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The entrepreneurial profile of Brazilian business administration students

Marcelo Amaral (Fluminense Federal University, Volta Redonda, Brazil)
Cecília Toledo Hernandez (Industrial Engineering, Fluminense Federal University, Volta Redonda, Brazil)
Marcellus Henrique Rodrigues Bastos (Business Administration, Federal Technological Education Centre, Valença, Brazil)

International Journal of Innovation Science

ISSN: 1757-2223

Article publication date: 20 April 2018

Issue publication date: 8 June 2018

283

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to focus on the entrepreneurial education and profile in undergraduate business administration programs in Brazil, particularly in the southern region of the state of Rio de Janeiro. Assuming that the entrepreneurial profile can be developed by teaching and learning processes.

Design/methodology/approach

The research performed qualitative approach through interviews and a quantitative approach using multiple criteria decision-making methods. Data were collected along 2015 in a survey with a population of 412 students from three high education institutions (HEIs) and analyzed using the analytic hierarchy process with ratings.

Findings

The study has found that the key entrepreneurial trait for all groups was the ability to “plan”. Other relevant dimensions were “self-realization”, “innovative” and “leader”. The dimensions “risk taking” and “sociability” were considered not important in the opinion of all groups.

Practical implications

The entrepreneurial profile does not seem to evolve over the four-year college period, thus suggesting a failure of the entrepreneurial education at the three surveyed HEIs to impact the overall perception of students about the requirements for creating and developing new ventures. Actions to revert this trend should be taken.

Originality/value

This research aims to identify differences in perception about the entrepreneurial profile among freshmen and senior undergraduates. The theme is relevant in a knowledge era where academy has to prepare students to be entrepreneurs. Similar studies were done around in Brazil and around the world but no one in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The work has a contribution by proposing and applying a method to compare students groups, programs, institutions and countries over time.

Keywords

Citation

Amaral, M., Toledo Hernandez, C. and Rodrigues Bastos, M.H. (2020), "The entrepreneurial profile of Brazilian business administration students", International Journal of Innovation Science, Vol. 10 No. 2, pp. 160-177. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJIS-05-2017-0040

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited

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