A Systematic Review of the Impacts of Entrepreneurial Support Programs in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Fields

Abstract

Programs dedicated to entrepreneurship education in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields have expanded tremendously. However, much remains unknown about the current state of research and practice of these programs. This article presents results from a systematic review designed to explore how Entrepreneurial Support Programs serving science and technology innovators conceptualize and measure individual-level impacts. Results suggest that the intended impacts of programs are often ill-defined. While many programs focus on improving entrepreneurial mindset, the term is frequently not well defined, operationalized, or clearly measured. Likewise, results suggest that understanding the impact of programs is challenging due to the quality of the research or evaluation procedures employed. Finally, results suggest that there is a strong lack of diversity awareness or acknowledgment in the field; the vast majority of the papers did not mention gender, race, or other demographic characteristics. Moving forward, researchers and practitioners have an opportunity to strengthen data-driven work to assess the impact of entrepreneurship support programs through the use of clear definitions, well-documented methods, and assessment instruments with sufficient validity evidence.

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