Abstract
This paper seeks to explore the relationship between the internship quality, entrepreneurial desirability, entrepreneurial feasibility and entrepreneurial intention(EI) through a structural equation model. The sample is composed of 702 graduating engineering students from two research universities within China. The results revealed that students’ internship quality has positive and significant impact on their EIs. More specifically, the internship quality significantly affects students’ EIs both directly and indirectly. Furthermore, entrepreneurial desirability and feasibility partially mediate the relationship between the internship quality and students’ EIs. There are some substantial differences among gender subgroups, those being family characteristics and entrepreneurial experiences which were examined by the multiple group comparison test. Theoretically the findings provide new insights on the role of internships played in university students’ EIs. Practically, this study highlights the importance of improving internship quality which can increase students’ entrepreneurial desirability and feasibility, thereby promoting their EIs.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adekiya, A. A., & Ibrahim, F. (2016). Entrepreneurship intention among students. The antecedent role of culture and entrepreneurship training and development. The International Journal of Management Education, 14(2), 116–132. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijme.2016.03.001.
Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50(2), 179–211. https://doi.org/10.1016/0749-5978(91)90020-T.
Ambad, S. N. A., & Damit, D. H. D. A. (2016). Determinants of entrepreneurial intention among undergraduate students in Malaysia. Procedia Economics and Finance, 37, 108–114. https://doi.org/10.1016/s2212-5671(16)30100-9.
Anderson, J. C., & Gerbing, D. W. (1988). Structural equation modeling in practice : A review and recommended two-step approach. Psychological Bulletin, 103(3), 411–423. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.103.3.411.
Bae, T. J., Qian, S., Miao, C., & Fiet, J. O. (2014). The relationship between entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial intentions: A meta-analytic review. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 38(2), 217–254. https://doi.org/10.1111/etap.12095.
Bagozzi, R. P., & Yi, Y. (1989). On the use of structural equation models in experimental designs. Journal of Marketing Research, 26(3), 271–284. https://doi.org/10.2307/3172900.
Bird, B. J. (1988). Implementing entrepreneurial ideas: The case for intention. Academy of Management Review, 13(3), 442–453.
Botsaris, C., & Vamvaka, V. (2014). Attitude toward entrepreneurship: Structure, prediction from behavioral beliefs, and relation to entrepreneurial intention. Journal of the Knowledge Economy, 7(2), 433–460. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13132-014-0227-2.
Carless, S. A., & Prodan, O. (2003). The impact of practicum training on career and job search attitudes of postgraduate psychology students. Australian Journal of Psychology, 55(2), 89–94. https://doi.org/10.1080/00049530412331312944.
Fornell, C., & Larcker, D. F. (1981). Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error. Journal of Marketing Research, 18(1), 39–50. https://doi.org/10.2307/3151312.
Gamboa, V., Paixão, M. P., & de Jesus, S. N. (2013). Internship quality predicts career exploration of high school students. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 83(1), 78–87. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2013.02.009.
Gamboa, V., Paixão, M. P., & de Jesus, S. N. (2014). Vocational profiles and internship quality among Portuguese VET students. International Journal for Educational and Vocational Guidance, 14(2), 221–244. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10775-014-9268-0.
Gasse, Y., & Tremblay, M. (2011). Entrepreneurial beliefs and intentions: a cross-cultural study of university students in seven countries. International Journal of Business, 16(4), 303–314.
Gault, J., & Stephens, T. S. (2000). Undergraduate business internships and career success: Are they related? Journal of Marketing Education, 22(1), 45–53. https://doi.org/10.1177/0273475300221006.
Griffitts, M. (2016). Human resources marketing and recruiting: Essentials of internship management. Berlin: Springer Berlin Heidelberg.
Guerrero, M., Rialp, J., & Urbano, D. (2008). The impact of desirability and feasibility on entrepreneurial intentions: A structural equation model. International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, 4(1), 35–50. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11365-006-0032-x.
