engleski

Intentions and Perceptions of the Entrepreneurial Career Among Croatian Students: Initial Results of a Longitudinal Empirical Study

In this paper, authors analyze the entrepreneurial intentions of the student population at the University of Split, Croatia and relate them to students' general perceptions of entrepreneurship and its social role/desirability. As the longitudinal data have been collected during the recession in the Croatian economy, this study provides initial empirical results, related to general trends of economic and social treatment of entrepreneurship in South East Europe, in the specific context of a prolonged economic downturn. The empirical findings demonstrate that the perceived desirability of entrepreneurship, as related to students’ primary reference groups (family, friends, peers), influences their entrepreneurial intent. The other factors, which proved as empirically significant in determining the students’ entrepreneurial intent, include the perception of self-efficacy, as well as relevant knowledge and skills. Desirability of an entrepreneurial career in the wider society are not empirically relevant for the surveyed students. The obtained empirical results are discussed from the aspect of improving entrepreneurial education, as well as public policies, related to youth unemployment and the development of entrepreneurial culture among the population of young people in South East Europe.

entrepreneurial intentions, youth, student entrepreneurship, Croatia

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