The role of entrepreneurial knowledge as a competence in shaping Iranian students’ career intentions to start a new digital business

Abstract

Purpose This purpose of this paper, drawing on the theory of planned behaviour (TPB), is to develop an integrated model of entrepreneurial career intentions incorporating the role of motivational factors along with entrepreneurial knowledge. Specifically, this study proposes the existence of a relationship between entrepreneurial knowledge and digital entrepreneurial intentions and asserts that this relation is mediated by the motivational factors. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from a sample of 150 computer sciences students from four public Iranian universities using a questionnaire. Findings Results indicated that the two motivational factors (namely, attitudes towards digital entrepreneurship and perceived behavioural control) significantly relate to digital entrepreneurial intentions. In addition, entrepreneurial knowledge indicates indirect effects on intentions via these two motivational factors. Practical implications The results of this study have clear implications for both educators and policymakers. Originality/value The study helps to understand the role of entrepreneurial knowledge in shaping digital entrepreneurial intentions through developing an integrated intention model based on the TPB. The results also indicate that the TPB fully accounts for the indirect effects of entrepreneurial knowledge.

Factors That Influence Entrepreneurial Intention within University Students in Egypt

“…Yaghoubi-Farani et al [32] showed that entrepreneurial education is needed to improve students' skills and knowledge and enhance their EI and perceived behavioral control. In addition, it is important to expose students to entrepreneurial role models and their businesses and to promote entrepreneurial careers as desirable and feasible options that may bring more advantages than working in the government or private sector.…”

Digital Entrepreneurship and its Role in Innovation Systems: A Systematic Literature Review as a Basis for Future Research Avenues for Sustainable Transitions

“…The analysis of the initial nodes extracted from the literature sources (see Table 1) and suggestions about their interrelational patterns allow us to conclude that the scope of Entrepreneur is characterized by personal attitudes, competences, decision-making processes, knowledge, and personal outcomes [58][59][60][61][62][63][64]66,82,104]. Extending the obtained results with our own reflections, we may posit that the first three determinants of digital entrepreneurship are the following:…”

“…An analysis of the initial nodes suggests that the dimension Entrepreneur relates primarily to the digital behavior patterns, social impact, and knowledge nodes. The variety of categories covers the range from digital entrepreneurial intentions to start a business [63] and the related decision-making process [62,64] to knowledge integration [66] and social outcomes for entrepreneurs [58][59][60][61].…”

“…Entrepreneurial knowledge is a significant determinant in shaping the motivational process within digital and business engagement, together with career intentions and new venture creation [63]. In particular, digital competences become key determinants of digital entrepreneurship [72,104].…”

Effect of Entrepreneurship Education Program to Attitudes Toward Starting a Business, Entrepreneurial Desirability, Competence, and Intention

“…They believed that entrepreneurship is an effective and efficient strategy to increase the number and quality of entrepreneurs in the assumption that entrepreneurial intentions and skills can be imparted and learned (Matlay & Carey, 2007;Clark, Davis, & Harnish, 1984;Gorman, Hanlon & King,1997;Peterman and Kennedy, 2003;Pittaway and Cope, 2007). The study of Yaghoubi-Farani, Karimi, and Motaghed, (2017) showed that entrepreneurial education is needed to improve students' skills and knowledge and enhance their entrepreneurial intention.…”