Abstract
This paper attempts to contribute to the growing theoretical and empirical literature on entrepreneurial intent among university students. It is argued that entrepreneurial desirability precedes entrepreneurial self-efficacy and measuring it and the relevant factors that may influence it would be valuable, if not a necessity, prior to planning entrepreneurial education in a specific context. The paper used the survey method. Over six thousand students from eight country-branches of a regional university responded. The paper seeks first to assess whether entrepreneurship as an activity is desirable and then find out whether the students support the idea of introducing entrepreneurship education and how they want it to be organised. The level of entrepreneurial desirability and of the call for introducing entrepreneurial education was very high in all countries and all colleges and among both genders. Some factors that may affect entrepreneurial desirability, and which may influence how entrepreneurial education is to be planned, have been identified and tested statistically. These factors are internal; associated with the individual, e.g., educational status and work experience, and external; pertinent to the wider societal context, e.g., gender and employment situation in the country. Entrepreneurial education in universities where the students had no prior exposure to it, it is suggested, is to focus mainly on developing entrepreneurial self-efficacy.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References:
Abou-Moghli, A.A. & Al-Abdallah, G.M. (2019). A systematic review of women entrepreneurs opportunities and challenges in Saudi Arabia. Journal of Entrepreneurship Education, 22(6), 1–14 https://www.abacademies.org/articles/a-systematic-review-of-women-entrepreneurs-opportunities-and-challenges-in-saudi-arabia-8803.html
Ahmed, M. (2012). Youth unemployment in the MENA region: determinants and challenges. Washington DC: IMF. https://www.imf.org/external/np/vc/2012/061312.htm
AlHaj, B. K., Yusof, M.Z., & Eda, N. (2011). Entrepreneurial intention: an empirical study of community college students in Malaysia, Journal Personalia Pelajar, Bil, 14, 45–58 @2011 ISSN 0128–273. http://journalarticle.ukm.my/4516/1/5-Baharu_Kemat_AlHaj_et_al.pdf
Álvarez-Huerta, P., Muela, A., Larrea, I. (2019). Self-efficacy in first-year university students: a descriptive study. In 5th International conference on higher education advances, Valencia: Universitat Politecnica de Valencia. doi: https://doi.org/10.4995/HEAd19.2019.9226
Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioral change. Advances in Behaviour Research and Therapy, 1(4), 139–161. https://doi.org/10.1016/0146-6402(78)90002-4
Bandura, A. (1982). Self-efficacy mechanism in human agency. American Psychologist, 37, 122–147 https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1982-25814-001
Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hal.
Bandura, A. (1989). Human agency in social cognitive theory. American Psychologist, 44, 1175–1184. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.44.9.1175
Bandura, A. (1994). Self-efficacy. In: Ramachaudran, V. S. (Ed.), Encyclopaedia of human behaviour (vol. 4, pp. 71–81). New York: Academic Press. (Reprinted in H. Friedman [Ed.], Encyclopaedia of mental health. San Diego: Academic Press, 1998). https://www.uky.edu/~eushe2/Bandura/Bandura1994EHB.pdf
Bandura, A. (1999). Social cognitive theory: An agentic perspective. Asian Journal of Social Psychology, 2, 21–41. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-839X.00024
Basol, O. & Karatuna,I. (2017). Entrepreneurial self-efficacy of university students: A cross-cultural study, Management, 12(1), 27–40. http://www.hippocampus.si/ISSN/1854-4231/12.27-40.pdf
Bird, B. (1988). Implementing entrepreneurial ideas: The case of intentions. Academy of Management Review, 13(3), 442–454.
