The objective of this study was to determine the level of influence of Entrepreneurial Attitude (EA), Subjective Norms (SN) and Perceived Behavioral Control (PBC) on Entrepreneurial Intention (EI) of university students at a private university in the city of Tacna, Perú. The methodology used was a quantitative approach, non-experimental and cross-sectional design, the data were collected through a structured questionnaire and answered by 207 students from different faculties. To obtain the results and contrast the study hypotheses, an explanatory model of structural equations was carried out using SPSS Amos software. The results of the study showed that there is a positive influence of Entrepreneurial Attitude (EA), Subjective Norms (SN) and Perceived Behavioral Control (PBC) on Entrepreneurial Intention (EI), thus positively confirming the influence of the stated hypotheses. The present study makes a significant contribution to the theory, thus opening the way for future research that contemplates the inclusion of an additional variable to the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB).
Promoting entrepreneurial intention on the part of university students is key as a mechanism for job creation [1] and the economic development of a country [2], [3]. Nowadays, university education plays a very important role in the economic development of countries [4]. For this reason, entrepreneurship over the years has acquired a fundamental role in the economy of various countries, even contributing innovation to the market. [5], [6] and digital transformation. In accordance with Sarhan y Ab. Aziz [7] micro, small and medium-sized businesses are responsible for generating most of the jobs. People can come into contact with entrepreneurship through entrepreneurship education, the influence of role models, previous experience in starting a business, working in small businesses, or through current participation in entrepreneurial activities [8].
In the current context, countries are in a post-pandemic recovery process, in addition to facing multiple challenges, including the digital transformation in entrepreneurship, as well as the delays that Covid-19 has left in many economies around the world. According to National Institute of Statistics and Informatics (NISI) from Perú, During the second quarter of 2023, the unemployment rate was 5.3%, which represents an increase of 1.1 percentage points compared to the same quarter of 2022, when it was 4.2% [9]. Thus, the entrepreneurship has the potential to be a major force in driving innovation, generating employment opportunities and promoting economic growth in developing countries [10]. This is because entrepreneurs often introduce new ideas and solutions to the market, which can drive economic growth and create employment opportunities for local people. Furthermore, by encouraging young people to become entrepreneurs, creativity and entrepreneurship are promoted, which can have a positive impact on society as a whole.
A recent study establishes that university graduates do not present or express entrepreneurial intentions or skills [11]. The question of how to foster entrepreneurship has attracted the attention of scholars from various areas of study [12]. Consequently, to establish an entrepreneurial vision, it is very important that young students when they graduate from universities cannot depend solely on the government and companies that offer jobs, if higher education must have the fundamental objective of preparing young people. so that they become entrepreneurs, develop problem-solving skills and acquire the ability to make decisions and initiatives independently [13], [14].
Currently, theoretical review and the use of modeling in research are common procedures mainly in studies that are related to the determination of intention and behavior in business [15]. Among the different models or theories used, the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) stands out [16]. However, to promote entrepreneurship it is essential to understand the reasons why certain people choose to become entrepreneurs and others do not. The present study aims to determine how factors from the theory of planned behavior influence entrepreneurial intention. However, in recent years, studies have confirmed that entrepreneurial intention is a reliable indicator of actual entrepreneurial behavior [17], [18]. Likewise, several authors have studied university entrepreneurship and have even generated models that predict entrepreneurial intentions [19]– [26].
Therefore, the focus of this research work is to contribute to the area of knowledge using empirical data, for its development we rely on Ajzen TPB (1991) [16]. There is previous research in the Peruvian case, but this work differs from it because it collects data from the different faculties of a private university in the city of Tacna, Perú, that is, a sample that allows us to analyze from a more complete perspective the entrepreneurial intention of university students.
When we talk about entrepreneurial intention (EI), whether in academic or business life, it has a main concept in the research of phenomena related to entrepreneurship [27]. As well as knowing that entrepreneurship or entrepreneurship does not arise by chance [28]. Particular personal attributes are required to successfully take advantage of a business opportunity when it presents itself [29].
Recent research has shown that entrepreneurial intention is an important indicator of entrepreneurial behavior [2], [4], [19], [30]–[34]. The EI is often considered the starting point of entrepreneurial activity [35]. Therefore, people who express a clear entrepreneurial intention are more likely to take concrete actions to create and develop their own business.
The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) was developed by Ajzen [16] This model states that some elements anticipate the behavior and attitude of an individual. The TPB model has been used in several published studies. Many of the studies have been conducted in order to predict a person's inclination to adopt a specific behavior at specific times and places [36]. The TPB is based on three main elements and explains that Entrepreneurial Attitude (EA), Subjective Norms (SN) and Perceived Behavioral Control (PBC) influence Entrepreneurial Intention (EI) (see Figure 1).
Within the literature related to entrepreneurship, it is argued that entrepreneurial attitude plays
a fundamental role by playing an essential role in entrepreneurial intention [
H1. Entrepreneurial attitude (EA) positively influences entrepreneurial intention (EI).
The perspective of family members or friends acts as an influence [
H2. Subjective norms (SN) have a positive influence on entrepreneurial intention (EI).
It is focused on personal belief and the ability to carry out a specific action [
H3. Perceived behavioral control (PBC) positively influences entrepreneurial intention (EI).
A quantitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional design approach was used in this study. The
sample was made up of students from the different faculties of the Universidad Privada de la
Ciudad de Tacna, Perú. The primary data were obtained through the application of a structured
instrument proposed by Mohammed et al. [
Covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM) was used to test the hypothesis using
Amos v.24 of SPSS, which is appropriate for the use of numerical variables because it is robust to
deviations from inferential normality [
As a first step, we traced the model proposed by Ajzen [16]. In the analysis of the initial
theoretical model (see Figure 2) the indices do not have a good fit, therefore, the fit indices of the
initial model have the following results DF = 24, P = .000, CFI = .931, RMSEA = .106, according to
the results shown, the research model is not the correct one. Therefore, it was necessary to
respecify the theoretical model that initial (see Figure 3) obtaining the following indexes in the
standardized model DF = 20, P = .006, CFI = .976 and RMSEA = .068, the RMSEA is less than .80
which according to Kline [
The SEM analysis conducted in this study highlights the significant influence of the variables
of the Theory of Planned Behavior on entrepreneurial intention. The Entrepreneurial Attitude
variable stands out as one of the factors with the greatest positive influence on EI, having a
positive influence of ß = .69; as confirmed by Acosta-Prado, et al. [
This study reveals that Conscious-Controlled Behavior (CCB) has a significant influence on one of the components of entrepreneurial intention, with coefficient ß from .22. This is related to the confidence that university students have in their ability to make the decision to create a company in the future. Taking into account that, from the literature reviewed above, it is clear that the feeling of control is an important factor in the decision to start a company, it is important to consider the following factors.
The research hypotheses proposed in this study have been confirmed. Entrepreneurial attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control have been shown to positively influence students' entrepreneurial intention. In particular, as one of the most notable relationships, entrepreneurial attitudes have been found to have a very significant influence on students' entrepreneurial intention. This suggests that students have a positive attitude towards risk-taking in entrepreneurship, which could be related to their personal characteristics and their favorable disposition towards entrepreneurship. In addition, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control also exert a positive influence on entrepreneurial intention, supporting similar findings from other studies in this field.
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