Inside the Entrepreneurial Mind: A Diary Research on the Evolution of Students’ Entrepreneurial Intentions

Abstract

The study focuses on examining the entrepreneurial intention of university students through the method of diary research. Specifically, the aim of this research is to investigate the factors that influence the entrepreneurial intention of students throughout the duration of a semester in which they attended the theory and exercises of the “Entrepreneurship and Innovation” course. Furthermore, this study seeks to gain an in-depth understanding of the evolution of this intention over time, and to further analyze students’ thoughts and experiences related to entrepreneurship during the course. The sample consists of 85 individuals who have never attended an entrepreneurship course before and their participation was voluntary. They asked to complete a diary lasting 13 weeks from the first week of the fall semester starting on October 2023 until the last one on January 2024. Findings showed that students formed a positive entrepreneurial intention over time and that their involvement in projects and exercises in groups regarding the formation of a virtual business were the two most important factors that increased their entrepreneurial intention. The factors that inhibited the entrepreneurial intention of the students were the understanding of the elements of the dark side of entrepreneurship and the increased risk taking as well as some specific course contents. An important originality of the research is the use of the diary research tool, which is still at an introductory stage in the social sciences. The analysis of the responses was carried out through content analysis. It is expected that the research will provide a deep understanding of how students perceive, develop, and implement their entrepreneurial over time while attending an entrepreneurship course. The findings are important for educators and curriculum planners as they will highlight the determinants and elements that positively or negatively influenced the formation of students' entrepreneurial intention, allowing the introduction of innovative teaching methods that will enhance individuals' entrepreneurial intention and mindset.