A LONGITUDINAL STUDY OF ENTREPRENEURIAL INTENTIONS
Josée Audet, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières
Principal Topic
This research is part of a longitudinal study on the process by which entrepreneurial intentions evolve into venture creation. The objectives of the project are several fold: 1) to assess whether perceptions of desirability and feasibility of starting a business successfully predict intentions of starting a venture, 2) to verify if these perceptions and entrepreneurial intentions are stable over time, 3) to explore the factors that are likely to impact on the formation of entrepreneurial intentions and also on the decision to act upon entrepreneurial intentions, and lastly, 4) to assess whether entrepreneurial intentions are a useful predictor of actual business start-ups.
Method
The aim of the first study was to verify if perceptions were an accurate predictor of entrepreneurial intentions. The sample consisted of 181 university students who were just about to graduate, 150 from Commerce and 31 from Engineering. Results confirmed that perceptions of the desirability to start a business and of the feasibility of such endeavor explained a significant portion of the variance in entrepreneurial intentions.
A second round of data collection was conducted with respondents from the initial sample who were Commerce graduates. As expected, the retention rate was rather low (approximately 35%). Data was collected to measure perceptions of desirability and feasibility and entrepreneurial intentions to verify if the value of these variables had changed now that respondents had started their career. Interviews took place a year and a half after the first survey. Questions were asked about the reasons explaining any change in perceptions or intentions. Respondents were also questioned about other factors that may have had an impact on their attitudes and intentions, such as culture, the opinion of significant persons and job satisfaction. Data from this last study is currently being analyzed and results should be forthcoming.
The last part of the study consists of case studies of respondents who went ahead and started a business. So far, only one respondent is in the process of starting his own business.
Results and Implications
The main contribution of this longitudinal study will be to shed light on the process by which entrepreneurial intentions eventually turn into venture creation. It will also allow to assess whether intentions are an accurate predictor of venture creation. Finally, and and more importantly, it will help identify factors that may encourage or, on the contrary, refrain potential entrepreneurs from transforming their intentions into action.
CONTACT: Josée Audet, Département des sciences de la gestion et de l’économie, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, CP 500, Trois-Rivières, Québec, Canada G9A 5H7; (T) 819-376-5011, ext. 3146; (F) 819-376-5079; josee_audet@uqtr.uquebec.ca
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