Self-efficacy in product development student teams - what shapes students’ perceived self-efficacy

Abstract

<p>This paper aims to provide a perspective of the student´s perceived self-efficacy in a team<br />based project course where students face open-ended, ill-defined problems. We discuss the<br />development of self-efficacy in the team members and how different situations and events<br />affect their perceived self-efficacy. The data used in this paper was gathered through<br />interviews from students taking a yearlong masters´ level capstone course. Results of the<br />study show that the students’ overall self-efficacy increased most in team-based moments. We<br />show also how entrepreneurial self-efficacy of students can be enhanced during problembased<br />New Product Development process. Finally we will conclude the potential of the<br />researched course to provide practical experiences of project work as well as its potential for<br />delivering entrepreneurial skills for the students during their education.<br /></p>