An Education Ecosystem View to Managing Ethics and Entrepreneurial Intention

Abstract

The high rate of unemployment among university graduates has raised concerns. Responding to this, universities feel obliged to encourage and train their students to be able to create their own jobs. Many universities try to improve student entrepreneurial skills by opening entrepreneurship programs in the form of study programs or concentration. This concern does not only occur in Indonesia but also in many universities in other countries. Although the role of entrepreneurship is important for a country’s development, the availability of a large number of entrepreneurs does not guaranty improvement of people’s life or welfare. Increasing competition in business sometimes makes people justify all kinds of business practices. However, if a fair condition for all actors is expected, then university must encourage the creation of moral and ethical business activities. This study intends to know whether (1) need for achievement (nAch), self-efficacy, and instruments readiness influence student entrepreneurship intentions; (2) gender, entrepreneurship experience, and parental background moderate the influence of nAch, self-efficacy, and instrument readiness influence student entrepreneurial intention; and (3) ethical behavior view moderates the influence of nAch, self-efficacy, and instrument readiness on student entrepreneurial intentions. This research observed 315 new students of a university in Indonesia in 2018. The results show that nAch, self-efficacy, and instruments readiness significantly influence entrepreneurial intentions. Gender and parent background moderate the influence of nAch, self-efficacy, and instrument readiness on entrepreneurial intentions, while entrepreneurial experience had no effect. Furthermore, ethical views do not moderate the influence of nAch, self-efficacy, and instrument readiness on entrepreneurial intention.