Determinants of Entrepreneurial Intentions of University Students in Selected Post-Communist Countries in Europe: Investigating Cross-Cultural Differences

Abstract

Main goal of this study is to explore the entrepreneurial intentions of students in selected European post-communist states. The second purpose of the research is to learn about those determinants which, according to the respondents themselves, are essential for the emergence of entrepreneurial intentions. In short, the results of hierarchical multiple OLS regression indicated that the most important factor influencing the entrepreneurial intentions of the surveyed students was entrepreneurial self-efficacy. Moreover, based on estimates of the final regression model, it was identified that dummy variables concerning the respondents’ country significantly moderate the relationship between entrepreneurial self-efficacy and the dependent variable. It can be noted that the strength of the impact of the above-mentioned regressor is closely related to the values of Hofstede’s dimensions of national culture. The obtained results were fully confirmed using an alternative research method, i.e. the ordered logit model. In the second stage of the study, it was revealed that the desire to be independent is the most frequently cited factor motivating the respondents to start their own business. Moreover, using the multiple marginal independence (MMI) testing method, it was found that student responses differ significantly among the examined countries, except for two cases, i.e. Russia and Latvia, and the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Understanding the predictors of entrepreneurial intentions of young people from Argentina, Belgium, Bulgaria, China, and Romania

“…Such a result does not support Baubonienė et al (2018), either, regarding entrepreneurial intentions being influenced by socio-cultural and economic environmental aspects. Overall, we found no evidence of country of origin being a determinant of entrepreneurial intentions, contrary to previous research (Tomal & Szromnik, 2022;Teixeira et al, 2018;Iakovleva, Kolvereid, & Stephan 2011).…”

“…Previous research has provided evidence in supporting this view that people vary in their entrepreneurial intentions depending on their country of origin. For example, Tomal & Szromnik (2022) explored cross-cultural differences in East European countries. They found that cultural aspects influence entrepreneurial intentions in young people and that this influence varies between the studied countries.…”

Passion and intention among aspiring entrepreneurs with disabilities: the role of entrepreneurial support programs

“…The reason is that intention is the best predictor of behavior (in our case entrepreneurship behavior) as argued by Barba-Sanchez et al (2022), Norstedt and Germundsson (2021) and Krueger (2000). Furthermore, scholars, such as Tomal and Szromnik (2022), Szczepanik and Casais (2021) and Joensuu-Salo et al (2020), have documented that entrepreneurial intention is a means of tackling unemployment. This corroborates the work of Dakung et al (2019), who argued that developing entrepreneurial intention is crucial for reversing the rate of unemployment among people with disabilities.…”

“…The intention to act has been argued to precede any particular action; that is, one may not act if the intent to do so is lacking. According to Barba-Sanchez et al (2022) and Tomal and Szromnik (2022), intention is a predictor of one's decision to become an entrepreneur, making the intention to become an entrepreneur or entrepreneurial intention, an important concept in the field of entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurial intentions can most practicably and appropriately be defined as a self-acknowledged conviction by a person that they intend to set up a new business venture and consciously plan to do so at some point in the future.…”

“…(2022), Norstedt and Germundsson (2021) and Krueger (2000). Furthermore, scholars, such as Tomal and Szromnik (2022), Szczepanik and Casais (2021) and Joensuu-Salo et al . (2020), have documented that entrepreneurial intention is a means of tackling unemployment.…”