Determinants of entrepreneurial intention among engineering students in Honduras (#2535)

Authors

Espinal, Anael

Abstract

Entrepreneurship is a strategic driver of competitiveness and economic development in emerging economies such as Honduras. However, empirical evidence on the determinants of entrepreneurial intention (EI) among Honduran engineering students is limited. This study analyzes an explanatory model based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), integrating attitude toward entrepreneurship, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control, and incorporating entrepreneurial education as an additional exogenous variable. The sample consisted of 489 engineering students from Honduran universities. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire with 31 items on a seven-point Likert scale, based on internationally validated instruments. Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach's alpha coefficient, with satisfactory values obtained for all constructs. Subsequently, a structural equation model was estimated to test the hypotheses. The results indicate that attitude toward entrepreneurship, perceived behavioral control, and entrepreneurial education have positive and statistically significant effects on EI. In contrast, subjective norms did not show statistical significance, evidencing a deviation from the classical TPB. This finding suggests a predominance of intrinsic and formative factors over social pressure, providing contextualized evidence for the design of university policies and strategies to promote entrepreneurship in Honduras.