Campo, J. L. M. (2011). Analysis of the influence of self-efficacy on entrepreneurial intentions Prospect, 9(2), 14–21, https://www.redalyc.org/pdf/4962/496250980003.pdf
Chen, C.C., Greene, P.G. and Crick, A. (1998). Does entrepreneurial self-efficacy distinguish entrepreneurs from managers?. Journal of Business Venturing, 13(4): 295–316. https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/jbvent/v13y1998i4p295-316.html
del Rio-Rama, M., Peris-Ortiz, M., Álvarez García, J., & Rueda-Armengot, C. (2016). Entrepreneurial intentions and entrepreneurship education to University students in Portugal. Technology Innovation and Education, 2(7), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40660-016-0013-5
Drnovsek, M. , Wincent, J., and Cardon, M.S. (2010). Entrepreneurial self-efficacy and business start-up: developing a multi-dimensional definition. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour & Research 16(4) 329–348 Emerald Group Publishing Limited 1355–2554. doi: https://doi.org/10.1108/13552551011054516
Esnard, T. (2010). Gender, entrepreneurial self-efficacy, and entrepreneurial attitude orientations: The case of the Caribbean. International Business & Economics Research Journal (IBER). 9. doi: https://doi.org/10.19030/iber.v9i13.650. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/296621667_Gender_Entrepreneurial_Self-Efficacy_And_Entrepreneurial_Attitude_Orientations_The_Case_Of_The_Caribbean/citation/download
Hermawan, R.W., Soetjipto, B.E., & Rahayu, W.P. (2016). The effect of entrepreneurial self efficacy and locus of control on entrepreneurship interest through entrepreneurship literacy. IOSR Journal of Business and Management, 18(2):141–148. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/The-Effect-of-Entrepreneurial-Self-Efficacy-and-of-HermawanSoetjipto/e4fd606d6470c785c431f9e8e69e1b428e1b6910
ILO (International Labour Office) (2020). Global employment trends for youth 2020. Geneve. https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---dgreports/---dcomm/---publ/documents/publication/wcms_737648.pdf
Jiang, H., Xiong, W., Cao, Y. (2017). Research on the mechanism of entrepreneurial education quality, entrepreneurial self-efficacy and entrepreneurial intention in social sciences, engineering and science education, EURASIA Journal of Mathematics Science and Technology Education ISSN: 1305–8223 (online) 1305–8215 (print) 2017 13(7):3709–3721. doi https://doi.org/10.12973/eurasia.2017.00754a, https://www.ejmste.com/download/research-on-the-mechanism-of-entrepreneurial-education-quality-entrepreneurial-self-efficacy-and-4852.pdf.
Krueger, N. (1993). The impact of prior entrepreneurial exposure on perceptions of new venture feasibility and desirability. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 18. doi. https://doi.org/10.1177/104225879301800101. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228314730_The_Impact_of_Prior_Entrepreneurial_Exposure_on_Perceptions_of_New_Venture_Feasibility_and_Desirability/citation/download
Krueger, N., Reilly, M. & Carsrud, A. (2000). Competing models of entrepreneurial intention. Journal of Business Venturing, 15. 411–432. doi. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0883-9026(98)00033-0. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/4967860_Competing_Models_of_Entrepreneurial_Intention
Kuratko, D. (2004). Entrepreneurship education in the 21st century: From legitimization to leadership, a coleman foundation white paper, USASBE National Conference, January 16, 2004. https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/d89d/3a2a96b5c645ab42b0e28f6d73be7f961fe6.pdf
Lent, R. W., Brown, S. D., & Hackett, G. (1994). Toward a unifying social cognitive theory of career and academic interest, choice, and performance. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 45, 79–122.
Liu, X., Lin, C., Zhao, G., & Zhao, D. (2019). Research on the Effects of Entrepreneurial Education and Entrepreneurial Self-Efficacy on College Students’ Entrepreneurial Intention. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 869. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00869
Maritz, A. & Brown, C. (2013). Enhancing entrepreneurial self-efficacy through vocational entrepreneurship education programme. Journal of Vocational Education and Training, 65(4): 543–559. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/263535730_Enhancing_entrepreneurial_self-efficacy_through_vocational_entrepreneurship_education_programmesmmes
McGee, J., Mark-Peterson, E., Mueller,S., Sequeira, J.M. (2009). Entrepreneurial self‐efficacy: Refining the measure. Entrepreneurship: Theory and Practice, 33(4): 965–988. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/227828164_Entrepreneurial_SelfEfficacy_Refining_the_Measure
Mottoghi, L. (2014). The problem of employment in the mena, voices and views, middle east and North Africa. Washington D.C.: The World Bank, http://blogs.worldbank.org/team/lili-mottaghi
