Military veterans marching towards entrepreneurship: An exploratory mixed methods study

• Published in: The international journal of management education Vol. 12; no. 3; pp. 469 - 478
• Main Authors: Kerrick, Sharon A., Cumberland, Denise, Church-Nally, Megan, Kemelgor, Bruce
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.11.2014
• Subjects: Entrepreneurial passion; Expanded networking; Military veterans; Expanded networking; Entrepreneurial passion; Military veterans
• ISSN: 1472-8117
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijme.2014.05.006

This study evaluates the effects of a community-based entrepreneurship training program on the entrepreneurial passion (EP) and networking frequency of military veterans. Pre-test and post-test surveys were completed by military veterans who received scholarships to attend a 10-week structured course. These veterans also participated in business mentoring sessions with local business entrepreneurs for an additional nine months. The results demonstrate that the program significantly improved the veterans' entrepreneurial passion scores, as well as raised the level of networking behavior. These findings provide additional validation for the EP survey instrument and contribute to the understanding of integrating military veterans into a civilian-based entrepreneurship ecosystem that provides access to business resources and in turn increases entrepreneurial passion. •We examine changes in entrepreneurial passion (EP) throughout a community entrepreneurship training program.•Increasing entrepreneurial military veteran's interaction with civilians in an entrepreneurship business startup environment increases veterans' comfort level with business and integration in community entrepreneurial eco-system.•We examine nascent entrepreneurs networking frequency.