Predicting Students’ Response to Entrepreneurship in Hospitality and Tourism Education: An Application of the Theory of Planned Behavior

ABSTRACT Globally, the study of entrepreneurship is increasingly becoming a prominent component of hospitality and tourism education. However, uncertainties arising from an unpredictable business environment, inadequate governmental support as well as the ramifications of the recent Covid-19 pandemic have heightened the risks of starting business ventures. Yet the role of risk-taking propensity in driving entrepreneurial attitudes and career decisions in the context of developing economies has received limited attention. Using a survey of 547 hospitality and tourism students from five public universities, the structural equation modeling technique of partial least squares was applied in examining students’ response to entrepreneurship. While entrepreneurial attitudes are driven by risk-taking inclination, the findings suggest that entrepreneurial career decisions are more complicated. The study outcome further underscores the critical roles of personal attitude, normative influence, and behavioral control in shaping entrepreneurial mind-sets.