Tourism students’ entrepreneurial intentions

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the relationship between entrepreneurial traits, socio-cultural background and entrepreneurial intention of university students in the UK and Turkey. 409 tourism students were surveyed to measure entrepreneurial intention, entrepreneurial traits including risk-taking propensity, innovativeness, tolerance of ambiguity and locus of control and socio-cultural factors. The findings indicate that there is a statistically significant relationship between innovation, propensity to take risks, entrepreneurial family and entrepreneurial intention. Education does not seem to play an important role in fostering entrepreneurial traits and intentions of university students.

Encouraging Female Entrepreneurship in Jordan: Environmental Factors, Obstacles and Challenges

“…On the other, it is argued that formal education kills the entrepreneurial spirit by placing too much emphasis on conformism-which in turn restricts creativity and innovation and makes individuals more risk aversive and less tolerant to ambiguity (Gibb, 2002). There have also been arguments that entrepreneurship education focuses too much on the entrepreneurial processes such as opportunity recognition and marketing strategies but does not focus enough on developing skills and attributes needed for success (Gurel et al, 2010).…”

“…The literature on the importance of formal education as a prerequisite to entrepreneurial initiatives is divided into two fields. On one side, it is claimed that education can improve a person's creativity and provide them with the necessary skills and mindset that is able to see and grasp opportunities (Dickson et al, 2008;Gurel, Altinay, & Daniele, 2010;Lüthje & Franke, 2004). On the other, it is argued that formal education kills the entrepreneurial spirit by placing too much emphasis on conformism-which in turn restricts creativity and innovation and makes individuals more risk aversive and less tolerant to ambiguity (Gibb, 2002).…”

“…Research has also shown that students who come from a family of entrepreneurs are more likely to engage in entrepreneurial activity (Altinay, 2008;Basu & Virick, 2008;Gurel et al, 2010). It's interesting to note that in this sample despite the fact that nearly 60%of respondents came from such a background, only 26%wanted to open their own business and a further 21%indicated that they would rather work for the private sector.…”

“…That way, students are better able to assess their own abilities, the feasibility of their ideas and are able to recognise opportunities in the environment. This is also being advocated in the global debate about the shape and nature of entrepreneurship education within universities (European Commission, 2013;Gurel et al, 2010).…”

The reflexive journal: Inside the black box

“…Chang, Kivela and Mak's (2010) inductive study of Chinese tourists' food preferences comes up with a typology to describe and contrast the participants' dining attitudes, motivations and behavior while traveling in overseas destinations. Moreover, with university students as study participants, Gurel, Altinay and Daniele (2010) investigate the relationship between entrepreneurial traits, socio-cultural background and entrepreneurial intention from the perspectives of education, training and professional development.…”