Entrepreneurial Intention before and during COVID-19—A Case Study on Portuguese University Students

Abstract

The present research aims to compare the entrepreneurial intention of university students before and during the Covid-19 pandemic. For this purpose, some dimensions were analyzed, such as the availability of this target audience to undertake an activity at their own risk, the preference for a future while employed by others, their perception of the values that society places on entrepreneurship, and the entrepreneurial abilities/skillsets. A comparative study of a quantitative nature was used, associating two samples composed of students of higher education in Portugal, the data were obtained before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The analysis of the results permits us to conclude: (1) in the circumstances of macroeconomic changes resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, entrepreneurial activity does not decrease; (2) respondents are less interested in being employed by others and more attracted to being entrepreneurs; (3) there is a growing concordance with the values that society places on entrepreneurship; and (4) there is now a greater aptitude for entrepreneurial activity. The present research is original, as it compares data obtained in different contexts of economic and social stability. It contributes to theory and practice, in the sense that it points to conclusions in the opposite direction of other studies carried out in situations of disasters of another nature, and can serve as a reference for the development of strategies to promote entrepreneurship, within higher education institutions and official entities to publicize and promote new public policies.

From Decision to Survival—Shifting the Paradigm in Entrepreneurship during the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Taking into account the reference periods before and during COVID-19, by characterizing students in higher education, Lopes et.al. identified certain considerations that confirmed the existence of greater entrepreneurial skills compared to the pre-pandemic period [29]. Focusing the research on the entrepreneurial intention determinants in academia, some of the authors of the study mentioned above also identified subjective norms as a factor that negatively influences entrepreneurial intentions, while behavioral control and attitude towards behavior positively affect entrepreneurial intentions [30].…”

The Effect of COVID-19 on College Students’ Entrepreneurial Intentions

“…The massive outbreak of COVID-19 was clearly unexpected, causing a huge impact on all the industries while also disrupting the current business model and companies and individuals are in dire need of transformation under the crisis. The problem of rising unemployment caused by the spread of the pandemic is serious and encouraging young people to engage in entrepreneurship can reduce unemployment, promote the country’s economic development, and make the country and society more aware of the value of entrepreneurship, thus to provide more support for college students to start their own businesses such as supportive policies and entrepreneurship education ( Lopes et al, 2021 ; Zhang and Huang, 2021 ; Zulfiqar et al, 2021 ). Except that, after several months of development, despite the slowdown in economic growth and the serious downward trend in some countries, we found that the non-contact economy is developing rapidly, for instance, online education, internet healthcare, and livestream shopping have achieved remarkable results, which to a certain extent show that the epidemic has given rise to entrepreneurial opportunities.…”

Evolution of the Online Grocery Shopping Experience during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Empiric Study from Portugal

“…This study used a quantitative method, allowing the quantification and generalization of results and replicating the methodology for other types of samples [52][53][54].…”