The purpose of the article is to present the logics, course and outcomes of the analysis of the matter of entrepreneurship which was carried out within the doctoral research “The development of students’ enterprise in study process” conducted in the University of Latvia (2004-2009).
The methodology comprises literature analysis and inductive qualitative content analysis of the text of fifty interpretations of the matter of entrepreneurship and enterprise by using Phillip Mayring’s ‘Step model of inductive category development’ (Mayring, 2000) and AQUAD 6.0 (Analysis of Qualitative Data) software (Huber & Gürtler, 2004).
The scientific aim is to analyze literature on entrepreneurship; classify the variety of approaches to the comprehension of entrepreneurship, admitted in different regions of the world; determine the structure of entrepreneurship and the components which have entrepreneurial behaviour triggering effect.
The findings reveal a number of paradoxes and contradictions between different entrepreneurship schools and approaches, which are to be overcome by maximal integration of these positions into a holistic system. Concerning the structure of entrepreneurship, some components which previously haven’t been paid worthy attention to, were determined and analysed in the context of today’s topicality of developing students’ entrepreneurial mindsets and behaviours.
Conclusions made concern the restrictions of the EU comprehension of entrepreneurship as one of the eight lifelong learning key competences consisting of knowledge, skills and attitudes. It was shown that the concept of entrepreneurship should be complemented with behavioural and motivational components, which play a crucial role as elements of an entrepreneurship triggering and developing mechanism. As for the content of entrepreneurial knowledge, it remains vague and still ought to be researched additionally.
