Work in Progress: Examining the KEEN 3Cs Framework Using Content Analysis and Expert Review

The KEEN 3Cs (Curiosity, Connections, and Creating Value) framework for entrepreneurial mindset (EM) was developed by the Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network (KEEN) to guide curriculum development, faculty professional development, and student-related initiatives when seeking to integrate EM into engineering education. The framework has seen growing popularity and acceptance in the practitioner community, but the lack of explicit connections between the included constructs and broader existing literature has created a barrier to using the framework for research on EM. This work-in-progress paper is the first step of a larger project to identify literature connections associated with the constructs operationalized in the KEEN 3Cs framework. A content analysis of the KEEN Engineering Unleashed website was conducted to characterize the state of the 3Cs as defined by KEEN contributors. Emergent themes for each C were identified based on this content analysis resulting in a list of key terms that were subsequently used in interviews to obtain reactions from KEEN legacy leaders. The preliminary findings identified consistencies as well as variations between the key terms generated for each C and the opinions of the participating KEEN legacy leaders. These findings reinforce the necessity of building a literature-based grounding for the 3Cs framework to benefit stakeholders within and outside the KEEN community.