Title: Self-efficacy and entrepreneurial intentions in nascent technology entrepreneurs: a temporal construal theory approach

Authors: Cory R.A. Hallam; Gianluca Zanella

Addresses: Centre for Innovation, Technology, and Entrepreneurship, University of Texas at San Antonio, One UTSA Circle San Antonio, TX, 78249, USA ' Centre for Innovation, Technology, and Entrepreneurship, University of Texas at San Antonio, One UTSA Circle San Antonio, TX, 78249, USA

Abstract: Technology entrepreneurship requires advanced scientific and technological knowledge. Given the different nature of techno-entrepreneurship, there is a lack of cognitive research to explore this phenomenon. This paper focuses on filling this gap by differentiating entrepreneurial intentions amongst self-declared high-tech and non-high-tech nascent entrepreneurs. We present a quantitative study analysing 1045 undergraduate business and engineering students from three countries (Mexico, Spain, and the USA). The results provide evidence that technological entrepreneurs have the highest intentions to start a business. Further, our findings show that the cultural context and university major significantly influence entrepreneurial intentions. Finally, exploring our data for the temporal construal effect, we provide evidence that previous entrepreneurial experience exerts an effect on short term entrepreneurial intentions and not on long term intentions. These findings are a potential key consideration for educators and scholars that aim at identify and develop nascent technology entrepreneurs within student populations.

Keywords: self-efficacy; entrepreneurial intent; technology entrepreneurship; temporal construal effect; cultural context; quantitative study; short-term entrepreneurial intent; STEI.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTE.2017.090994

International Journal of Technoentrepreneurship, 2017 Vol.3 No.4, pp.263 - 277

Received: 05 Nov 2016
Accepted: 23 Dec 2016

Published online: 06 Apr 2018 *

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