Purpose This paper aims to study the effects of cross-border psychological determinants among students of two Iberian universities (Portugal and Spain) on entrepreneurial intentions. Design/methodology/approach Based on previous literature, the studies do not include any model that simultaneously uses self-efficacy, risk-taking propensity and proactive personality as psychological determinants of entrepreneurial intentions. Here, the authors try to fill this gap by developing an integrative psychological model about the formation of entrepreneurial intentions, including all these variables as the main preceding factors to entrepreneurial initiative and their influence on intentions for self-employment. Taking a sample of 293 university students from both countries, the authors empirically test regression models to analyse hold influence over the preference expressed in terms of becoming an entrepreneur. Findings The results show differences between two countries regarding to entrepreneurial intentions. In terms of the motivations present for launching a business, the higher they are the greater the preference over the option to work for third parties. Originality/value In addition, and in terms of the variable perceived ease of launching a company, the higher this rises, the lower the level of preference for working for third party entities. Furthermore, the greater the level of perception in terms of the social value of entrepreneurship, the greater the preference for becoming an entrepreneur.

Academic entrepreneurship is becoming increasingly important to the field of research as well as to policy makers due to its ability to contribute to the economic, technological, and social development of regions and countries. This research aims to evaluate the determinants that influence the interest of Portuguese higher education students (HEI’s) to become entrepreneurs. The methodology used is quantitative and uses structural model equations. The results obtained demonstrate that the student’s perception of business skills, business growth skills, strategy, and successful business are key factors that students take into account in their entrepreneurial orientation. The research contributes to this theory by adding new knowledge to the literature on the perception of the HEI’s students to become entrepreneurs, specifically the students of Portuguese universities. In practical terms, the contributions offered within this research are based on suggestions for the third mission of universities, explicitly knowledge transfer to the community, business groups, and policy makers, as well as the creation of the essentials within university boundaries to promote entrepreneurship amongst its students. The research is original and innovative, as no research on this field with all the aggregated elements under study has been previously performed in Portugal. Furthermore, the obtained results can translate into ideas that potentially create jobs

This study aims to investigate if engaging in physical activity (PA) and gender influences people’s entrepreneurial intention (EI). A survey for measuring EI and PA was developed and administered to the general population. The data were collected with a questionnaire distributed across all continental Portuguese regions. A two-way analysis of variance was used to test the influence of PA level and gender in EI. The results highlight that PA and gender have an impact on EI. This study’s main practical implication is that evidence was found that people need to be involved in more PA, especially in high PA level, because the results show that there is an association with increased levels of EI. This paper contributes to filling a gap in the literature by identifying the importance of PA for the increase of EI. This relationship may be a consequence of skills promoted by the practice of PA and also the development of some personal psychological and cognitive characteristics such as autonomy, risk tolerance, and leadership. The main implication resulting from this study is that it is essential to develop and booster PA into society, namely through PA programmes in organisations, not only for improving persons’ health condition but also as a social benefit, that can promote social innovation and entrepreneurship.

The last two decades were characterized by an increase in attention on entrepreneurship. An emerging trend in the literature is associated with the different contributions that genders may have regarding entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial intentions. This paper assesses gender impact on entrepreneurial intention in a peripheral region of Europe. The methodology used is quantitative and based on a sample of 1114 observations. The obtained results suggest that women’s perceived behavioral control does not have a less direct positive impact on entrepreneurial intention when compared to men’s. Women’s personal attitude has a less direct positive impact on entrepreneurial intention when compared to men’s, as social norms, on the one hand, have a less direct positive impact on women’s personal attitude when compared to men’s, and, on the other hand, have a less direct positive impact on women’s perceived behavioral control when compared to men’s. Finally, it was also verified that social norms have a less positive indirect impact through personal attitude and perceived behavioral control on women’s entrepreneurial intention when compared to men’s. These findings contribute to enlighten the literature by strengthening the theoretical framework on women’s entrepreneurial intention in peripheral regions. Regarding practical contributions, suggestions are addressed to public decision makers, universities, and civil society, to adopt practices to increase entrepreneurship in women. This research is original because it is the first to perform this study in Portugal, a peripheral region of Europe.

