The Influences of Personality Traits, Social Capital, and Creativity on the Entrepreneurial Intentions of Tourism Students on a Remote Island

Abstract

The current study investigated the influence of personality traits, social capital, and creativity on the entrepreneurial intentions of students on the Penghu Island, Taiwan and the study also examined the mediating effects of student creativity. The research participants were students from the tourism programmes of National Magong High School and National Penghu University of Science and Technology. Valid survey data were collected and analysed using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling. The results indicated that the originality type of creativity, bridging social capital, and trait openness were the factors most strongly affecting entrepreneurial intention. Whereas the originality type of creativity possessed the overriding mediating effect, the usefulness type of creativity had a significant effect on entrepreneurial preparation. As ecotourism flourishes and more young people consider entrepreneurship, identifying effective methods for strengthening the entrepreneurial intentions of students has become a crucial objective of talent development. The complex interactions between the variables used in the current study as well as their synthesised effects could have critical implications for the instructional strategies and guidance interventions for local education institutions and for industrial policies and entrepreneurial incentives offered by the local government.

Keywords

• creativity
• entrepreneurial intentions
• personality traits
• remote island tourism
• social capital