Theories of management fashion predict that mass diffusion of a single framework can foster isomorphism or settlement on a common approach. Thus, frameworks codified and distilled into templates should produce cohesive replication over time. Yet, little work has examined how management fashions, and in particular, fashions embedded in templates, shape what scholars teach. We address this gap by focusing on the growing field of undergraduate entrepreneurship, where common templates are increasingly available and influential. We ask: What is taught in undergraduate entrepreneurship classrooms? With a survey of 86 syllabi at 84 US colleges and universities, we observe templatization without homogenization: a) widespread adoption of common templates, but b) little evidence of the standardization that might be expected. With interviews of 23 educators, we unpack this juxtaposition. Our analysis suggests this pattern arises from educators’ individual efforts to grapple with field level tensions concerning intended learning outcomes, topic scope, and effective pedagogical strategy. Overall, our research contributes an underappreciated lens as to how educators leverage templates and frameworks to manage an expanding mandate for entrepreneurship while stubbornly resisting standardization.
