Students' Entrepreneurial Intentions: The Role of Prior Learning Experiences and Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Competencies^*

* This research was conducted at the Ca' Foscari Competency Centre of the Ca' Foscari University of Venice. We thank HayGroup for allowing the use of the Emotional and Social Competency Inventory‐University Edition (ESCI‐U) in our research. We would like also to thank the Career Service of the Ca' Foscari University of Venice for the support provided during the field research. We gratefully acknowledge helpful comments and suggestions by the associate editor and the anonymous referees.

Abstract

Despite literature acknowledges that emotional, social, and cognitive (ESC) competencies favor entrepreneurial success, research has scantly investigated if they influence entrepreneurial intentions. Moreover, studies use work and extracurricular activities as proxies for competency possession without investigating their impact on competency development. To address this void, we analyze the direct and mediating effects of ESC competencies on self‐employment intentions. Results from a sample of university students demonstrate that higher levels of ESC competencies predict entrepreneurial intent, and only international and cultural experiences indirectly favor self‐employment intentions. This study offers insight to the debate on competency development in entrepreneurial education.

* This research was conducted at the Ca' Foscari Competency Centre of the Ca' Foscari University of Venice. We thank HayGroup for allowing the use of the Emotional and Social Competency Inventory‐University Edition (ESCI‐U) in our research. We would like also to thank the Career Service of the Ca' Foscari University of Venice for the support provided during the field research. We gratefully acknowledge helpful comments and suggestions by the associate editor and the anonymous referees.

* This research was conducted at the Ca' Foscari Competency Centre of the Ca' Foscari University of Venice. We thank HayGroup for allowing the use of the Emotional and Social Competency Inventory‐University Edition (ESCI‐U) in our research. We would like also to thank the Career Service of the Ca' Foscari University of Venice for the support provided during the field research. We gratefully acknowledge helpful comments and suggestions by the associate editor and the anonymous referees.

Notes

* This research was conducted at the Ca' Foscari Competency Centre of the Ca' Foscari University of Venice. We thank HayGroup for allowing the use of the Emotional and Social Competency Inventory‐University Edition (ESCI‐U) in our research. We would like also to thank the Career Service of the Ca' Foscari University of Venice for the support provided during the field research. We gratefully acknowledge helpful comments and suggestions by the associate editor and the anonymous referees.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Sara Bonesso

Sara Bonesso is Associate Professor of Business Organization and Human Resources Management in the Department of Management at the Ca' Foscari University of Venice.

Fabrizio Gerli

Fabrizio Gerli is Associate Professor of Business Organization and Human Resources Management in the Department of Management at the Ca' Foscari University of Venice.

Claudio Pizzi

Claudio Pizzi is Associate Professor of Economic Statistics in the Department of Economics at the Ca' Foscari University of Venice.

Laura Cortellazzo

Laura Cortellazzo is PhD candidate in Management in the Department of Management at the Ca' Foscari University of Venice.