Validating a theory of planned behavior questionnaire to measure entrepreneurial intentions

Abstract

The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) has been widely employed to predict entrepreneurial intentions. The TPB offers a coherent and generally applicable theoretical framework, which enables us to understand and predict entrepreneurial intentions by taking into account not only personal but also social factors. This study presents the validation of anEntrepreneurial Intention Questionnaire (EIQ) in a sample of more than 3,000 Spanish university graduates. The EIQ comprises four subscales: attitudes towards entrepreneurship, subjective norms, self-efficacy, and entrepreneurial intention.Unlike other questionnaires used in the field, EIQ follows Ajzens methodological recommendations on how to construct a TPB questionnaire using composite measures of attitudes and subjective norms. Structural equation modeling (SEM) confirmed that the EIQ has a high reliability and validity to measure Spanish university graduates entrepreneurial intentions.Key words: Entrepreneurship; intention; questionnaire validation; attitudes; self-efficacy.