Resumo

RIBEIRO, Maria Isabel  e  FERNANDES, António José. Differentiating factors of the entrepreneurial potential of students of agricultural High School of Bragança. Rev. de Ciências Agrárias [online]. 2017, vol.40, n.spe, pp.381-390. ISSN 0871-018X.  https://doi.org/10.19084/RCA16184.

From an economic point of view, an entrepreneur is an individual who is motivated to be innovative, is an agent of change and wealth creation, adding value to resources and other assets and is usually seen as a person who can identify business opportunities and market niches. This is a cross-section study and aimed to identify differentiating factors of the entrepreneurial potential from 50 students at an agricultural higher education school, in the northeast of Portugal. The Entrepreneurial Potential Indicator scale was used to collect the data. The students’ majority was female (78%); had 22 or more years (56%), studied under an ordinary regime (84%); most came from the North of Portugal (84%); lived in urban areas (52%) and attended the 1st cycle of studies (82%). More than half of respondents had entrepreneurial skills (66%). The human capital factors considered, namely, the frequency regime, year and course of study were not associated with entrepreneurial potential. The same result was obtained with regard to demographic factors. However, the results revealed the existence of a cause and effect relationship between the characteristics "propensity to risk" and "Self-control" and entrepreneurial potential. All dimensions considered, namely, Self-confidence, Achievement Necessity, Self-control, Tolerance to Uncertainty, Propensity to Risk and Innovation, proved to be positive and strongly correlated with entrepreneurial potential. However, Self-control and the Propensity to Risk stood out as determinants once these characteristics explain 92.9% of the students´ entrepreneurial potential. This situation can be improved through training activities in order to develop skills in planning and decision-making to facilitate the development of action plans and rational decision making, and hence promote the search for new activities or new ways to develop the existing ones.

Palavras-chave : Agricultural sciences; Entrepreneurial potential; Innovation.

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