Entrepreneurial Interest and Entrepreneurial Competence Among Spanish Youth: An Analysis with Artificial Neural Networks

Abstract

Studies of the socio-economic function of entrepreneurship have emphasized the critical role that entrepreneurial competence and its implementation play at different stages of the education system. In this paper, as a research objective, we seek to determine the entrepreneurial interest of Spanish youth aged between 15 and 18 years of age enrolled in formal secondary education programs, an initial stage in the development of entrepreneurship. A previously validated ad hoc questionnaire is applied through simple random sampling to 1764 students at secondary school in Spain. A descriptive cross-sectional study is carried out. The analysis is done with Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs), a technique that reduces the high dimensionality of data through Cooperative Maximum Likelihood Hebbian Learning (CMLHL), applying neurocomputational methods to the educational sciences. We find as key results that Spanish youth express a medium level of interest in entrepreneurship. Analysis with ANNs shows that education in entrepreneurial competence is an influential aspect of interest in entrepreneurship. As a conclusion, our results suggest that educational and curricular reforms must be undertaken to promote the development of entrepreneurial competence at various stages of education in order to increase interest in entrepreneurship.

How Entrepreneurship Education at Universities Influences Entrepreneurial Intention: Mediating Effect Based on Entrepreneurial Competence

“…Regarding the entrepreneurial intention of college students, entrepreneurial education should aim to improve entrepreneurial competence, and even if students have no intention of starting a business at present, entrepreneurial education can lay a foundation for the future. Luis-Rico et al (2020) shows that the cultivation of entrepreneurial competence has an impact on entrepreneurial intention, and education and curriculum reform must promote the development of entrepreneurial ability at all stages of education to improve entrepreneurial intention. Some scholars find that the ability to start a business in early adolescence has a positive impact on the entrepreneurial process and can promote multiple cases of entrepreneurship for an individual's career (Obschonka et al, 2011).…”

Modelling the Effectiveness of a Social Media-based Counseling Intervention on Interest, Entrepreneurial Skills, and Behavioural Intention Towards Painting Among Youth Without Paid Jobs in Nigeria

“…On the other hand, entrepreneurial skills explain the possession of the required mental ability to successfully engage in entrepreneurship. Luis-Rico et al (2020) conducted a study to examine the entrepreneurial interest among Spanish youth aged between 15 and 18 years. The researchers made use of the descriptive-survey research design, with the questionnaire as the instrument for data collection.…”

The Association of Parental Interest in Entrepreneurship with the Entrepreneurial Interest of Spanish Youth

“…The pilot survey and results were then evaluated by fourteen experts from seven Spanish universities, who approved the definitive version and rated it as highly reliable. Likewise, the reliability of this questionnaire was contrasted with previous studies published by other authors [ 12 , 66 , 67 , 68 ].…”