The importance of context: How university entrepreneurial climates enhances entrepreneurship in tourism and hospitality graduates

Abstract

Universities play a key role in shaping Tourism and Hospitality (T&H) students' entrepreneurial intentions (EI), referring to one's willingness and desire to consider the creation of a new venture as a career option. However, the importance of a university climate for entrepreneurship is often overlooked in enhancing entrepreneurial career aspirations in T&H students. Drawing on Social Cognitive Career Theory and Institutional Theory, this study examines the role of entrepreneurial climates within universities and the mechanism through which it can shape T&H students' entrepreneurial intentions. Using data from 190 T&H students in the final year of a tourism and hospitality program, the PLS-SEM results reveal that T&H students' entrepreneurial self-efficacy and outcome expectations play key sequential roles in translating entrepreneurial climates into greater EI. The findings highlight the importance of individual and contextual-level factors in the formation of EI among T&H students.