an assessment of pr educators’ perceptions of and approaches to teaching entrepreneurship

Advances in technology have flattened the public relations playing field as the industry focuses on new media and related opportunities. At the same time, entrepreneurship among practitioners is increasing. The number of independent practitioners in the Public Relations Society of America increased from 15.5 to 18 percent from 2010 to 2011 (Lagorio, 2011). Forbes ranked public relations as one of 10 most promising careers for aspiring entrepreneurs (Casserly, 2012). Public relations students have also expressed interest in learning about entrepreneurship in their classes (Hays & Sidlow, 2010). What remains unknown is whether and how public relations educators are preparing students for these entrepreneurship opportunities. This study seeks to fill this gap by assessing public relations educators’ attitudes and opinions toward entrepreneurship education and whether and how they are teaching entrepreneurship to undergraduate students. The researchers used a triangulated approach by implementing a survey and conducting in-depth interviews with public relations educators. One hundred and fourteen full-time public relations educators responded to an electronic survey in June 2012. Sixty-one percent of respondents teach entrepreneurial skills or concepts. Public relations educators believe that entrepreneurship should be embedded in certain courses, such as Public Relations Campaigns and Public Relations Management, and that students should learn how to understand financial information, secure clients, and work with vendors. In the indepth interviews, educators said that teaching entrepreneurship in public relations is important, although their ideas differed regarding its priority in the curriculum. Pedagogies included folding entrepreneurship into lectures in beginning courses, tying ideas into the management of studentrun firms, and having students in the capstone campaigns course prepare and present proposals to clients. Assessment of these activities includes some nontraditional ideas such as incorporating client and peer input. Implications for teaching future entrepreneurs are provided.