An Empirical Study on How Grit and Work Values Affect Generation’s Z Entrepreneurial Intention

Abstract

Generation Z are the young people born and grown up in the age of social media and digital technology, within the Internet era and who are currently in the higher education-to-work transition phase. It is the generation that makes its first working steps in a global economic environment heavily affected by Covid-19 consequences and digital transformation’s influence. Empirical studies conducted provide results that vary across national cultures indicating the need for research in different countries, especially when it comes to Greek Generation Z for which little is known. This study contributes by providing a new approach when investigating entrepreneurial intention, by investigating Greek university students’ work values and grit. A convenience sample of 255 business administration students were surveyed in terms of their entrepreneurial intention. Grit, extrinsic and intrinsic work values, alongside social values are studied to understand student entrepreneurial intention, while results indicate that only grit has a positive and statistically significant effect on entrepreneurial intention. Results are useful for higher education’s stakeholders and for employers seeking to attract and to effectively integrate Generation’s Z employees to their organizations.