Entrepreneurship as a career choice: intentions, attitudes, and outcome expectations

Abstract

This manuscript presents an empirically tested model of entrepreneurial intentions based upon social cognitive career theory (SCCT). Our study consisted of 320 undergraduate business students at a large U.S. university and emphasizes the important influences of prior exposure to entrepreneurship, as well as social support mechanisms on formation of entrepreneurial intentions and entrepreneurial outcome expectations. We offer strong theoretical support to the entrepreneurial intentions literature through the lens of SCCT. Additionally, our manuscript highlights the important role of entrepreneurial attitude in mediating the relationship between entrepreneurial motivation and intention. SCCT offers additional explanation to the existing underspecified model and complexity of entrepreneurial intentions. In this manuscript the authors identify attitude as an important precursor to entrepreneurial intent.

ABSTRAIT

Ce manuscrit présente un modèle d’intentions entrepreneuriales testé empiriquement et basé sur la théorie sociale cognitive de la carrière (TSCC). Notre étude a porté sur 320 étudiants de premier cycle en gestion des affaires dans une grande université américaine, et met l’accent sur les influences importantes de l’exposition préalable à l’entrepreneuriat, ainsi qu’aux mécanismes de soutien social à la formation d’intentions entrepreneuriales et d’attentes entrepreneuriales de résultats. En outre, ce manuscrit souligne le rôle important de l’attitude entrepreneuriale dans la médiation du rapport entre la motivation et l’intention entrepreneuriales. La TSCC offre une explication supplémentaire du modèle existant non-spécifié et de la complexité des intentions entrepreneuriales. Ce manuscrit identifie l’attitude en tant que facteur précurseur important de l’intention entrepreneuriale. De plus, à travers l’usage d’un modèle de TSCC informé, nous apportons un soutien théorique plus fort à la littérature sur les intentions entrepreneuriales.

Keywords:

• Entrepreneurship education
• entrepreneurial intentions
• entrepreneurial attitudes
• entrepreneurial outcome expectations
• social cognitive career theory

Mots-clés::

• Éducation à l’esprit d’entreprise
• Intentions entrepreneuriales
• attitudes entrepreneuriales
• attentes entrepreneuriales de résultats
• théorie sociale cognitive de la carrière

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

E. Liguori

Eric Liguori is the Rohrer Chair of Entrepreneurship at Rowan University. His research interests are in the area of entrepreneurial ecosystems, entrepreneurial self-efficacy, entrepreneurial behavior, entrepreneurship education, and the evolution of management thought.

C. Winkler

Christoph Winkler is the Hynes Professor of Entrepreneurship & Innovation at Iona College. His research focuses on entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial learning.

J. Vanevenhoven

Jeff Vanevenhoven is a Professor in Management and the coordinator of the entrepreneurship major at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. His research and teaching focus on the intersection of entrepreneurship, strategic management, and organizational theory.

D. Winkel

Doan Winkel is the John J. Kahl Sr. Chair in Entrepreneurship at John Carroll University. His research interests are focused on experiential learning in entrepreneurship education.

M. James

James Mark is an Assistant Professor at Columbus State University. His research is in technology entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship education.