Purpose: Drawing on the literature on entrepreneurial intention (EI), this paper develops and tests a model that aims to explain student EI by considering the valuation of entrepreneurship and the venture failure stigmatization in the closer environment of the respondent and the role of individual entrepreneurial orientation (IEO) through direct and indirect effects.Design/methodology/approach: The paper uses a survey method for data collection. As such, this study was conducted by considering a sample of 1,155 undergraduate students from different majors. Structural equation modeling is used to validate the theoretical model.Findings: The findings suggest that a positive closer valuation of entrepreneurship facilitates students' EI. In turn, a closer stigma of entrepreneurial failure hinders students' EI. More importantly, IEO has a significant mediating role in both of these relationships. The findings offer important theoretical and practical implications for the field of entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial behavior.Originality/value: The paper offers a new insight relating environmental cognitive elements and their impact on EI, besides how IEO represents a determinant role shaping these relations. The proposed model is original and makes a connection between two widely validated constructs and evidences the relationship that may exist between the orientation and the real intention of setting up a business. Moreover, IEO has rarely been addressed for verifying interaction effects. This paper is one of the very first studies that applies the IEO (individual-level of entrepreneurial orientation) as a mediating variable.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to identify the impact of features of personality such as self-confidence and fear of failure on the entrepreneurial orientation (EO) of university students enrolled on entrepreneurial education courses. Design/methodology/approach: Variables related to risk-taking, innovativeness, proactiveness, as well as those related to self-confidence and fear of failure, are taken into account. Using linear regression, the authors investigate how self-confidence and fear of failure affect the EO of university students. Findings: As pointed out by results, both self-confidence and fear of failure are determinants of the EO of university students. Self-confidence has a positive and consistent effect on the three dimensions of EO, whereas fear of failure has a negative effect on EO. Research limitations/implications: It is not possible to assure that, in the medium and long term, individuals more prone to taking risks, innovating and proactivity will in fact become entrepreneurs. Also, even though it does not affect the relevance of the findings, it must be highlighted that this study has been carried out with a specific sample of students and results may vary in different contexts. Originality/value: This study offers a new insight relating individual’s self-perceptions and their impact on EO. Equally important, the findings of this paper offer relevant information for the design of academic programs aimed at strengthening students’ personal aspects to promote self-confidence and tolerance to fear of failure as predictors of the EO in this collective.

Drawing on entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial intention literature, this paper develops and tests a model that aims to explain the relationship between students' perception of learning from entrepreneurship education programs (EEP), the theory of planned behavior and entrepreneurial intention across Latin American countries. This study uses data from the Global University Entrepreneurship Spirit Student’s Survey (GUESSS) project 2018 for 11 Latin American countries. Structural equation modeling is used to validate the theoretical model; this offers advantages over traditional multivariate techniques in evaluating measurement errors, estimation of latent variables and specification of models. The main results suggest that a positive perception of learning from EEP is related to the antecedents of entrepreneurial intention. Moreover, attitude toward entrepreneurial behavior and perceived behavior control positively influences entrepreneurial intention across Latin American undergraduate students. The findings contribute to a better understanding of the role of EEP in terms of the antecedents of the intention and, in addition, provide evidence to the theory of planned behavior from a large sample in an emerging region. The theory of planned behavior is one of the most important theoretical frameworks to explain entrepreneurial intention. However, in Latin American countries, quality research is hindered by the lack of data and valid measures. Therefore, the paper adds value by looking at the perception of learning from EEP and its relationship with the antecedents of intention. Likewise, it validates the dimensions of the theory of planned behavior and its relationship to entrepreneurial intention, considering a broad sample of university students in Latin America. Con base en la literatura sobre educación en emprendimiento e intención emprendedora, este estudio desarrolla y prueba un modelo que busca explicar la relación entre la percepción de los estudiantes sobre el aprendizaje de los programas de educación en emprendimiento, la Teoría del Comportamiento Planificado y la intención emprendedora en los países de América Latina. Este estudio utiliza datos del proyecto Global University Entrepreneurship Spirit Student Survey (GUESSS) 2018 para 11 países de América Latina. Se valida el modelo teórico mediante modelos de ecuaciones estructurales; esta técnica ofrece ventajas sobre otras de análisis multivariante tradicionales relacionadas con la evaluación de errores de medición, estimación de variables latentes y especificación del modelo. Los principales resultados sugieren que una percepción positiva del aprendizaje de los programas de educación en emprendimiento se relaciona con los antecedentes de la intención emprendedora. Además, la actitud hacia el comportamiento emprendedor y el control del comportamiento percibido influyen positivamente en la intención de emprender de los estudiantes universitarios latinoamericanos. Estos hallazgos contribuyen a una mejor comprensión del rol de la educación en emprendimiento en términos de los antecedentes de la intención y proporcionan evidencia de la Teoría del Comportamiento Planificado de una gran muestra en una región emergente. la Teoría del Comportamiento Planificado es uno de los marcos teóricos más importantes para explicar la intención emprendedora. Sin embargo, en los países de América Latina, la investigación de calidad se ve obstaculizada por la falta de datos y medidas válidas. Por lo tanto, el trabajo agrega valor al observar la percepción del aprendizaje de los programas de educación en emprendimiento y su relación con los antecedentes de la intención. Asimismo, validando las dimensiones de la Teoría del Comportamiento Planificado y su relación con la intención emprendedora, considerando una amplia muestra de estudiantes universitarios latinoamericanos.

Purpose: Informal female entrepreneurship (IFE) represents a significant yet understudied dimension of economic activity globally. This research aims to conduct a systematic literature review (SLR) on IFE. Design/methodology/approach: This SLR delves into the intricate landscape of IFE, examining scholarly contributions sourced from the Web of Science Social Sciences Citation Index database. Findings: By synthesizing existing literature, this review sheds light on the multifaceted dynamics surrounding IFE, encompassing factors such as socioeconomic contexts, cultural influences and institutional frameworks. Moreover, this study underscores the importance of addressing the unique challenges and opportunities faced by women engaged in informal entrepreneurial activities. In doing so, it not only enriches our understanding of female entrepreneurship but also underscores the need for tailored policies and interventions to support women in these endeavours. Originality/value: This inquiry’s relevance stems from the pivotal role that women play in informal economies, which often remain obscured by traditional economic metrics. This review contributes to the scholarly discourse by proposing a research agenda to advance knowledge and inform future investigations into this critical domain.

This study investigates the effect of the entrepreneurial orientation (EO) on SME financial performance. The essay also proposes a contingency model to explore the moderating effects of environmental hostility on the relationship between EO and profitability. The study was conducted using a sample of 121 manufacturing SMEs in Spain. Results confirm the positive influence of EO on a firm’s profitability. More importantly, the impact of EO on SME profitability is higher when there is a fit between EO and the external environment.