Hair, J. F., Black, B., Babin, B., Anderson, R. E., & Tatham, R. L. (2010). Multivariate data analysis(7th ed.). London: Pearson Prentice Hall.
Hecimovich, M., & Volet, S. (2012). Tracing the evolution of chiropractic students’ confidence in clinical and patient communication skills during a clinical internship: A multi-methods study. BMC Medical Education, 12(1), 42. https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6920-12-42.
Johari, A., & Bradshaw, A. C. (2008). Project-based learning in an internship program: A qualitative study of related roles and their motivational attributes. Educational Technology Research and Development, 56(3), 329–359. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-006-9009-2.
Kim, E. B., Kim, K., & Bzullak, M. (2012). A survey of internship programs for management undergraduates in AACSB-accredited institutions. International Journal of Educational Management, 26(7), 696–709.
Ko, K., & Sidhu, D. J. K. (2012). The impact of internship in public organizations on university students’ perceptions and career choice. International Review of Administrative Sciences, 78(4), 710–732. https://doi.org/10.1177/0020852312455307.
Kolvereid, L. (1996). Organizational employment versus self-employment: Reasons for career choice intentions. Entrepreneurship Theory & Practice, 20(3), 23–31.
Krueger, N. (1993). The impact of prior entrepreneurial exposure on perceptions of new venture feasibility and desirability. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 18, 5–21.
Krueger, N. F., Reilly, M. D., & Carsrud, A. L. (2000). Competing models of entrepreneurial intentions. Journal of Business Venturing, 15(5–6), 411–432. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0883-9026(98)00033-0.
Law, K. M. Y., & Breznik, K. (2017). Impacts of innovativeness and attitude on entrepreneurial intention: Among engineering and non-engineering students. International Journal of Technology and Design Education, 27(4), 683–700. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10798-016-9373-0.
Liñán, F., & Chen, Y. W. (2009). Development and cross-cultural application of a specific instrument to measure entrepreneurial intentions. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 33(3), 593–617. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-6520.2009.00318.x.
Liñán, F., & Fayolle, A. (2015). A systematic literature review on entrepreneurial intentions: Citation, thematic analyses, and research agenda. International Entrepreneurship & Management Journal, 11(4), 907–933. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11365-015-0356-5.
Liñán, F., Rodríguez-Cohard, J. C., & Rueda-Cantuche, J. M. (2010). Factors affecting entrepreneurial intention levels: A role for education. International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, 7(2), 195–218. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11365-010-0154-z.
Liu, G. (2012). A survey on student satisfaction with cooperative accounting education based on CPA firm internships. Asian Review of Accounting, 20(3), 259–277. https://doi.org/10.1108/13217341211263300.
Maresch, D., Harms, R., Kailer, N., & Wimmer-Wurm, B. (2016). The impact of entrepreneurship education on the entrepreneurial intention of students in science and engineering versus business studies university programs. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 104(2), 172–179. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2015.11.006.
Narayanan, V. K., Olk, P. M., & Fukami, C. V. (2010). Determinants of internship effectiveness: An exploratory model. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 9(1), 61–80. https://doi.org/10.5465/AMLE.2010.48661191.
Nordin, N., Wahab, R. A., & Malik, M. (2016). Assessing entrepreneur education, perceived desirability of self-employment and entrepreneur intention among trainee teachers in a higher learning institution. Singapore: Springer.
Pihie, Z. A. L., & Bagheri, A. (2013). Self-efficacy and entrepreneurial intention: The mediation effect of self-regulation. Vocations and Learning, 6(3), 385–401. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12186-013-9101-9.
Pillis, E. D., & Reardon, K. K. (2007). The influence of personality traits and persuasive messages on entrepreneurial intention. Career Development International, 12(4), 382–396. https://doi.org/10.1108/13620430710756762.
Renganathan, S., Li, C. S., & Karim, Z. A. B. A. (2012). Students’ perception of industrial internship programme. Education + Training, 54(2/3), 180–191. https://doi.org/10.1108/00400911211210288.
