Developing behavioural competencies for future entrepreneurs. The case of the Ca’ Foscari Competency Centre

Objectives: Our study aims to provide an empirical evidence of the implementation of the Intentional Change Theory in the academic contexts in order to identify innovative approaches to tailor the five discoveries of the process according to the needs of target-students and to support them to attain their desired professional future, such as to become entrepreneurs. Prior Work: Previous research has mainly focused on the pivotal role played by the possession of emotional, social and cognitive competencies in predicting and explaining work performance and individual wellbeing. Nevertheless the importance of behavioural competencies, prior studies underlined the need of devoting greater consideration to their assessment and development in higher education since there is a mismatch between the set of graduates’ competencies demanded by companies and those acquired by graduates through their academic experience. Hence, the necessity of adopting teaching methods and aligning academic curricula to organizational requirements has become essential to improve individual’s wellbeing and job performance. Approach: Through the case study of Ca’ Foscari Competency Centre (CFCC) of Ca’ Foscari University of Venice (Italy), the paper shows how the Intentional Change Theory (ICT) (Boyatzis, 1999), primarily implemented in workplace settings, can be successfully adopted in the higher educational contexts. Specifically, the case study analyses the results attained involving in the ICT process a sample of graduate students enrolled in two different workshops: Start Your Own Business participants who are students that have expressed the will to become entrepreneurs and Job Planet participants who are students that have expressed a more general intent to enter the labour market. Results: The CFCC case shows how to apply the self-directed learning approach by tailoring the five discoveries in the higher education setting. In order to do that, the CFCC jointly uses on-line and off-line techniques for the assessment and development of behavioural competencies among these graduates. Specifically, the paper illustrates the empirical findings concerning the implementation of the articulation of the ideal self (first discovery) and the assessment of the real self (second discovery) in students enrolled in the two academic workshops organized by CFCC in collaboration with the Ca’ Foscari Placement office. Results show differences in values and competency portfolio between the participants of these two workshops. The values expressed by the Start Your Own Business participants are linked to the importance of counting on a sincere network, whilst the ones expressed by the Job Planet participants are linked to the commitment for the work “embracing” their life. On the competency portfolio, the Start Your Own Business participants possess a higher level of adaptability, conflict management, influence and change catalyst compared to those who participated in the Job Planet workshop. Implications: The methodological approach illustrated in the CFCC case and the empirical evidence on the first two discoveries of the ICT process show how students’ professional vision can be articulated and be compared to their behavioural competency profiles. Faculty may implement crossbreeding innovative on-line and off-line tools to guide graduates to develop the behavioural competencies requested to attain their vision. The CFCC case provides also implications in terms of how to reach the alignment between the competencies possessed by students and those requested by firms. Value: Self-directed learning approach has to be customized for being applied to different targets in the higher education setting (Bachelor and Master’s degrees, Professional Master Programs across scientific fields). Through the implementation of innovative sophisticated tools to assess and develop students’ behavioural competencies, this case study shows how students can be supported to attain their personal vision for the future, such as to realize their entrepreneurial intent.