GEE’s Future: Cultivate Butterflies Beyond Basics, Nurture Transformation

Abstract
Since World War II, entrepreneurship education has evolved from an “orphan” discipline into a ubiquitous global phenomenon, prompting the emergence of Global Entrepreneurship Education (GEE). This article first chronicles the codification of tacit entrepreneurial know-how—mental models, heuristics, policies, and playbooks—into explicit competencies and frameworks while highlighting persistent gaps beneath the “iceberg” of visible tools, including informal-sector practices, Indigenous business customs, and failure-coping strategies. The "cultivate-butterflies" metaphor is used to discuss shortcomings, portraying nascent ideas as fragile organisms nurtured in a supportive habitat. A cross-cultural analysis of eight core competencies (opportunity recognition, creativity, ethical thinking, self-efficacy, initiative, management style, uncertainty coping, and collaboration) across five cultural clusters demonstrate the imperative of contextual adaptation. Building on ecological and systems theory, this paper proposes a seven-level learning scaffold—from the individual “organism” through community, ecosystem, and biosphere to “metamorphosis”—that aligns pedagogy with the interdependence of global and local perspectives. This paper discusses implementation challenges—faculty development, institutional alignment, data infrastructure, and inclusivity—and argue that an ecological model reconciles structured rigor with the “magnanimity of disorder.” By reframing educators as gardeners, the cultivate-butterflies framework charts a transformative path for GEE, equipping learners to navigate complexity and pollinate sustainable ventures worldwide.

Keywords
Entrepreneurship Education, cross-culture, ecosystem, learning

Cite this paper
Fregetto E, GEE’s Future: Cultivate Butterflies Beyond Basics, Nurture Transformation , SCIREA Journal of Education. Volume 10, Issue 5, October 2025 | PP. 226-269. 10.54647/education880627

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