Institutional Culture in Generational Thinking: An Economic‒Anthropological Approach (University Students’ Perceptions of Entrepreneurial Thought at the University of Oran 2)

Abstract

This study seeks to shed light on institutional culture and on what institutions should consider and actively engage with rather than rely on expectations detached from a scientific strategy. This is manifested in how institutions interact with and adapt to the internal and external conditions in which they operate. Our focus is specifically on university students, whose perceptions of entrepreneurial thought in general are examined from an economic-anthropological perspective. This choice is grounded in several considerations, foremost among them the view of the university as an academic space that fosters an open-minded outlook among students, enabling them to establish their own ventures. The integration of the economic and anthropological fields does not merely concern production and the resolution of economic problems; rather, by bringing these two fields together, it becomes possible to uncover the processes of production, exchange, and patterns of consumption within their social contexts. Among the principal findings of our study are that institutions rely on scientific methods and approaches and establish incentive systems to encourage Algerian youth to move beyond fear and hesitation to build their own projects. In other words, institutions must foster a culture that nurtures creativity and an entrepreneurial spirit among young people. In this sense, the institution is a cultural-economic entity that reproduces the structure of society in accordance with its customs and traditions. The success of any institution is therefore closely linked to effective communication among individuals.