The entrepreneurial propensity of students for starting a new business and their key factors

Abstract

The aim of this article is to define and quantify the key indicators of the personality traits and the quality of university education which determine the perception of the entrepreneurial propensity of students for starting a new business in the Czech Republic (CR), Slovakia (SR) and Poland (PL). The partial aim is comparison the perception of the entrepreneurial propensity for starting a new business of students according nationality. Empirical research was realized through online questionnaire at base 1352 of students on the economic universities in last year of their study. The questionnaire was completed by 409 students from 14 universities in the CR, 375 students from 3 universities in PL, and 568 students from 8 universities in the SR. The statistical hypotheses were verified using the selected mathematical methods, as is a factorial analysis and a structural equation modeling (SEM),. Our research showed interesting findings about student ' s attitudes of the selected countries. The results showed that the entrepreneurial propensity of students in all countries is impact by the indicators of the personality traits and quality of university education of entrepreneurs. Slovak students gave the personality traits a higher impact to the entrepreneurial propensity for starting a new business than quality of university education. Polish and Czech students gave the quality of university education a higher impact to the entrepreneurial propensity for starting a new business than personality traits. According Slovak students, the personality traits have a higher impact to the entrepreneurial propensity for starting a new business than Czech and Polish students. The significant differences between student ' s positive attitudes of the quality of university education were demonstrated. The results having been processed are the basic information for the academic community, public sector, ministry of education in country, and other organizations whose effort is to help the students in start a new business in her/his country.