SOME TRENDS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN THE UNITED STATES AND THE ANALYSIS OF THE ROLE OF THE COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE IN ENTREPRENEURIAL EDUCATION

This study was designed to explore trends in entrepreneurship development and to analyze the role of the Cooperative Extension Service (CES) in entrepreneurial education. Trends were searched and examined. Differences and relationships among U.S. Cooperative Extension Services regions regarding allocations to program components and entrepreneurial education were investigated.; The objectives of the study are summarized below: (1) Explore trends in entrepreneurial development. (2) Ascertain the development of entrepreneurial education in the academic community. (3) Identify the variations and relationships regarding FTE allocation to program components and to entrepreneurial education. (4) Analyze the role of the CES in entrepreneurial education.; The sample, consisting of twenty four (24) state Cooperative Extension Service Units, representing the landgrant Universities was used in the study. Six (6) state Units were randomly selected per region. Of the total number of extension Units, six consisted of both 1862 and 1890 institutions.; The data were collected from States' Annual plan of Work files located with the USDA in Washington, D.C. The role of the CES was measured in terms of the Full-Time Equivalence (FTE) allocated to the various program components and to entrepreneurial education.; The data were analyzed using analysis of variance and stepwise regression procedures. The level of significance was set at 0.05.; The analysis of the study indicate increases in the number, variety, and support for entrepreneurial education. The analysis also show that among the CES regions there are some differences with regards to allocations, but that as increases are made for other program components, they are also made for entrepreneurial education.; There is much similarity among the CES programs throughout the U.S. There is also the opportunity for states to be different based on geographical demographics. States also manage issues of critical concerns differently and this often results in the use of ambivalent language both in planning and reporting results. While steps were instituted to clarify the language of the POWs before the data acquisition, this language problem results in a limitation of this study. Another limitation of the study may be reflected in terms of overlaps. Staff positions reflecting FIEs are not rigidly controlled. Staff often participate in interdisciplinary endeavors regardless of assigned content areas.