Tenacity in design entrepreneurship: how to stimulate entrepreneurial intention

Abstract

Using a mixed methods approach and based on the theory of planned behaviour, the present study investigated the factors determining the entrepreneurial intention (EI) of media designers in Taiwan. In Study 1, eight media design entrepreneurs were invited to join focus group discussions. The results revealed that entrepreneurial attitude, subjective norms, social capital, and self-efficacy influenced the EI of media design entrepreneurs. Three other critical factors were identified from the qualitative data, namely entrepreneurial alertness, educational attainment, and work experience. The results were then used to formulate an online survey in Study 2 to test a model for predicting the EI of media design entrepreneurs. Subsequently, the factor structures established in prior research were verified by performing confirmatory factor analysis on data from 242 student designers majoring in multimedia media production. Multiple regression was employed to examine the potential effects of these factors on EI. The results revealed that entrepreneurial attitude, institutional social capital, entrepreneurial usefulness, entrepreneurial originality, and educational attainment had the strongest positive effects on EI, whereas work experience, bridging social capital, and social pressure had significant negative effects on EI.