Biblical Principles for a Christian Engineering Entrepreneur

About Biblical Principles for a Christian Engineering Entrepreneur

Abstract

Perhaps not surprisingly, many entrepreneurs are engineers. Equally unsurprising, many engineering entrepreneurs are Christians. How do these three roles interact and support each other? In this paper, I will use my sabbatical experience at an engineering start-up company as the context to explore how one's faith can provide a foundation for pursuing engineering entrepreneurship. My premise is that entrepreneurship and engineering are complementary – a natural combination that can be informed by a foundation of faith. The paper introduces the topic by first describing why engineering educators should take an interest in entrepreneurship. Second, a sample of some the important literature in this area will be explored. Third, we will review some commonly identified characteristics of entrepreneurs. Some of the characteristics lend themselves well to engineering; some are good fits with Christian faith. But some can cause a tension which must be addressed. Fourth, a number of important Biblical principles will be enumerated that are applicable to entrepreneurial activities. Examples include stewardship, caring, honesty, the imago dei, and planning for good while trusting in God. Finally, the paper will conclude with a number of small case studies applying these principles in specific situations such as product development, human resources, and project management.