Entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial role models: How do they affect entrepreneurial intentions?(Studies at Management and Business Students in Indonesia Universities)

Abstract

This study aim is to describe the effect of entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial role models toward entrepreneurial intention of university students, both directly and through mediation of perceived desirability and perceived feasibility. The population is business and management students at four public universities in Indonesia who have followed entrepreneurship education. Sampling was conducted through stratified proportional random sampling method; numbers of respondents are 209 students. Data is analyzed by structural equation modeling using a generalized structural component analysis (GSCA) software to measure the relationship and accuracy (fitness) of the models and Sobel test to detect the mediation variables. The study results proved that entrepreneurship education affect to increase the entrepreneurial intention through student’s self-perception to entrepreneurial capabilities (perceived feasibility). On other hand, a direct effect of entrepreneurship education on entrepreneurial intention is negative. The type of entrepreneurship education at public universities is awareness education. It potentially could become the cause of negative effect between them. Entrepreneurial role models improve student’s entrepreneurial intention through the mediation of perceived desirability and perceived feasibility. Entrepreneurial role models do not have direct effect on entrepreneurial intention. Entrepreneurial characteristics difference between role models and students could potentially become the cause the low effect between them. The study results show inconsistency with the previous studies that examine the relationship between entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial intention. Furthermore, this study results also indicate the mediation function of perceived desirability and perceived feasibility on relationship between entrepreneurial role models and entrepreneurial intention which received less attention in previous research. The research results are beneficial for managers and stakeholders of entrepreneurship education in universities to make graduates choose an entrepreneurial career.