Atitude dos estudantes universitários face ao empreendedorismo

Como identificar o potencial empreendedor?

Susana Correia Santos*, António Caetano** e Luís Curral***

 

* Doutoranda em Gestão de Recursos Humanos – Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (ISCTE-IUL), Lisboa, Portugal. Assistente de investigação do Instituto Universitário de Lisboa, Management Research Center. Publicou em co-autoria em revistas especializadas como International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation e no capítulo do livro Exploring the Dynamics of Entrepreneurship.susana.santos@iscte.pt

** Doutorado em Psicologia Social e Organizacional – Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (ISCTE-IUL), Lisboa, Portugal. Professor no Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (ISCTE-IUL). Os seus estudos empíricos têm sido publicados em diversas revistas como: Group Dynamics: Theory, Research, and Practice, Journal of Managerial Psychology, International Journal of Training and Development, Journal of European Industrial Training, Journal of Change Management, International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation. antonio.caetano@iscte.pt

*** Doutorado em Psicologia Social pela Universidade de Lisboa. Professor Auxiliar da Faculdade de Psicologia da Universidade de Lisboa. Os seus estudos empíricos têm sido publicados em diversas revistas como: Applied Psychology: An International Review; Social Behavior and Personality: An International Journal; Revista de Psicologia del Trabajo y de las Organizaciones; European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology e International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation. lcurral@fp.ul.pt

 

Resumo

Este trabalho focaliza-se nas atitudes dos estudantes universitários face ao empreendedorismo apresentando um modelo teórico do potencial empreendedor, construído com base numa revisão de literatura em que se procura sistematizar as principais características psicológicas diferenciadoras do indivíduo empreendedor: as motivações empreendedoras; as competências psicológicas; as competências sociais; e as competências de gestão. No âmbito de um projecto em desenvolvimento, o constructo de potencial empreendedor foi operacionalizado através de um Inventário de Avaliação do Potencial Empreendedor (IAPE^©) e testado numa amostra de estudantes universitários de Ciências Sociais, da Saúde, de Gestão e das Tecnologias (N = 521). Os resultados evidenciam que existem diferenças significativas entre os estudantes universitários nas quatro dimensões do potencial empreendedor. Complementarmente, desenvolveu-se e testou-se o Índice do Potencial Empreendedor (IPE), cujo algoritmo se apresenta neste trabalho, bem como os seus resultados. Na amostra utilizada, os estudantes de Ciências da Gestão são os que apresentam um valor médio de IPE mais elevado. Em termos de aplicação, o IAPE^© e o IPE são duas ferramentas para a promoção do empreendedorismo nas universidades, designadamente na concepção e realização de cursos e iniciativas focalizados na formação e treino dos estudantes, com aplicações práticas na construção de cursos de empreendedorismo.

Palavras-chave : Potencial Empreendedor, Inventário de Avaliação do Potencial Empreendedor, Índice do Potencial Empreendedor

 

University students’ attitudes towards entrepreneurship: how to identify the entrepreneurial potential?

Abstract

This work is focused on the university students’ attitudes towards the entrepreneurship, presenting a theoretical model on the entrepreneurial potential, based on a literature review aiming to systematize the main entrepreneurial distinctive psychological characteristics: the entrepreneurial motivation, psychological competencies, social competencies, and management competencies. Included in a project under development, the entrepreneurial potential construct was operationalized through an Inventory the Entrepreneurial Potential Assessment Inventory (IAPE^©) and was tested on one university students sample, composed by social, health, management and technology sciences students (N = 521). Results evidence that there are significant differences among university students on the four entrepreneurial potential dimensions. Additionally, we have been developing and testing the Entrepreneurial Potential Index (IPE). We present the algorithm and some results. On our sample the management sciences students present a greater mean IPE. Concerning the practical applications, the IAPE^© and IPE are two tools for the promotion of university entrepreneurship, namely on the design of entrepreneurship courses and training necessities assessment.

Key words : Entrepreneurial Potential, Entrepreneurial Potential Assessment Inventory, Entrepreneurial Potential Index

 

Actitudes de los estudiantes universitarios en relación al empreendedorismo: ¿cómo identificar el potencial emprendedor?

Resumen

Este artículo se centra en las actitudes de los estudiantes universitarios en relación al empreendedorismo mediante la presentación de un modelo teórico del potencial emprendedor, basado en una revisión de la literatura que trata de sistematizar las principales características psicológicas diferenciadoras del individuo emprendedor: competencias emprendedoras, psicológicas, sociales y de gestión. Como parte de un proyecto en curso, la construcción del potencial empresarial se puso en práctica a través de un Inventario del Potencial Emprendedor (IAPE©) y probado en una muestra de estudiantes universitarios de Ciencias Sociales, Salud, Gestión y Tecnología (N = 521). Los resultados muestran que existen diferencias significativas entre los estudiantes universitarios en las cuatro dimensiones del potencial emprendedor. Además, hemos estado desarrollando y probando el Índice de Potencial Emprendedor (IPE), cuyo algoritmo se presenta en este trabajo y sus resultados. En la muestra utilizada, los estudiantes de Ciencias de la Administración son los que tienen un valor promedio de IPE superior.En cuanto a la ejecución, el IAPE© y el IPE son dos herramientas para la promoción del empreendedorismo en las universidades, en particular en el diseño e implementación de cursos e iniciativas centradas en la educación y la formación de los estudiantes, con aplicaciones prácticas en la construcción de cursos de empreendedorismo.

Palabras-clave: Potencial Emprendedor, Inventario del Potencial Emprendedor, Índice del Potencial Emprendedor

 

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Nota: Este projecto de investigação é apoiado pela Fundação de Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT) (SFRH/BD/45768/2008).

 

Recebido em Junho de 2010 e aceite em Dezembro de 2010.

Received in June 2010 and accepted in December 2010.