An empirical analysis of factors influencing sustainability-oriented entrepreneurial intention: a study on university students

Abstract

The present study constituted a modest attempt to investigate the effect of students’ perceived access to finance (PAF) and entrepreneurship education (EE) on sustainability-oriented entrepreneurship intention (SOEI) through their attitude toward sustainable entrepreneurship (ATSE). It primarily focuses on elaborating factors that foster the intention and attitude for starting a sustainable business among students by combining the psychological factor of EE with the environmental factor of PAF. For this purpose, the cross-sectional survey design following a quantitative approach was adopted. A sample of 199 students pursuing business and non-business undergraduate courses at the HNBGU, Uttarakhand, were surveyed using a questionnaire and analyzed using SEM in AMOS version 23. The findings revealed mixed results by showing a significant positive impact of PAF and a negative and insignificant impact of EE on ATSE. Moreover, the author affirms the presence of a positive association between ATSE and SOEI. The outcomes revealed the role of specified factors in encouraging students’ sustainability-oriented entrepreneurial attitudes and intent. Initially, it contributed a lot toward enlightening the role and significance of finance in fostering a positive attitude and intent for sustainable entrepreneurship. On the other hand, it emphasizes revisiting EE methods affecting students’ entrepreneurial cognition for sustainable business. Lastly, this research stresses stimulating positive attitudes among young students to foster their SOEI. This study is highly relevant as it comprehends the apparent contradictions in the literature, particularly concerning the emerging area of sustainable entrepreneurship.