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Emotional intelligence towards entrepreneurial career choice behaviours

Norasmah Othman (Faculty of Education, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Malaysia)
Tengku Nor Asma Amira Tengku Muda (Department of Leadership and Educational Policy, Fakulti Pendidikan, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Malaysia)

Education + Training

ISSN: 0040-0912

Article publication date: 10 September 2018

Issue publication date: 8 October 2018

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to assess emotional intelligence levels and their contributions to entrepreneurial career choice behaviours among Malaysian public university students.

Design/methodology/approach

This study surveyed 369 respondents selected from a population of 87,503 Malaysian public university students using stratified and simple random sampling techniques. Respondents were given a three-part questionnaire covering their personal information, their emotional intelligence in terms of self-awareness, emotion management, empathy and social skills and their entrepreneurial career choice behaviours.

Findings

The results indicate that the surveyed students have high levels of self-awareness and empathy, and moderate levels of emotion management and social skills. This indicates that these students are able to manage their emotions in making decisions and consider people’s emotions. The results also indicate that students who were able to manage their negative emotions were more likely to choose an entrepreneurial career.

Research limitations/implications

This study aims to help higher institutions focus on emotional intelligence in the entrepreneurship curriculum to help students recognise their potential in terms of entrepreneurial characteristics and behaviours. Students’ involvement in entrepreneurship can foster economic growth in developing countries. A limitation of this study is that it focuses only on second-year undergraduates from public universities in the Selangor area.

Originality/value

Few studies address emotional intelligence and entrepreneurial career choices among public university students, which this study addresses.

Keywords

Citation

Othman, N. and Tengku Muda, T.N.A.A. (2018), "Emotional intelligence towards entrepreneurial career choice behaviours", Education + Training, Vol. 60 No. 9, pp. 953-970. https://doi.org/10.1108/ET-07-2017-0098

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited

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