Student associations and entrepreneurial intentions

Drawing on Ajzen’s (1991. “The Theory of Planned Behavior.” Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes 50 (2): 179–211) theory of planned behavior and entrepreneurship education (EE) theory, this article examines the role of student associations in developing students’ entrepreneurial intentions (EI) at early educational stages. This study addresses the scarcity of research on extracurricular activities and on early university experiences of EE and their influence on EI. Based on survey data collected from 237 first-year undergraduate business school students and a partial least squares analysis, we provide empirical evidence on the value of student associations in increasing the EI of first-year students through their impact on entrepreneurial attitudes, which are instrumental in the formation of EI. The results have important implications both for educational practice and for public and private organizations interested in promoting entrepreneurship. They support the value of including practical training in education programs.