This paper presents an analysis of the entrepreneurial intentions of university undergraduate students, with particular regard to those studying design. Attitudinal, social and capabilities variables are analysed in order to determine the profile of an entrepreneur. Using a sample of 521 undergraduate students, the findings show that design students demonstrate a high entrepreneurial intention (62%). In addition, it was found that attitudinal factors outweighed the students' self-perceived inability to develop their own businesses.
AjzenI. (1991), ‘The theory of planned behavior’, Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Vol 50, pp 179–211.
2.
ArmstrongJ.S.OvertonT.S. (1977), ‘Estimating non response bias in mail surveys’, Journal of Marketing Research, Vol 14, pp 396–402.
3.
AutioE.KeeleyR.H.KlofstenM.ParkerG.G.C.HayM. (2001), ‘Entrepreneurial intent among students in Scandinavia and in the USA’, Enterprise and Innovation Management Studies, Vol 2, No 2, pp 145–160.
4.
BanduraA. (1977), ‘Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioral change’, Psychological Review, Vol 84, No 2, pp 191–215.
5.
BarbosaS.D. (2007), ‘The role of cognitive style and risk preference on entrepreneurial self-efficacy and entrepreneurial intentions’, Journal of Leadership and Organizational Studies, Vol 13, No 4, pp 87–104.
6.
BoissinJ.P.BranchetB.EminS.HerbertJ. (2009), ‘Students and entrepreneurship: A comparative study, France – United States’, Journal of Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Vol 22, No 2, pp 101–122.
7.
European Commission (2006), Entrepreneurship Education in Europe: Fostering Entrepreneurial Mindsets Through Education and Learning, Proceedings of EC Conference, Oslo, 26–27 October, European Commission, Brussels.
FentonM.BarryA. (2011), ‘The efficacy of entrepreneurship education: Perspectives of Irish graduate entrepreneurs’, Industry and Higher Education, Vol 25, No 6, pp 451–460.
11.
GuerreroM.RialpJ.UrbanoD. (2008), ‘The impact of desirability and feasibility on entrepreneurial intentions’, International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Vol 4, No 1, pp 35–50.
12.
HarmanH.H. (1967), Modern Factor Analysis, University of Chicago Press, Chicago, IL.
13.
HernándezR. (2012), Informe GEM España, Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, Fundación Xavier de Salas – GEM, Spain.
14.
KakkonenM. (2012), ‘The relationship between self-perceived generic competences and entrepreneurial intention’, Industry and Higher Education, Vol 26, No 3, pp 217–227.
15.
KatzJ.GartnerW. (1988), ‘Properties of emerging organizations’, Academy of Management Review, Vol 13, No 3, pp 429–442.
16.
KolvereidL. (1996), ‘Prediction of employment status choice intentions’, Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, Vol 21, No 1, pp 47–58.
17.
KruegerN.BrazealD. (1994), ‘Entrepreneurial potential and potential entrepreneurs’, Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, Vol 19, pp 91–104.
18.
KruegerN.ReillyM.D.CarsrudA.L. (2000), ‘Competing models of entrepreneurial intentions’, Journal of Business Venturing, Vol 15, No 5/6, pp 411–432.
19.
LaukkanenM. (2000), ‘Exploring alternative approaches in high-level entrepreneurship education: Creating micro-mechanisms for endogenous regional growth’, Entrepreneurship and Regional Development, Vol 12, pp 25–47.
20.
LentR.W.BrownS.D.HackettG. (1994), ‘Toward a unifying social cognitive theory of career and academic interest, choice and performance’, Journal of Vocational Behavior, Vol 45, pp 79–122.
21.
LiñánF.ChenY.W. (2009), ‘Development and cross-cultural application of a specific instrument to measure entrepreneurial intentions’, Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, Vol 33, No 3, pp 593–617.
22.
MohdZ.MohdA.GhaniE. (2010), ‘Entrepreneurship intention among Malaysian business students’, Canadian Social Science, Vol 6, No 3, pp 34–44.
23.
MorianoJ.A.GorgievskiM.LagunaM.StephanU.ZarafshaniK. (2012), ‘A cross cultural approach to understanding entrepreneurial intention’, Journal of Career Development, Vol 39, No 2, pp 162–185.
24.
NabiG.HoldenR. (2008), ‘Graduate entrepreneurship: Intentions, education and training’, Education and Training, Vol 50, No 7, pp 545–551.
25.
RaeD.McGowanP. (2011), ‘Enterprise education and university entrepreneurship’, Industry and Higher Education, Vol 25, No 6, pp 415–416.
26.
RibeiroD. (2012), El Valor económico del Diseño, Observatorio Español del Diseño, ESNE, Escuela Universitaria de Diseño e Innovación, Madrid.
27.
ShaperoA.SokolL. (1982), ‘The social dimensions of entrepreneurship’, in KentC.SextonD.VesperK., eds, Encyclopedia of Entrepreneurship, Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, pp 72–90.
28.
TkachevA.KolvereidL. (1999), ‘Self-employment intentions among Russian students’, Entrepreneurship and Regional Development, Vol 11, No 3, pp 269–280.
