ABSTRACT
This article aims to evaluate the moderating effect exerted by students’ perceptions of the university support environment on the relationship between their respective entrepreneurial characteristics and entrepreneurial intentions. The subjective norms associated with the university support environment encompass perceptions on teaching activities, research, and outreach that can help shape entrepreneurial behaviour. The empirical assessment was carried out through the estimation of Structural Equations. The sample comprises 1,012 observations with undergraduate students from Brazilian universities across the country’s five macro-regions. The results indicate a positive impact of entrepreneurial characteristics on entrepreneurial intention but a negative moderating effect of perceived university support. This result is due to students’ negative evaluation of university support, which also reflects negative moderation. Our findings shed light on the complexity of creating an academic environment conducive to entrepreneurial behaviour, especially in Brazilian public universities.
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No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
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Notes on contributors
Angélica Cristina Brandão Farias
Angélica Cristina Brandão Farias holds MSc in Business Management from the University of Campinas (Unicamp).
Gustavo Hermínio Salati Marcondes de Moraes
Gustavo Hermínio Salati Marcondes de Moraes is an Associate Professor at the Unicamp and an Extraordinary Associate Professor at the North-West University (NWU). He holds his Ph.D. in Business Administration from the Sao Paulo School of Business Administration, Getulio Vargas Foundation (FGV/EAESP).
Matheus Leite de Campos
Matheus Leite de Campos is a post-doctoral research fellow at the Unicamp. He holds his Ph.D. in Business Administration from Unicamp.
Alexandre Cappellozza
Alexandre Cappellozza is an Associate Professor at the Mackenzie Presbyterian University. He holds his Ph.D. in Business Administration from FGV/EAESP.
Bruno Brandão Fischer
Professor Fischer is an Associate Professor at the University of Campinas in Brazil and a Research Collaborator at the Higher School of Economics, National Research University, Russia. He holds PhD in Economics and Innovation Management from Universidad Complutense de Madrid.
Rosley Anholon
Rosley Anholon is an Associate Professor at the University of Campinas in Brazil. He holds PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Unicamp.