Abstract - Quest for Global Competitiveness - Universidad de Puerto ...

expectation entrepreneurial activity varied significantly and directly with national levelsof entrepreneurship education and training. Educational systems around the worldsbecame interested in the creation of cultures that would promote entreprise and createnew ventures; yet the change that is needed is not just what is thought but how it istaught (Kirby, 2003). Varela (2003) claims that our function as a nation is to educateour citizens within the bounds of ethics and social responsibility to make human beingswho are capable of acting independently and innovatively with capacity for achievinggoals and taking risks in order to create new sources of wealth and employment. Thiscontrasts dramatically with the traditional “mass-production” education system that hasdominated for decades. Inclusive studies such as GEM consider entrepreneurialeducation fundamental to a country’s economic development and recommend theevaluation and encouragement of creativity, self-sufficiency, and innovation as well thestudy of economics or entrepreneurship in primary and secondary schools. Gavron etal., (1998) establish in their book The Entrepreneurial Society to promote a businessculture, also the nations need integrated policies involving collaborations between publicand private sectors. These collaborative efforts should encourage educational systemsand business support schemes that would increase succesful opportunities bymentoring and establishing a supportive network. Casson (2003) argues about thefactors like cultural stereotyping, norms, and values impact educational policies,entrepreneur supply and demand, occupational decisions, and hence the globalcompetitiveness.Research ObjectivesThis study aims to address the unexplained stagnant entrepreneurialenvironment in Puerto Rico, even when new venture creation is positively perceived(Aponte, 2002) and indicators points’ average or above conditions, in terms ofentrepreneurial potential, capabilities and intention, compared with other high incomecountries (Gem 2007). Entrepreneur’s understandings of environmental barriers to andenablers of business creation may, we reasoned, effect if, how, and to what extent they7