This study aims to identify the antecedents of entrepreneurial activity in the agri-food sector of the Portuguese region of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (TMAD), taking into account a gender perspective. Thus, we intend to assess whether the environment influences embeddedness, and whether embeddedness, individual entrepreneurial orientation, innovative behaviour and gender impact or influence the perceptions of feasibility and desirability as antecedents of entrepreneurial activity of entrepreneurs in the agri-food sector of the TMAD region. The measurement instrument was applied to 249 firms in the agri-food sector, created in the last 5 years. A model was conceptualised where the relationships between the constructs relating to embeddedness, IEO and EI were presented, and three control variables were subsequently added: the innovative behaviour, the environment and gender. Univariate and multivariate statistical techniques, such as structural equation modelling, were used to assess the proposed conceptual model. Thus, considering the complexity of the model under study, we performed an analysis which considered personal factors or characteristics, such as innovative behaviour, gender and IEO, as these are characteristics of the individual and may be influenced or shaped by external factors such as the context, i.e., the environment and embeddedness.

Purpose This study aims to pursue better understanding and investigation of the factor that can have an impact on the level of entrepreneurial activity. To achieve this, statistical analysis was conducted. Indicators from 22 countries of the European Union were reunited to compare the differences between entrepreneurial intention and entrepreneurship. Design/methodology/approach To analyse entrepreneurial intentions in Europe, two databases of the Global Databases Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) were used, namely, “GEM NES Key Indicators 2007-2015” and “GEM APS Key Indicators 2001-2015”, available at www.gemconsortium.org/data/sets, considering only the data from 2015 and analysed with IBM SPSS Statistics tool. Each original database includes 60 countries, and this study is limited to an analysis of only countries of the European continent, resulting in a sample of 22 countries. Findings The major determinants of the entrepreneurial intention in the countries studied were: “perceived capacity”; “entrepreneurial intention” itself which will, in fact, influence the “rate of nascent entrepreneurship”; “governmental and political factors” in relation to the respective “financing for the entrepreneur”; and “basic education and training” in entrepreneurship which influences “research and development”. Research limitations/implications This study has few limitations because, as it refers to a European analysis, it would require a more generalized analysis of the factors, such as to include more and better indicators for the demographic, economic and institutional determinants of the entrepreneurial intentions and entrepreneurship in the European countries under study. For future research on the explanation of commercial activity, we must address the methodological problem of distinguishing the effect of business intentions from other determinants, as these also influence entrepreneurial attitudes. Despite the conceptual and empirical limitations, the conclusions of the study imply and provide several recommendations for the future policy of entrepreneurship in Europe. Practical implications In the past decades, entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial intentions have gained increasing attention from academics, governments and politicians around the world. It is seen as a critical factor for economic growth and development of a country, as it contributes to the solution of fundamental macroeconomic issues such as increased employment, development of competitiveness, innovation and the creation of economic and social values. Therefore, academics and researchers, governments and politicians are interested in identifying the differences and causes between countries that influence the level of entrepreneurship as a phenomenon associated with business activity in a country. Social implications Results reveal that some of the key determinants of entrepreneurial intention in the European countries are related to policy factors, like “governmental and political factors” and “basic education and training” in entrepreneurship. In this way, the study can help politicians elaborate the policies related to entrepreneurship, implying an increase in entrepreneurial intentions in a country and consequently implications for socio-economic development. Originality/value To achieve the originality of the study, two databases of the GEM of 2015 were used and duly adapted. In this way, the value of the article is very significant, as it is possible to group data from several countries, to test hypotheses and to arrive at very useful conclusions that may be of interest to policymakers at both the European and national levels. The adoption of adequate policies promotes and supports entrepreneurship in the context of the Europe 2020 Strategy, which is the European Union’s growth strategy.

