Selected contextual factors and entrepreneurial intentions of students on the example of Poland

Abstract

The article analyses the influence of contextual variables on students’ entrepreneurial intentions. The research seeks to extend previous findings concerning the impact of various contextual factors on entrepreneurial intentions. The main focus was on public policy, business environment and education as the contextual traits. The study answers the following questions: What role do contextual variables play in the formation of the entrepreneurial intention of young people? What factors comprise a latent variable — contextual factor? What is the relationship between various contextual factors? The survey was conducted among students of the Faculty of Engineering Management at Bialystok University of Technology (Poland). Data were collected from the sample of 332 respondents. This research used a causal quantitative methodology using structural equations (Structural Equation Modelling, SEM). The impact of education (E) on the business environment (BE) and of the business environment (BE) on public policy (PP) was confirmed. A direct influence of contextual factors — education (E), business environment (BE) and public policy (PP) — on entrepreneurial intentions (EI) has not been positively verified. The main theoretical conclusion is that contextual factors do not directly explain the entrepreneurial intentions of the surveyed student population in Poland. Decision-makers and politicians should consider additional measures to improve public policy in the country, but above all, measures that promote intentions indirectly. They aim to improve the educational environment in the country that is strengthening entrepreneurship education programmes in universities and earlier education stages and activities in the business environment, supporting the creation of new companies.

Factors Associated with Entrepreneurial Behavior in Students of a Peruvian University

“…In addition, they are more aware that this will allow them to satisfy their needs and have a better quality of life. The results presented by Galleguillos-Cortés et al, 2019, Kobylińska & Ryciuk, 2022, Valencia-Arias et al, 2022, Romero et al, 2021, López et al, 2021 the factors found to be associated with entrepreneurial behavior propose to: demographic (age and gender), contextual (educational, environmental and cultural aspects) and personality characteristics (autonomy, self-efficacy, motivation and risk decision). As for biological factors, marital status (single, married and cohabiting) and those with children, they were found to be associated with entrepreneurial behavior.…”

Business Environment, Attitudes and Entrepreneurial Intentions as Antecedents of Entrepreneurial Inclination among University Students

“…Schawarz et al [24] found that general attitudes, entrepreneurship, perceptions of the university environment and regional infrastructure significantly influenced students' interest in entrepreneurship. Contextual factors, such as business policies, programmes and infrastructure, have also been identified as important in creating a favourable business climate in a country [8]. Furthermore, the entrepreneurial environment has a direct impact on the ease of starting and managing entrepreneurial projects, which in turn influences entrepreneurial intentions [25].…”

“…Similarly, both a country's business environment and entrepreneurship education programmes can influence the intention to start a business [7]. In the case of the entrepreneurial environment, factors such as weak institutional environments, supportive infrastructure and favourable entrepreneurial climates may have an impact on students' entrepreneurial intentions [8]. In turn, university training in entrepreneurship promotes proactivity, innovation and creativity, which in turn influence entrepreneurial intention [9].…”

The Effects of Entrepreneurship Leadership on Youth Entrepreneurial Intentions Post-COVID-19: The Case of Gauteng

“…The analysis of the profile of the entrepreneur and the role in organisations as entrepreneurial leaders reveals that there is a close correlation between entrepreneurship and the exploration of opportunities, which the entrepreneurial leader bases on adaptability to change, innovation and risk-taking [59,61]. Entrepreneurial learning has been affected by COVID-19 as it created a physical gap between the learner and the educator [62]. According to [63], the creation of a model of entrepreneurship education for the post-COVID-19 era should have already started.…”

“…The SMEs that are properly managed and led gain superior business performance as well as a sustainable competitive advantage [65]. Entrepreneurial leadership has been defined as the extent to which leaders portray entrepreneurial attributes [62]. According to [68], organisational effectiveness is dependent on entrepreneurial attributes inherent in the workforce.…”