The entrepreneurial behavior model for vocational college students in China

Abstract

Being an entrepreneur will be a good choice alternative compared to being unemployed or an employee for the graduates. Entrepreneurship can be seen as an engine for economic growth. However, rarely vocational college students in China would like to engage in entrepreneurial activities due to the high failure rate, lack of practical entrepreneurial value, and lack of social support. The present study addressed this problem by identifying the driving factors influencing students’ entrepreneurial behavior. The purpose of this study was to examine the factors of self-efficacy, entrepreneurship education, creative thinking, entrepreneurial mindset, social media, and social network influencing entrepreneurial behavior among vocational college students. Specifically, this research created a new entrepreneurial behavior model underlying four theories, the theory of planned behavior, social cognitive theory, social network theory, and social identity theory to empirically examine the direct effects of seven variables, the mediating effects of the entrepreneurial mindset and the moderating role of social network and social media. The quantitative approach was employed in current research to test the proposed model. This research selected 627 samples from 3 vocational colleges in Shandong province of China through an online survey. The findings of the study indicated that self-efficacy, entrepreneurship education, and creative thinking could positively and significantly influence the entrepreneurial mindset and entrepreneurial behavior of vocational college students in China. Similarly, entrepreneurial mindset, social media, and social network have a significant effect on entrepreneurial behavior. This research also indicated that entrepreneurial mindset partially mediated the relationship between self-efficacy, entrepreneurship education, and creative thinking on entrepreneurial behavior. Furthermore, the moderating effects of social media and social network on the relationship between entrepreneurial mindset and entrepreneurial behavior had also been proved. The findings of this study enrich the entrepreneurial literature by providing empirical insights into the proposed model of entrepreneurial behavior among vocational college students in China. This thesis also contributes to the body of knowledge for policymakers and educators by identifying key determinants of entrepreneurial behavior and suggesting a strategic framework to guide the development of targeted policies and practices that support vocational students’ entrepreneurial engagement.