Attributes and Entrepreneurial Intention in University Students of Electrical Engineering and Computing Sciences

Abstract

This article analyzes the elements that determine entrepreneurial intention (EI) in electrical and computer engineering students of a private university in

Ecuador.

Background: There is a lack of studies examining the EIs of university students in electrical engineering and computing sciences, where EI is influenced by elements, such as personal attributes, the student’s social assessment of the characteristics of entrepreneurs, and the perception of professions in society, including business activity.

Research Questions: Are personal attributes positively associated with EI? Is the EI of university students influenced by social profession valuation? Is the EI of university students influenced by perceptions of several attributes of the entrepreneur?

Methodology: A questionnaire was administered to 570 students to test the model, and a structural equation model from partial least squares (PLS) was used.

The results positively associate personal attributes, in addition to factors, such as gender and family, with EI. On the other hand, the social valuation of the entrepreneur in the profession and the social valuation of the entrepreneurs’ characteristics do not have a relationship with EI. The results suggest promoting the personal attributes of students through entrepreneurship education programs, linking the presence of entrepreneurs in academic activities and the transfer of knowledge from the university to the business sector, thus strengthening the entrepreneurial profile among students and increasing the positive image of entrepreneurs. Author