Learning Entrepreneurial Agency in Formal and Informal Contexts

Entrepreneurial agency involves intentional actions to change social structures through the identification, creation, and pursuit of opportunities towards value creation. In contrast to broader human agency, entrepreneurial agency embodies a degree of novelty and innovation, wherein new pathways arising from entrepreneurial actions engender structural transformation for individuals and groups. The synergy between entrepreneurial agency and Bandura’s broader concept of human agency is explored in both formal and informal learning contexts. In the formal learning context, the authors examine reflections by Physics teachers in the Philippines who participated in a professional development program on entrepreneurial capabilities. Findings reveal teachers’ reflections as exhibiting agentic qualities that define entrepreneurial agency. The analysis offers insights into how intentional effort can help teachers make their agentic qualities more explicit by foregrounding them in teaching practice. In the informal learning context, entrepreneurial agency is conceptualized from the perspective of refugee entrepreneurs. Drawing on vignettes inspired by the lived experiences of Hazara refugees resettled in Australia, the authors illustrate how intentionality, forethought, self-reflectiveness, and self-reactiveness can help individuals overcome marginalizing constraints, to establish thriving ventures. Findings underscore the significance of family-based experiential learning and collective agency, offering insights into how marginalized communities utilize relationships to innovate and adapt in resource-scarce environments.