Development of entrepreneurial identity among young people: analysis of the effectiveness of an educational program on entrepreneurial potential

Abstract

Purpose – The efficiency of an educational program on entrepreneurial competence, Training the Potential Entrepreneur. Generation of an Educational Model for Entrepreneurial Identify (PEIEO) is evaluated in this study. Design/methodology/approach – Pre and post intervention tests were administered to an Experimental Group (EG) and a Control Group (CG). Moreover, four hypotheses are proposed (H1, H2, H3, H4) and tested on a sample of 1036 Spanish students. The following instruments were applied: Attitude Towards Entrepreneurship-Spanish adaption; Measurement Scale of Personal Initiative in Educational Settings and Scale of General Self-Efficacy. ANCOVA and the Student’s t-test were applied to the results. Findings – The results show that training in entrepreneurial identity increases the entrepreneurial potential of young people (H1). A notable increase in proactivity and being a self-starter was observed with regard to personal initiative within the EG, and for self-efficacy (H3) both of which were predictors of entrepreneurial identity. Gender was likewise a predictor (H4). Practical implications – Young people attending the PElEO training program in entrepreneurial potential increased their levels of entrepreneurial identity, thereby confirming the effectiveness of the program. Originality/value – The program (PEIEO) is based on the development of entrepreneurial potential, a dimension that generates entrepreneurial identity (creativity, leadership, achievement and personal control).