Sanna Joensuu

Development of entrepreneurial intention in higher education and the effect of gender – a latent growth curve analysis

Purpose – The objectives of this study are threefold: first, to analyze the development of intentions of individuals over time; second, to explore potential gender differences in intention development; and third, to analyze the relatedness of the initial level and development of the antecedents of intentions to the initial level and the development of intentions. Design/methodology/approach – Ajzens Theory of Planned behavior is applied. Longitudinal data were collected in the fall of 2010, 2011 and 2012 in seven different universities of applied sciences, with students representing seven different study fields. In our data, there are 192 individuals with all three measurement waves and 104 individuals with two measurement waves. The analysis of change on multi-wave panel data is done using latent growth curve analysis with structural equation modeling. Findings – Our empirical results are threefold. First, entrepreneurial intentions of higher education seem to decrease during their studies. Second, ther...

The development of entrepreneurial potential among higher education students

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to increase the understanding of how entrepreneurial potential is developed among young people. Changes in individuals’ entrepreneurial intentions and the antecedents of intentions are investigated, as well as the impact of entrepreneurship education on the changes. Design/methodology/approach – Ajzen’s Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) is applied. Longitudinal data from 197 HE students, in their first and third year of studies, is examined using path analysis. Findings – Overall the entrepreneurial intentions of HE students decreased over time. Intentions decreased particularly for those with high initial level of intentions, whereas the group with increasing intentions rose from low to neutral level of intentions. Changes in attitudes and perceived behavioral control have a significant positive impact. Versatile entrepreneurship courses have direct effect on changes in attitudes. Changes in attitudes have a dual role, as they influence change in both intentions and ...

Entrepreneurial Intentions among Higher Education Students in Finland and Spain: Developing and Piloting a Survey Instrument

The purpose of this article is to present the results of a pilot study in which the new instrument was developed and tested to measure the formation of entrepreneurial intentions in multi-country context. The developed instrument was largely based on the Theory of Planned Behavior Ajzen 1991. In the pilot study, the authors were also paying attention to two issues, namely i whether the level of entrepreneurial intentions varies as a function of country of origin, ii whether the relative importance of the three antecedents of entrepreneurial intentions varies as a function of country of origin, and iii whether the background variables exercise similar effects on the formation of entrepreneurial intentions in different countries. The empirical context of the pilot study is made of two higher education institutions one in Finland, one in Spain and concerns their first-year students at undergraduate programs. In the end of this paper, the authors will discuss the implications of the empirical observations of their pilot study.

Starting up a Firm or Not: Differences in the Antecedents of Entrepreneurial Intentions.

Entrepreneurial intentions (EIs) and their antecedents have been extensively studied in student populations. The results suggest that higher education does not promote the formation of EI in students. This article examines the antecedents of intentions in two different student populations: those who are currently starting a firm and those who are not. Gender and entrepreneurial role models are used as control variables. Further, the article examines the utility of applying intention measures for individuals already acting on their intention. As a framework, the authors use Ajzen’s theory of planned behaviour. Data from 3754 responses were collected through a self-administered questionnaire in seven universities of applied sciences from students representing eight different study fields. The results show that Ajzen’s model performs better when explaining the intentions of those who are not in the process of starting a firm than of nascent entrepreneurs.