Hadlow Group Research 2015-2016

Hadlow Research 2016 The Hadlow Group encompasses Hadlow College and West Kent and Ashford College. We proudly deliver excellent Higher Education provision and dedication to the promotion of Higher Education in Kent. Hadlow College is a specialist land based college situated in Kent. The College offers a range of Higher Education courses across the land based provision through the University of Greenwich. These include Equine Management, Equine Therapy and Rehabilitation, Equine Training and Management, Applied Equine Welfare and Management, International Agriculture, Garden Design, Horticulture, Fisheries Management, Countryside and Landscape Management, Animal Management, Animal Conservation & Biodiversity and Animal Behaviour. The College also offers a suite of education qualifications including the Award, Certificate and Diploma in Education offered through Canterbury Christ Church University. West Kent and Ashford College compliments the suite of courses offered by Hadlow College by providing Higher Education courses in partnership with the University of Kent, University of Greenwich, Canterbury Christ Church University and Edexcel. These courses include Fine Art, Graphic Design, Photography, Textiles and Fashion, Early Years, Supported Teaching and Learning, Computing, Construction and Engineering as well as Education. The College is committed to supporting all its staff to undertake Staff Development activities and Continuous Professional Development (CPD) including Scholarly Activity. It recognises that an essential aspect of delivering higher education courses is keeping up to date with the subject area, understanding the regulations related to delivering HE in FE and also understanding pedagogy related to the delivery of higher education in the FE context. The papers included in this publication are based on scholarly activity that was undertaken by academic staff from The Hadlow Group. 3 Urban entrepreneurship as a contributor to food security At a more personal level, entrepreneurs have been considered as: “…those who engage in entrepreneurial activity [and are] interested in creating something, in gaining Howard Lee independence, as well as being in control of the process of business, rather than being Hadlow College, UK servants of it.” (Mumby-Croft and Brown, 2006) p. 207. Abstract (Henderson, 2002) considers that: “Entrepreneurs are a unique group of people. They are owner-managers who assume risk, manage the business’s operations, reap the European farming is presently vulnerable to numerous external pressures which are rewards of their success, and bear the consequences of their failure.” (p. 48). liable to adversely affect food security. Entrepreneurialism has been put forward as one means of enhancing long term food security and was investigated for this paper. Many surveys and studies conclude that opportunity-driven entrepreneurs enhance Six student entrepreneurs were interviewed whilst studying or soon after graduation innovation and are positive for economies and communities – e.g. (Draghici and from Hadlow College, Kent, UK. A SWOT analysis of the six projects was used to Albulescu, 2014). There have also been several attempts to develop typologies for help identify the key factors likely to ensure success, and highlighted the importance entrepreneurs – see Table 1. of supportive networks, free or low cost training and attractive finance schemes.This was applied to an urban agriculture (UA) context to suggest the need to work with Table 1. Some literature perceptions of entrepreneur typology existing programmes and provide a wide support network of mentoring, training and finance to encourage new entrepreneurs. Categories of entrepreneurs Introduction Source 1 2 3 4 (Lans et al., High Performing Low Performing The importance of entrepreneurship has already been discussed as an important 2014) contributor to urban food security (see (Lee, 2012) in the Proceedings of an earlier (Henderson, High growth Lifestyle AESOP Food Planning Conference). Therefore it was decided here to investigate 2002) entrepreneurial attitudes as a factor for food production and especially in an urban setting by examining the following objectives: (Yenerall, 2008) High growth Lifestyle Survival Intrapreneurs (Woods and 1. To examine the most important factors for College students and graduates as Business Public Social Cultural Woods, 2009 entrepreneurs. Six case studies were developed with current students and recent graduates from Hadlow College (where the author teaches); 2. How this spirit of entrepreneurialism can be applied to and encouraged in urban How does this relate to food security in Europe? In a review of urban food and peri urban areas. Recent relevant research and projects are reviewed, to production by this author (Lee, 2012) a synthesis of on-going research suggested help clarify how entrepreneurialism can help contribute to urban food security. that entrepreneurship was vital for the progression of agrarian-based ecological modernisation and improved sustainability of food supply. It is suggested here that Defining terms the various categories of entrepreneurship need to be further investigated if we are to better understand how food security might be enhanced. Entrepreneurialism has been defined as: Objective 1: To examine the most important factors for College students and • “the process of uncovering or developing an opportunity to create value through graduates as entrepreneurs. innovation…” by (Henderson, 2002) p. 47 and: • “People who design, produce and generate value through the creation or This research attempted to investigate: expansion of economic activity by identifying new products, processes, or a. the positive and negative factors that College student entrepreneurs had experienced; markets” by (Yenerall, 2008) p. 3. b. what these entrepreneurs considered to be the key points that would facilitate future development of their businesses; c. how these results could be related to existing literature and integrated into an urban context as policy recommendations for enhanced future food security. 4 5 Materials and methods Results Entrepreneurs for interview were chosen as a purposeful sub-sample: for a relevant These are presented as a summarised, composite SWOT analysis (Appendix 1): example see (Lans et al., 2014). For this research the sub-sample was selected to contain students involved in micro businesses that were currently running at A thematic analysis was undertaken of all interview transcripts (Table 2), which Hadlow College1 , Kent, UK, or as external projects operating within three years of recorded the frequency with which each key word group was mentioned by each graduation. Each interview was semi-structured (described as “…a structured, open- interviewee. For similar research using thematic analysis, see (Jones, Coviello and ended interview guide…” by (Jarratt, 1996), p. 9). Additionally, all interviews included Tang, 2011). a SWOT examination of each micro-business (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats). SWOT analyses in a business context have been in use since the Table 2. Thematic Analysis of interviewees 1960s and are described as “…an important decision-making support tool…[which]… helps organizations, projects or even individuals…[with]…systematic thinking and Word group A B C D E F comprehensive diagnosis of factors,” (Salar and Salar, 2014) (p. 516). Experience/knowledge 2 3 1 0 4 2 Six Hadlow College micro-business projects were chosen as follows: Income/profit 0 1 1 1 1 6 Future/planning 1 1 0 1 0 0 A: An undergraduate BSc (hons.) Commercial Horticulture 1st year student group enterprise: growing lettuce in a polythene tunnel for sale in the College Farm Shop. From the SWOT summaries (Appendix 1), the thematic record in Table 1 and in One representative interviewed. general discussion with interviewees, several powerful factors were identified: B: An undergraduate BSc (hons.) Commercial Horticulture 3rd year student group • the vital need for the necessary skills, knowledge and experience to pursue the enterprise: growing fruit, herbs and vegetables in open plot as a group allotment, with chosen micro business. Many interviewees reported following a steep learning produce for sale in the College Farm Shop. One representative interviewed. curve but observed the development of greater confidence with time; • the requirement for access to local markets, active network groups and C: A National Diploma Horticulture student group project enterprise: harvesting ultimately the development of profitable enterprises. This was especially strong apples (Malus domestica) from College orchard, arranging batch juicing and bottling for F; with local company, designing and affixing labels on bottles, helping market via • for future planning, the barriers to expansion of each business, such as lack of College Farm Shop. One representative was interviewed. physical space, limited credit rating and potentially restrictive legislation from local councils. D: A BSc (hons.) Horticulture graduate. Grows and sells seasonal Peonies (Paeonia) and runs year-long art teaching studio – pottery, painting, silver, glass, ceramics (kiln Discussion based), sewing and knitting. The typologies presented in Table 1 can be re-visited here in relation to the results E: A BSc (hons.) Horticulture graduate. Smallholding managed organically as a of interviews presented in this research. The concept of high growth/performing family enterprise, with two polythene tunnels for raspberries (Rubus idaeus),

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