Harnessing the IES Model to Probe into the Entrepreneurial Intentions of Chinese College Students

Abstract

In probing into the determinants of the entrepreneurial intentions among Chinese college students, an IES (Individual Attributes, Entrepreneurial Intentions and In-school Education) model has been devised to uncover the interplay and logical relationships between the four important factors. Methods such as structural equation model, mediating effect test, and one-way ANOVA were used to analyze the 2,114 questionnaires collected from different colleges and universities. The study has found that entrepreneurial intention is the core for understanding corporate behaviors, that different determinants have different effects on entrepreneurial behaviors, and that individual attributes also have impact on entrepreneurial intentions to varying degrees. The author suggests that colleges and universities should encourage college students to start their own businesses, and take proactive steps to help college students develop entrepreneurial awareness during their school days, thereby driving innovation and entrepreneurship among college students.