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From Controversy to Consensus? Towards a Balanced Integration of Entrepreneurship in General Education in Germany

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Koch, L., Braukmann, U., Bartsch, D. From Controversy to Consensus? Towards a Balanced Integration of Entrepreneurship in General Education in Germany. ZfKE - Journal for SMEs and Entrepreneurship, 73(1–2), 113-135. https://doi.org/10.3790/ZfKE.2025.1470707
Koch, Lambert T.; Braukmann, Ulrich and Bartsch, Dominik "From Controversy to Consensus? Towards a Balanced Integration of Entrepreneurship in General Education in Germany" ZfKE - Journal for SMEs and Entrepreneurship 73.1–2, 2025, 113-135. https://doi.org/10.3790/ZfKE.2025.1470707
Koch, Lambert T./Braukmann, Ulrich/Bartsch, Dominik (2025): From Controversy to Consensus? Towards a Balanced Integration of Entrepreneurship in General Education in Germany, in: ZfKE - Journal for SMEs and Entrepreneurship, vol. 73, iss. 1–2, 113-135, [online] https://doi.org/10.3790/ZfKE.2025.1470707
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From Controversy to Consensus? Towards a Balanced Integration of Entrepreneurship in General Education in Germany

Koch, Lambert T. | Braukmann, Ulrich | Bartsch, Dominik

ZfKE - Journal for SMEs and Entrepreneurship, Vol. 73(2025), Iss. 1–2 : pp. 113–135 | First published online: December 03, 2025

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Publisher Name
Duncker & Humblot
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3790/ZfKE.2025.1470707
Language
German
Pages
23

Koch, Lambert T.

  • Professor Dr. Dr. h.c. Lambert T. Koch is the Head of the Chair of Economics with a special focus on entrepreneurship, innovation and transformation at the Schumpeter School of Business and Economics. He is also the incumbent president of the German Association of University Professors and Lecturers (Deutscher Hochschulverband, in short DHV). His academic interests encompass innovation and transformative economic policy, strategic networks as well as regional and international economic development.
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Braukmann, Ulrich

  • Prof. Dr. Ulrich Braukmann was the Head of the Chair of Wirtschaftspädagogik, Gründungspädagogik und Gründungsdidaktik [Business Education, Entrepreneurship Education and Didactics] at the University of Wuppertal’s Schumpeter School of Business and Economics. His main areas of interest and research alongside the development of the entrepreneurial personality are entrepreneurship, innovation and sustainability and how these research fields relate to each other.
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Bartsch, Dominik

  • Dr. Dominik Bartsch is a post-doc at the Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation Research (short IGIF) at the University of Wuppertal’s Schumpeter School of Business and Economics. His main areas of interest and research are youth entrepreneurship education, the development of the entrepreneurial personality, sustainability management/entrepreneurship and the theory and practice of transformation Education.
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Abstract

In recent years, calls to integrate entrepreneurship education into the school system have grown increasingly frequent in Germany. At the same time, however, such discussions are highly controversial. Thus, a broad and systematic implementation of such demands has been prevented by ideological debates and emotionalization so far. Accordingly, this article discusses the possibilities and limitations of implementing and disseminating youth entrepreneurship education in future German school curricula more successfully. The developed theoretical considerations are discussed with regard to terms of various requirements of the education system. The classification also considers changing social needs and economic conditions.

Table of Contents

Section Title Page Action Price
Lambert T. Koch / Ulrich Braukmann / Dominik Bartsch: From Controversy to Consensus? Towards a Balanced Integration of Entrepreneurship in General Education in Germany 113
Abstract 113
I. Motivation and Objectives 114
II. Current Situation: The Status Quo of School-Based Entrepreneurship Education 115
III. Developmental Needs Analysis 118
IV. Contours of an Ideology-Free Entrepreneurship Education in Schools 122
V. Future Implementation and Outlook 128
References 131

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