Characterization of entrepreneurial intention in university students as from Systemic Entrepreneurship Intention Model: a case study

Abstract

This paper presents a characterization of the entrepreneurial intention of university students in the city of Medellin. It is based on a quantitative methodological design from a self-administered questionnaire that was applied and validated to 879 students. This questionnaire collected data about the main factors reported in the Systemic Entrepreneurship Intention Model. Factors or components that describe behavior patterns when undertaking a new company were identified through a principal component and cluster analysis. The results identify two factors that explain most of the data variance: the first one is the perceived viability by students to carry out processes of new companies, and the second one is the convenience factor that brings the creation a company. Furthermore, three groups or clusters of students with common characteristics in their entrepreneurial intention were identified. First, the “entrepreneurs” are characterized by having a positive attitude and aptitude regarding entrepreneurship. The second group is “neutral” and they are subjects partially affected or indifferent about wanting to start a new company. Finally, the group of “non-entrepreneurs” is composed of individuals who showed behavior of apathy towards entrepreneurship.

Keywords

• Cluster
• entrepreneurial intention model
• entrepreneurship
• students