The Role of Mindfulness in Business Administration (B.A.) University Students’ Career Prospects and Concerns about the Future

Abstract

In a challenging work environment, entrepreneurship orientation (hereafter, EO) can be an important asset for university students. In this study, we investigated the EO and concerns about the future of B.A. students, focusing on the role of mindfulness levels. A total of 204 students, including those coming from family businesses (hereafter, FB), were asked about their intention of creating their own business and future concerns with an ad hoc questionnaire, and about their mindfulness levels with the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale. The results showed no differences in concerns about the future between those students coming from a family business and those who did not. However, in that group of students who were uncertain about starting a business career, a negative association between mindfulness and future concerns was found. This paper sheds light on the relationship between mindfulness and concerns about the future in Business Administration (hereafter, B.A.) students, concluding that, in the face of uncertainty, higher levels of mindfulness help to reduce concerns about the future. Finally, we indicate the relevance of this study for entrepreneurs, family business members, policymakers and B.A. Faculties and Business schools.

Identifying the Prosocial Orientations That Influence Choice of University Studies in the Social Field for Sustainable Educational Integration

“…There is still a lack of female representation in the field of natural science, and similar patterns have been observed for certain minority groups [16], though, as our study shows, more women are interested in the social work field than men. The readiness to embark on a professional career is a crucial factor in terms of occupational dedication [17,18]. Religiosity can also impact professional selection and advancement, specifically in terms of work orientation types and work engagement [19].…”

“…This measure assessed six distinct categories of PSB, organised into subscales: public (items 1,3,5,13), anonymous(8,11,15,19,22), dire(6,9,14), emotional(2,12,17,21), compliant(7,18) and altruism 4,10,16,20,23) (see Appendix A-Questionnaire, III part). The items were intermingled to enhance the objectivity of the responses.…”

Mindful minds and entrepreneurial spirits in higher education: a scoping review

“…HEIs students frequently face decisions regarding their futures, which often involve pursuing further education or venturing into entrepreneurship. For students pursuing management degrees, entrepreneurial orientation significantly influences readiness to establish new ventures (Plana-Farran et al, 2022). The willingness to take calculated risks for success and learning, which is characterised as an entrepreneurial approach by Gorostiaga et al (2019), plays a key role in shaping students' decision making.…”

“…The willingness to take calculated risks for success and learning, which is characterised as an entrepreneurial approach by Gorostiaga et al (2019), plays a key role in shaping students' decision making. Amongst others, entrepreneurial orientation involves risk-taking, innovativeness, proactiveness, and the drive to identify opportunities (Plana-Farran et al, 2022;Belesis et al, 2023). Jiatong et al (2021) suggest that individuals can enhance their social cognition through entrepreneurial education, consistently control their ideas, and engage in purposeful and coherent entrepreneurial actions.…”

“…Also in Spain, Plana-Farran et al (2022) shifted the focus to undergraduate students' worries about their personal and professional futures. Unexpectedly, their research showed that mindfulness had little effect on these worries, regardless of a person's family business connections or educational goals.…”