ALTRALANG Journal
Volume 8, Numéro 2, Pages 23-33
2026-10-31

English For Specific Purposes Needs Analysis In Entrepreneurship Education: A Gap Analysis Index Approach To Bridging Specialized Linguistic Competencies And Labor Market Demands In Algerian Higher Education



Authors : Sallaye Mohamed .

Abstract

This study investigates the English for Specific Purposes (ESP) needs of student entrepreneurs operating under Algeria’s Ministerial Decision No. 1275, which institutionalizes startup project development within university graduation requirements. Adopting a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design, the study surveyed N = 120 student entrepreneurs across two Algerian university incubators using a 40-item Present Situation Analysis (PSA) questionnaire, followed by semi-structured interviews with eight ecosystem stakeholders to establish Target Situation Analysis (TSA) priorities. Quantitative results revealed severe self-assessed deficiencies across all five communicative domains, with Investor Pitching registering the lowest competency (M = 1.42, SD = 0.47, α = .93) and Digital and Marketing Communication the highest (M = 2.62, SD = 0.67, α = .95). A novel Gap Analysis Index (GAI = TSA Mean Rank × 5 − PSA Mean) identified Investor Pitching (GAI = 21.08) and Strategic Business Documentation (GAI = 16.26) as the most urgent intervention domains. Thematic analysis generated four dominant themes-Investor Communication Deficiency, Weak Business Writing Skills, Digital Communication Limitations, and Intercultural Challenges-substantiated by a deviant case. Spearman correlations confirmed that prior English training and incubator duration were associated with reduced competency gaps. The study proposes a three-module, task-based ESP curriculum directly informed by the GAI ranking, contributing theoretically, methodologically, and pedagogically to ESP-for-entrepreneurship research in Algerian higher education.

Keywords

English for Specific Purposes ; Needs Analysis ; Gap Analysis Index ; Entrepreneurship Education ; Algerian Higher Education ; Ministerial Decision 1275 ; Task-Based Language Teaching

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