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feasibility of the start-up and operation of their own
business �Loucks 1988). Therefore, most programmes
include projects which involve the
completion of a feasibility analysis, business plan
and financial proposal.
The level of detail required for each topic
covered varies depending on the scale of the
proposed entrepreneurial ventures, the sophistication
of the market, the degree of competition and
the background of the students. For example, in the
developing areas of the world these programmes
may have to deal with small-scale ventures in fairly
unsophisticated markets and with students with
little or no background in business management.
For tourism education, the core entrepreneurial
development programme described here needs to
be customised to the industry and often to a
particular cultural setting. For example, a tourism
entrepreneurial development programme in Nepal
needs to include not only the traditional core
components of entrepreneurial education but also
modules that address the unique issues of the
industry in that country, such as the environmental
and cultural impact of tourism to Mount Everest.
All illustrations, examples and cases included in the
course should be customised to the industry and
to the specific national setting.
With regards to teaching style, entrepreneurial
development programmes encourage the development
of independent self-reliant individuals.
Therefore, approaches such as case studies, reallife
projects and experiential exercises are preferred
to the traditional lecture style format. Useful
techniques include management games, field trips
to existing businesses, roleplay situations and
mentoring by successful entrepreneurs. In terms
of teaching staff, experienced business management
educators should be assisted by practising
entrepreneurs, who can bring real-life experiences
to the classroom. This balanced teaching approach
is facilitated through such techniques as guest
lecturers, team teaching and entrepreneurs in
residence.
With regard to follow-up, the final component,
ongoing counselling and advisory services should
be readily available to the entrepreneurial graduate.
In some programmes, the instructor and/or an
entrepreneurial mentor remain involved with the
graduate throughout the implementation of the
entrepreneur's business idea. This provides an
important resource to the entrepreneur throughout
the initiation and growth of the venture, and
significantly increases the success rate of programme
graduates.
See also: education method
References
Loucks, K.E. �1988) Training Entrepreneurs for Small
Business Creation:Lessons from Experience, Management
Development Series No. 26, Geneva:
International Labour Office. �A practical manual
for the development of entrepreneurial
education programmes.)
McMullan, W.E. and Long, W.A. �1990) Developing
New Ventures:The Entrepreneurial Option, San Diego,
CA: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich. �A general
reference text on entrepreneurism and entrepreneurial
education.)
Further reading
education, environmental 173
Echtner, C.M. �1995) `Entrepreneurial training in
developing countries', Annals of Tourism Research
22�1): 119±34. �An overview of entrepreneurial
training in tourism with emphasis on the issues
faced by developing nations.)
CHARLOTTE M. ECHTNER, AUSTRALIA
education, environmental
Environmental education is concerned with
developing people who are knowledgeable about
the physical, social and economic environment of
which they are a part, so that they become
concerned about environmental problems and
motivated to act responsibly in enhancing the
quality of their environment as well as their
lives. Tourism to natural areas attracts people who
wish to interact with the environment and, in
varying degrees, develop their knowledge, awareness
and appreciation of it. The visit itself is,
therefore, educational. As well, ecotourism
operators provide an appropriate level of environmental
and cultural interpretation, usually through
the employment of qualified tour guides and