Socio-demographic characteristics and students' entrepreneurial intentions

In: Stanovništvo: Population = Naselenie, Band 58, Heft 2, S. 57-75

Abstract

This paper aims to analyse the entrepreneurial intentions of tourism
students, who represent a significant base of future entrepreneurs and are
the drivers of innovations and competitiveness in the travel and tourism
industry, which is an important part of the economy of the Republic of
Serbia. The study examined whether there are differences in students?
entrepreneurial intentions depending on socio-demographic characteristics:
gender, place of residence, years of study, and previous work experience, as
well as their parents? education and type of employment. The survey was
conducted in four higher vocational schools in Serbia on a sample of 330
students of tourism and hospitality management using the Entrepreneurial
Intention Scale. The results showed that students had medium intention to
start and run their own business and indicate that - among the selected
socio-demographic factors - gender, years of study, and prior work
experience play an important role in fostering entrepreneurial intentions.
Understanding the factors that impact entrepreneurship may contribute to
the development of theory in this field, as well as helping paint a clearer
picture of how entrepreneurial intentions are formed as a starting point in
business.