Roy, R., Akhtar, F., & Das, N. (2017). Entrepreneurial intention among science & technology students in India: Extending the theory of planned behavior. International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, 13(4), 1013–1041. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11365-017-0434-y.
Sánchez, J. C. (2011). University training for entrepreneurial competencies: Its impact on intention of venture creation. International Entrepreneurship & Management Journal, 7(2), 239–254. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11365-010-0156-x.
Segal, G., Dan, B., & Schoenfeld, J. (2005). The motivation to become an entrepreneur. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour & Research, 11(1), 42–57(16). https://doi.org/10.1108/13552550510580834.
Shapero, A., & Sokol, L. (1982). Social dimensions of entrepreneurship. In C. A. Kent, D. L. Sexton, & K. H. Vesper (Eds.), Encyclopedia of entrepreneurship (pp. 72–90). Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall.
Sybouts, W. (1968). The internship in educational administration. Journal of Educational Administration, 6(2), 173–176.
Taylor, A. B., Mackinnon, D. P., & Tein, J. Y. (2008). Tests of the three-path mediated effect. Organizational Research Methods, 11(2), 241–269. https://doi.org/10.1177/1094428107300344.
Teixeira, A. A. C., & Forte, R. P. (2015). Prior education and entrepreneurial intentions: The differential impact of a wide range of fields of study. Review of Managerial Science, 11(2), 353–394. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11846-015-0188-2.
Tsai, K.-H., Chang, H.-C., & Peng, C.-Y. (2014). Extending the link between entrepreneurial self-efficacy and intention: A moderated mediation model. International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, 12(2), 445–463. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11365-014-0351-2.
Wu, C. H., & Chen, S. C. (2015). Understanding the relationships of critical factors to Facebook educational usage intention. Internet Research, 25(2), 262–278. https://doi.org/10.1108/IntR-11-2013-0232.
Xiao, L., & Fan, M. (2013). Does social network always promote entrepreneurial intentions? An empirical study in China. Neural Computing and Applications, 24(1), 21–26. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00521-013-1492-x.
Zapkau, F. B., Schwens, C., Steinmetz, H., & Kabst, R. (2015). Disentangling the effect of prior entrepreneurial exposure on entrepreneurial intention. Journal of Business Research, 68(3), 639–653. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2014.08.007.
Zhang, Y., Duysters, G., & Cloodt, M. (2014). The role of entrepreneurship education as a predictor of university students’ entrepreneurial intention. International Entrepreneurship & Management Journal, 10(3), 623–641. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11365-012-0246-z.
Zhao, H., Seibert, S. E., & Hills, G. E. (2005). The mediating role of self-efficacy in the development of entrepreneurial intentions. Journal of Applied Psychology, 90(6), 1265–1272. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.90.6.1265.
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank the National Natural Science Foundation of China for funding the research project (Grant No. 71473214).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Appendix
Appendix
Questionnaire
Indicate your level of agreement with the following statements from 1 (total disagreement) to 5 (total agreement)
Internship quality(IQ)
(1) Provided maximum opportunity for training
(2) Before starting a new task, my supervisor showed how to do it
(3) Offered feedback about my job performance
(4) After this internship, I better understand how to become an entrepreneur
Entrepreneurial desirability(ED)
(1) How desirable it is for me to become an entrepreneur
(2) How tense I would be about running a business
(3) How enthusiastic I would be about running a business
Entrepreneurial feasibility(EF)
(1) How hard do you think it would be
(2) How certain of success are you
(3) How sure of yourself?
Entrepreneurial intentions(EI)
(1) My professional goal is to become an entrepreneur
(2) I will make every effort to start and run my own firm
(3) I am determined to create a firm within five years after graduating from the university
(4) I have thought of starting a firm very seriously
(5) Among various options, I would rather be an entrepreneur
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Yi, G. Impact of internship quality on entrepreneurial intentions among graduating engineering students of research universities in China. Int Entrep Manag J 14, 1071–1087 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11365-017-0491-2
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11365-017-0491-2