneurial landscape increasingly shaped by AI-driven tools and capabilities.

Unfortunately, I was too busy during the event to take any photos, but I did manage to capture a few during my short time exploring Dublin. And, amusingly, the Christmas displays were already up, despite it being the end of October.