Enhancing Entrepreneurial Intention and Innovativeness of University Students: The Mediating Role of Entrepreneurial Alertness

Abstract

Entrepreneurship is a process of value creation consisting of committing time and effort, considering financial, social and other risks, resulting financial gain. The initial step of entrepreneurship is to recognize opportunities, which refers to a mechanism of intention. Empirical studies have provided evidence that entrepreneurial behavior is best predicted by intention. Intention, in turn, is associated with certain personality traits and attributes. This study aims to investigate the mediating effect of entrepreneurial alertness on the relationship between innovativeness and entrepreneurial intention of Turkish university students. The results of the study demonstrated that innovativeness has a positive effect on entrepreneurial intention, and entrepreneurial alertness fully mediates the relationship between innovativeness and entrepreneurial alertness. The present paper suggests that higher education institutions should focus on modifying personal attitudes of college students through entrepreneurship education and business incubation programs in order to foster enterprise creation and thereby economic development.