An examination of how personal characteristics moderate the relationship between startup intent and entrepreneurship education

Tyler Burch, Neil M. Tocher and Gregory Murphy

New England Journal of Entrepreneurship, 2022, vol. 25, issue 2, 161-182

Abstract: Purpose - While research has identified a consistent link between startup intent and entrepreneurship education (EE) intentions, studies also indicate that many entrepreneurs lack the EE they need. However, research examining factors that explain why certain individuals with high startup intent pursue EE while others do not is rare. Given this, the purpose of this paper is to examine how individual characteristics moderate the startup intent EE intentions relationship. Design/methodology/approach - Survey data were gathered on 199 US adults. Moderators examined include attitudes toward education, perceived entrepreneurial efficacy, propensity for risk taking and the Big Five personality traits. Linear regression models were used to test each of the moderation relationships predicted. Findings - Notable findings suggest that extroversion, openness to experience, agreeableness, perceived entrepreneurial efficacy and risk propensity reduce the chances that individuals with high startup intent will pursue EE, while viewing education as instrumental enhances the relationship. Research limitations/implications - Study findings imply that EE programs might not be reaching critical target markets, suggest that EE programs might need to be modified to attract individuals with high startup intent and indicate that individual characteristics are key factors that determine why certain individuals with high startup intent pursue EE while others with the same desires do not pursue EE. Originality/value - This study builds on previous work that looks at the relationship between startup intent and EE intentions by investigating how individual characteristics either amplify or diminish the relationship, increasing scholarly knowledge about why certain individuals with high startup intent pursue EE while others do not.

Keywords: Entrepreneurship education; Startup intent; Individual characteristics; Big Five personality traits; Human capital theory (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.110 ... d&utm_campaign=repec (text/html)
https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.110 ... d&utm_campaign=repec (application/pdf)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eme:nejepp:neje-05-2021-0029

DOI: 10.1108/NEJE-05-2021-0029

Access Statistics for this article

New England Journal of Entrepreneurship is currently edited by Andres Felipe Cortes and Younggeun Lee

More articles in New England Journal of Entrepreneurship from Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Emerald Support ().