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A Study of Entrepreneurial Intention of University Students

Author

Listed:
  • Zhang Pingying

    (Department of Management, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL, USA)

  • Wang Dongyuan D.

    (Department of Psychology, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL, USA)

  • Owen Crystal L.

    (Department of Management, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL, USA)

Abstract

Studying entrepreneurial intention has long been an important topic in the field of entrepreneurship. In this paper, we investigate entrepreneurial intention by applying the theory of planned behavior by Ajzen (1991. “The Theory of Planned Behavior.” Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes 50(2):179–211), which describes that intention of a behavior depends on attitude, social norm, and controlled behavior. In our context, intention to start a business is thus a function of the three determinants. We have also explored two additional contextual determinants: short-term risk taking preference and psychological well-being. We propose individuals with a short-term risk taking preference are likely to initiate a venture. Similarly, individuals who score high on psychological well-being are likely to start a business too. We have used the structural equation modeling technique to examine 275 survey responses from students of a large southern university in the U.S. Consistent with earlier research, we found that social norm, controlled behavior, and short-term risk taking preference are positively associated with entrepreneurial intention. However, to our surprise, attitude fails to generate a significant impact on entrepreneurial intention, which is also negatively associated with psychological well-being. Discussions of results are presented, and future research possibilities are suggested.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhang Pingying & Wang Dongyuan D. & Owen Crystal L., 2015. "A Study of Entrepreneurial Intention of University Students," Entrepreneurship Research Journal, De Gruyter, vol. 5(1), pages 61-82, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:bpj:erjour:v:5:y:2015:i:1:p:22:n:2
    DOI: 10.1515/erj-2014-0004
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ajzen, Icek, 1991. "The theory of planned behavior," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 50(2), pages 179-211, December.
    2. Palich, Leslie E. & Ray Bagby, D., 1995. "Using cognitive theory to explain entrepreneurial risk-taking: Challenging conventional wisdom," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 10(6), pages 425-438, November.
    3. Daniel Kahneman & Amos Tversky, 2013. "Prospect Theory: An Analysis of Decision Under Risk," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Leonard C MacLean & William T Ziemba (ed.), HANDBOOK OF THE FUNDAMENTALS OF FINANCIAL DECISION MAKING Part I, chapter 6, pages 99-127, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    4. Norman R. Smith & John B. Miner, 1983. "Type of entrepreneur, type of firm, and managerial motivation: Implications for organizational life cycle theory," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 4(4), pages 325-340, October.
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    Cited by:

    1. Dave Valliere, 2019. "Refining national culture and entrepreneurship: the role of subcultural variation," Journal of Global Entrepreneurship Research, Springer;UNESCO Chair in Entrepreneurship, vol. 9(1), pages 1-22, December.
    2. Brizeida Raquel Hernández-Sánchez & José Carlos Sánchez-García & Alexander Ward Mayens, 2019. "Impact of Entrepreneurial Education Programs on Total Entrepreneurial Activity: The Case of Spain," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 9(1), pages 1-16, March.
    3. repec:grm:ecoyun:202018 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. Francoise Contreras & Inge de Dreu & Juan C. Espinosa, 2017. "Examining the Relationship between Psychological Capital and Entrepreneurial Intention: An Exploratory Study," Asian Social Science, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 13(3), pages 1-80, March.
    5. Mesfin Mulu Ayalew & Shumet Amare Zeleke, 2018. "Modeling the impact of entrepreneurial attitude on self-employment intention among engineering students in Ethiopia," Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 7(1), pages 1-27, December.
    6. Md. Abdul Momen & Shamsul Huq Bin Shahriar & Md. Kamrul Hassan & Seyama Sultana, 2020. "Determinants of Using Social Networking Sites Toward Entrepreneurial Success: Experience from a Developing Nation," Emerging Economy Studies, International Management Institute, vol. 6(2), pages 191-200, November.
    7. Lizette Huezo-Ponce & Virginia Fernández-Pérez & Lázaro Rodríguez-Ariza, 2021. "Emotional competencies and entrepreneurship: modeling universities," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 17(3), pages 1497-1519, September.
    8. Blendi Shima & Babu George, 2020. "Understanding Entrepreneurial Intentions of Albanian Business Students Based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour," International Journal of Management, Knowledge and Learning, International School for Social and Business Studies, Celje, Slovenia, vol. 9(2), pages 153-167.
    9. Palamida, Eftychia & Papagiannidis, Savvas & Xanthopoulou, Despoina, 2018. "Linking young individuals' capital to investment intentions: Comparing two cultural backgrounds," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 36(3), pages 392-407.
    10. Sasmita Swain & Sri Krishna Sudheer Patoju, 2022. "Factors Influencing to Choose Social Entrepreneurship as a Career: A Study on Social Entrepreneurship Students from India," Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Emerging Economies, Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India, vol. 31(1), pages 65-89, March.
    11. Aleksey I. Shinkevich & Alsu A. Lubnina & Alexey G. Koryakov & Vladimir G. Mikhailov & Ekaterina L. Vodolazhskaya, 2016. "Economic Aspects of Risk Management of Stakeholders Activities," International Review of Management and Marketing, Econjournals, vol. 6(2), pages 328-332.
    12. Cuong Nguyen, 2018. "Demographic factors, family background and prior self-employment on entrepreneurial intention - Vietnamese business students are different: why?," Journal of Global Entrepreneurship Research, Springer;UNESCO Chair in Entrepreneurship, vol. 8(1), pages 1-17, December.
    13. Berto Usman & Yennita, 2019. "Understanding the entrepreneurial intention among international students in Turkey," Journal of Global Entrepreneurship Research, Springer;UNESCO Chair in Entrepreneurship, vol. 9(1), pages 1-21, December.
    14. Tarek Ben Ali, 2017. "University and Entrepreneurship: An Empirical Investigation in the Tunisian Context," International Review of Management and Marketing, Econjournals, vol. 7(1), pages 76-84.
    15. Nabil Al-Qadasi & Gongyi Zhang & Ibrahim Al-Jubari, 2021. "Attitude of youth towards self-employment: Evidence from university students in Yemen," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(9), pages 1-20, September.
    16. Sandra Misiak-Kwit & Yunhua Zhang, 2022. "Entrepreneurial attitude of students - comparative study between China and Poland," Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Issues, VsI Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Center, vol. 9(3), pages 118-133, March.
    17. Cuong Nguyen, 2017. "Entrepreneurial intention of international business students in Viet Nam: a survey of the country joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership," Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 6(1), pages 1-13, December.

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