Linking Digital and Coding Skills to Entrepreneurial Intention and Student Entrepreneurship in Italy

Abstract

Although a great deal of attention has been paid to entrepreneurial intention, few studies have analysed which factors can foster student entrepreneurship. Furthermore, to our best knowledge, no one has yet tested individual-level factors such as i) coding knowledge and experience and ii) digital knowledge and experience. The aim of this study is to fill this gap by empirically testing if these factors have a positive impact on entrepreneurial intention and student entrepreneurship. The quantitative analyses are based on a unique data set of more than 2000 Italian university students. Adopting a Human Capital Theory perspective, we argue that coding knowledge and experience have a positive impact on entrepreneurial intention and student entrepreneurship. Moreover, considering a Social Capital Theory perspective, we argue that digital knowledge and experience have a positive impact on entrepreneurial intention and student entrepreneurship. Our findings provide an original contribution to the research on entrepreneurial intention and student entrepreneurship, while holding implications for practice policy-making by disclosing individual-level factors which, if purposefully nurtured, can stimulate students’ entrepreneurial endeavors.