Social-cultural influence on university graduate's entrepreneurial intention: Evidence from a Portuguese university

This study examines the socio-cultural factors influencing the entrepreneurial intentions of 339 students who have graduated from a Portuguese university. Using logistic regression, it investigates the impact of role models, perceived social norms, and entrepreneurial capabilities on graduates'...

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Main Authors: Carmen Freitas, Mara Franco, Frederica Gonçalves, António Almeida
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-01-01
Series:Social Sciences and Humanities Open
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590291125003559
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author Carmen Freitas
Mara Franco
Frederica Gonçalves
António Almeida
author_facet Carmen Freitas
Mara Franco
Frederica Gonçalves
António Almeida
author_sort Carmen Freitas
collection DOAJ
description This study examines the socio-cultural factors influencing the entrepreneurial intentions of 339 students who have graduated from a Portuguese university. Using logistic regression, it investigates the impact of role models, perceived social norms, and entrepreneurial capabilities on graduates' intentions of becoming entrepreneurs. Results indicate that knowing an entrepreneur, creativity, and opportunity recognition are significant predictors of entrepreneurial intentions, while family background has minimal impact. These results suggest that socio-cultural factors play a critical role in shaping entrepreneurial aspirations, with external influences, such as friends’ attitudes and opportunity recognition skills, driving entrepreneurial intent more than family entrepreneurship. The study contributes to entrepreneurship theory by highlighting key external and internal factors, and to policy by underlying the importance of promoting entrepreneurial education, reducing gender disparities, and creating supportive environments to foster entrepreneurship among graduates.
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spelling doaj-art-14710e11a42245808f26c528fa528ebe2025-08-20T02:09:52ZengElsevierSocial Sciences and Humanities Open2590-29112025-01-011110162710.1016/j.ssaho.2025.101627Social-cultural influence on university graduate's entrepreneurial intention: Evidence from a Portuguese universityCarmen Freitas0Mara Franco1Frederica Gonçalves2António Almeida3University of Madeira, OSEAN, Funchal, Portugal; Corresponding author. University of Madeira, Penteada University Campus, 9020-105, Funchal, Portugal.University of Madeira, CiTUR Madeira, OSEAN, Funchal, PortugalUniversity of Madeira, ITI/LARSyS, Funchal, PortugalUniversity of Madeira, CEEAplA, OSEAN, Funchal, PortugalThis study examines the socio-cultural factors influencing the entrepreneurial intentions of 339 students who have graduated from a Portuguese university. Using logistic regression, it investigates the impact of role models, perceived social norms, and entrepreneurial capabilities on graduates' intentions of becoming entrepreneurs. Results indicate that knowing an entrepreneur, creativity, and opportunity recognition are significant predictors of entrepreneurial intentions, while family background has minimal impact. These results suggest that socio-cultural factors play a critical role in shaping entrepreneurial aspirations, with external influences, such as friends’ attitudes and opportunity recognition skills, driving entrepreneurial intent more than family entrepreneurship. The study contributes to entrepreneurship theory by highlighting key external and internal factors, and to policy by underlying the importance of promoting entrepreneurial education, reducing gender disparities, and creating supportive environments to foster entrepreneurship among graduates.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590291125003559EntrepreneurshipEntrepreneurial intentionUniversity graduatesSocio-cultural factors
spellingShingle Carmen Freitas
Mara Franco
Frederica Gonçalves
António Almeida
Social-cultural influence on university graduate's entrepreneurial intention: Evidence from a Portuguese university
Social Sciences and Humanities Open
Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurial intention
University graduates
Socio-cultural factors
title Social-cultural influence on university graduate's entrepreneurial intention: Evidence from a Portuguese university
title_full Social-cultural influence on university graduate's entrepreneurial intention: Evidence from a Portuguese university
title_fullStr Social-cultural influence on university graduate's entrepreneurial intention: Evidence from a Portuguese university
title_full_unstemmed Social-cultural influence on university graduate's entrepreneurial intention: Evidence from a Portuguese university
title_short Social-cultural influence on university graduate's entrepreneurial intention: Evidence from a Portuguese university
title_sort social cultural influence on university graduate s entrepreneurial intention evidence from a portuguese university
topic Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurial intention
University graduates
Socio-cultural factors
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590291125003559
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AT fredericagoncalves socialculturalinfluenceonuniversitygraduatesentrepreneurialintentionevidencefromaportugueseuniversity
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