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Influence of students’ personality, gender, income and age on their intentions to create new information technology and telecommunications ventures

Year: 2023

Type: article

Abstract: Businesses associated with information technology and telecommunications have increased in importance since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic due to transformations in working and buying. Currently, universities in Latin America are making efforts to strengthen entrepreneurial attitudes and skills in their students. In this context, it is of interest to understand how the combination of personality traits, gender, income and age/generation affect entrepreneurial intentions toward these kinds of businesses. This research analyzes the responses of 788 university students from Chile and Ecuador to an online self-report survey using regression models with the aim of evaluating the effect of Big Five personality traits on the intention to undertake information technology and telecommunications businesses and measuring the moderation of gender, family income, and belonging to the centennial generation. The findings support a significant influence of the traits of neuroticism, openness and conscientiousness on entrepreneurial intention and suggest that female gender and higher family income have a negative impact on the intention to undertake these businesses. Moreover, an important moderating effect of female gender and lower family income levels is supported. This study sheds new light on students' characteristics that affect their participation in information technology and telecommunications ventures through the identification of a unique combination of relevant personality traits, gender and income levels. The findings are useful for designing and developing appropriate programs aimed at developing this kind of technology business in Latin America as well as promoting the entrepreneurship of groups that express a lower intention to undertake businesses, such as female students.

Source: PLoS ONE

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0284488

Authors: Gustavo Barrera-Verdugo, Jaime Cadena-Echverría, Antonio Villarroel-Villarroel, Michelle Contreras-Fuenzalida

Institutions: University of the Americas, National Polytechnic School

Language: English

Topic: Entrepreneurship Studies and Influences

Subfield: Management of Technology and Innovation

Field: Business, Management and Accounting

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Decent work and economic growth

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,805