The influence of sustainability education on students’ entrepreneurial intentions

Abstract

Purpose This study aims to examine the influence of sustainability education in 15 Indian universities and the mediating role of the theory of planned behavior in predicting students’ intentions to start an enterprise supporting sustainability. Design/methodology/approach The data, which consists of 422 samples, was collected from 15 universities in India. It was analyzed through partial least squares structural equation modeling, which is frequently used for prediction models. The model was further checked for goodness-of-fit using Amos. Findings The results suggested that personal and subjective norms play a mediating role in shaping the intentions of students to choose entrepreneurship in the sustainability field. Education on sustainability has a significant influence on personal and subjective norms, and these norms further help to develop entrepreneurial intentions. Practical implications The study will be helpful for researchers and universities in understanding the importance and stake of including courses on sustainability. Social implications As the results suggest, social norms play a significant role in determining entrepreneurial intentions; therefore, the study will develop a societal culture of start-up education and ethos. Originality/value The research is original and one of the first to examine the mediating role of the theory of planned behavior on the relationship between education and intentions to start a sustainable enterprise.

Sustainable Business Practices and the Role of Digital Technologies: A Cross-Regional Analysis

“…However, some studies, such as that of Hechavarria et al [29], did not find a significant impact of education on the likelihood of achieving environmental objectives. Numerous other studies have also demonstrated the existence of a positive impact of education on a company's focus on sustainable business [97][98][99]. Consequently, we propose the following hypotheses:…”

“…Similar trends have been observed for social goals. It has been found that women, in general, are more inclined towards sustainable business practices than men [98,99]. Furthermore, it has been found that businesses led by women exhibit more a positive link between sustainability entrepreneurship and overall business success [28].…”

“…Marín et al [99] note that sustainability orientation in entrepreneurs increases with age. Nevertheless, some studies argue otherwise, suggesting that younger managers tend to be more socially and environmentally inclined [98,101]. Additionally, older entrepreneurs have been found to be less likely to pursue environmental goals [27].…”