International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume VI, Issue VII, July 2022 | ISSN 2454–6186
Arsenio T. Bignotia, PhD; Sharon Candy Manguerra-Mahusay, PhD; Jeetendra Vaswani, DBA
St. Paul Univeristy Manila, Philippines
Abstract: The Philippine government has long been advocating for the development and advancement of the Business and Entrepreneurship disciplines in higher education. Its inclusion in the priority programs for scholarship grants is a testimony of the government acknowledgement of the entrepreneurs as among the driving forces that steer the country’s economy. The research study intended to ascertain the business involvement of individuals who completed their degree in BS Entrepreneurship from St. Paul University Manila (SPU Manila), for years 2015 to 2020, particularly amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Likewise, its main consideration was to discover entrepreneurial competencies appropriate to the new environment. It also determined the entrepreneurial challenges and opportunities brought about by the dramatic changes in the said landscape. The study employed mixed design in analyzing the data while utilizing the descriptive method to illustrate not only the encounters of the selected participants, but also the skills and competencies required to take on the changes in the new business setting. With this, the study revealed that enhancements in the BS Entrepreneurship Program curriculum is needed to equip its graduates with more know-how and proficiency to minimize the challenges they are facing. Such enhancements should also aid them in understanding and navigating industry trends, employment opportunities, and collaboration with industries.
Keywords: entrepreneurial experience, St. Paul University Manila, new environment, curriculum
I.INTRODUCTION
The COVID-19 pandemic was an unexpected turn of events, which had debilitating effects to households, businesses, and industries. It has sent a shock wave to regional and global economies; businesses were caught off guard and created a new playing field where only a few are experts. The magnitude of its crippling effects disrupted entrepreneurial activities and forced the majority of enterprises big or small to scramble into rethinking their business model. The specific effects of the pandemic vary significantly from sector to sector, product to product, and service to service. The loss of physical contact brought about by the pandemic has posed a major threat to businesses around the world. The longer the pandemic remains, the harder it is for some industries to cope with the loss of physical contact from their clients.
Entrepreneurial activities in the Philippines were severely hit by the ill effects of the pandemic. The Department