This research aims to study the determinants of entrepreneurial intention in academia and compare the outcomes from two different moments, before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. For this purpose, a quantitative methodology was used, whereby a questionnaire was given to higher education students in these two chronological moments. From the obtained results, it was possible to ascertain that, given the motivational dimension, the attitude towards behavior and perceived behavioral control are having a positive impact on entrepreneurial intentions during the pandemic and that subjective norms have a negative impact on entrepreneurial intentions. This relationship of influences is unchanged, either before or during the pandemic. Regarding the environmental dimension, both of the variables under analysis are having a negative impact on entrepreneurial intention during the pandemic period, which corresponds to an aggravation or loss of positive influences when compared to the context before the pandemic, and the next assessment had a positive impact on entrepreneurial intentions. On the theoretical contributions, the findings are very important, as they strengthen the literature on entrepreneurial intentions, and in specific contexts of social and economic instability. As for practical contributions, this research suggests actions to agents with an important intervention role in the community, one of these agents is Higher Education Institutions, which play a determining role by creating a positive environment to support their students’ entrepreneurial intent. This research is original, as far as we are informed, and it is the first to study entrepreneurial intention in academia during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Portuguese context. Moreover, we suggest that the obtained results should be succeeded by further studies to confirm the evolutionary trends now identified on the subject under analysis.

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.

Esta dissertação teve como objetivo analisar as relações que se estabelecem entre as intenções empreendedoras do indivíduo e o seu nível de entrincheiramento organizacional junto às Startups e empresas de Tecnologia da Informação no Estado do Rio Grande do Sul. Com o intuito de buscar compreender o quanto a ligação do indivíduo com a empresa em que trabalha, pode influenciar as intenções empreendedoras destes indivíduos. Este estudo é caracterizado como explicativo, através do método survey, com um questionário como instrumento de pesquisa. O questionário utilizou dois modelos já consolidados no âmbito acadêmico: o modelo do entrincheiramento organizacional de Rodrigues e Bastos (2015) e o modelo de intenção empreendedora de Kristiansen e Indarti (2004), além de coletar informações pessoais e sobre a trajetória ocupacional e atual dos indivíduos participantes do estudo. Com isso, identificou-se que a ligação das dimensões do entrincheiramento organizacional se relaciona em 5,4% com a intenção empreendedora, ou seja, parte do perfil de intenção empreendedora é afetado pelo fato de o indivíduo estar entrincheirado à empresa em que trabalha. Especialmente no que se refere à percepção do indivíduo sobre limitação de alternativas. Demonstrando que ao perceber-se um profissional desejado no mercado de trabalho, levando em consideração o desligamento da empresa atual, o indivíduo potencializa sua capacidade empreendedora. De maneira geral, 61,45% dos respondentes dizem que tem intenção de empreender e apresentam um médio entrincheiramento organizacional. Identificou-se também que os indivíduos que são responsáveis pela renda familiar e que possuem filhos acreditam que suas atitudes determinam o sucesso nas suas execuções, contrariando os demais respondentes. Já os respondentes que tem de 11 a 20 anos de atuação do mercado de trabalho afirmam ter mais estrutura para iniciar seu empreendimento do que os demais. Ou seja, responsabilidade familiar e experiência profissional são itens que geram nos indivíduos diferença na percepção sobre oportunidade de empreender e também na relação que estabelecem com a empresa onde atuam. Conjuntamente com isso, foi possível constatar que os níveis de entrincheiramento organizacional apresentam uma média maior junto às cidades fora da capital do estado. Dado que pode ser explicado pela diferença de oferta de emprego entre a região metropolitana e o restante do estado, muito também por conta do tamanho populacional e consequente desenvolvimento. Este estudo trouxe uma perspectiva distinta das trabalhadas na linha organizacional e nos estudos de intenção empreendedora, pois indica que a ligação que o indivíduo tem com a empresa que atua, não se relaciona diretamente com àqueles que pretendem empreender. Os resultados aqui obtidos podem ser utilizados como base para novos estudos com as temáticas, na qual haja um aprofundamento de pontos interferem.