Nguyen, T. T. (2020). Impact of entrepreneurship environmental support factors to university students’ entrepreneurship self-efficacy. Management Science Letters, 10(6): 1321–1328. http://growingscience.com/beta/msl/3598-impact-of-entrepreneurship-environmental-support-factors-to-university-students-entrepreneurship-self-efficacy.html
Pajares, F. (1996). Self-efficacy in academic settings. Review of Educational Research, 66(4), 543–578. https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543066004543
Qiao, X., & Huang, J-H. (2019). Effect of college students’ entrepreneurial self-efficacy on entrepreneurial intention: Career adaptability as a mediating variable. International Journal of Educational Methodology, 5(3), 305–313. ISSN: 2469–9632, https://www.ijem.com/IJEM_5_3_305.pdf
Saraih, U.N., Zin Aris , A.Z., Abdul Mutalib , S., Ahmad, T.S.T. (2018). The influence of self-efficacy on entrepreneurial intention among engineering students, MATEC Web of Conferences 150, 05051. doi: https://doi.org/10.1051/matecconf/201815005051 MUCET 2017
Segal, G., Borgia, D., & Schoenfeld, J. (2005). The motivation to become an entrepreneur. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour & Research, 11(1), 42–57. https://www.deepdyve.com/lp/emerald-publishing/the-motivation-to-become-an-entrepreneur-vIOs0gEXnB
Setiawan, J. L. (2014). Examining entrepreneurial self-efficacy among students, the 5th indonesia international conference on innovation, entrepreneurship, and small business. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 115: 235–242. https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/82652118.pdf
Shapero, A. & Sokol, L. (1982). Some social dimensions of entrepreneurship. In Kent, C.E. (ed.) Encyclopaedia of entrepreneurship, Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, pp. 72–90. https://www.scirp.org/(S(i43dyn45teexjx455qlt3d2q))/reference/ReferencesPapers.aspx?ReferenceID=243256
Tlaiss, H. (2015). Entrepreneurial motivations of women evidence from the United Arab Emirates. International Small Business Journal Researching Entrepreneurship, 33(5), 562–581. https://doi.org/10.1177/0266242613496662
Tran, A. T. P., & Korflesch, H. (2016). A conceptual model of social entrepreneurial intention based on the social cognitive career theory. Asia Pacific Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, 10(1), 17–38. https://doi.org/10.1108/APJIE-12-2016-007
Turker, D., & Selcuk, S. S. (2009). Which factors affect entrepreneurial intention of university students? Journal of European Industrial Training., 33, 142. https://doi.org/10.1108/03090590910939049
Valerio, A., Parton, B., & Robb, A. (2014). Entrepreneurship education and training programs around the World, Washington D.C: The World Bank. https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/bitstream/handle/10986/18031/9781464802027.pdf
Wilson, F., Kickul, J. and Marlino, D. (2007). Gender, entrepreneurial self-efficacy, and entrepreneurial career intentions: implications for entrepreneurship education. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 31(3), 387–406. https://www.scirp.org/(S(vtj3fa45qm1ean45vvffcz55))/reference/ReferencesPapers.aspx?ReferenceID=1269513
Wood, R. & Bandura, A. (1989). Social cognitive theory of organizational management. Academy of Management Review, 14. 361–384. https://doi.org/10.5465/AMR.1989.4279067. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/235360936_Social_Cognitive_Theory_of_Organizational_Management/citation/download
Wu, S. & Lingfei, W. (2008). The impact of higher education on entrepreneurial intentions of university students in China. Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, 15, 752–774. https://doi.org/10.1108/14626000810917843. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/235281226_The_Impact_of_Higher_Education_on_Entrepreneurial_Intentions_of_University_Students_in_China
Zieba, K. & Golik, J. (2018). Testing students’ entrepreneurial self-efficacy as an early predictor of entrepreneurial activities. Evidence From the SEAS Project Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management and Innovation, ISSN:2299–7326 (Online), 2299–7075 (Print), DOI prefix:10.7341 https://www.jemi.edu.pl/vol-14-issue-1-2018/testing-students
Acknowledgement
The author would like to acknowledge assistance received from a few individuals at the Arab Open University when the data for this research were collected. Professor Ashraf Hussein, Deputy Rector and Dean at Arab Open University, has kindly assigned Dr Mohamad Ali Atif to manage the collection of the data, which he did meticulously. Dr Ehab Abdelrahim Dawi has painstakingly processed and prepared the required tabulations using SPSS. I thank them all.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Abdelkarim, A. From entrepreneurial desirability to entrepreneurial self-efficacy: the need for entrepreneurship education—a survey of university students in eight countries. Entrep Educ 4, 67–88 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41959-021-00046-8
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41959-021-00046-8