A Perspective on the Development of Entrepreneurial Engineering

Eleven engineers working within a corporate environment and four engineers operating their own engineering businesses within a South African context were each given questionnaires which aimed at assessing their entrepreneurial orientation. This was done to determine the potential for the development of entrepreneurial engineering amongst the engineering population. The results were used in conjunction with a literature review and case studies and a model was developed which engineering graduates could use to formally plan their future career paths towards managing their own businesses as entrepreneurial engineers. The results indicated that more than 50% of the engineers correlated strongly with the various requirements necessary for successful entrepreneurship. The study that was conducted among the four engineers already in an entrepreneurial career, coupled to a study conducted by the IEEE among similar individuals provides valuable insight into the problems that are encountered by entrepreneurial engineers during the initial stages of their careers in entrepreneurship . The study is important in that it identifies the potential for entrepreneurial engineering, the pitfalls of such a career and the benefits of such a career for the individual and society. The study concludes by suggesting a mechanism whereby such entrepreneurial engineering development may be realised .