Impact of Entrepreneurship Education on Entrepreneurial Performance

Abstract

This study, based on the Theory of Planned Behavior and Self-Efficacy Theory, investigates how entrepreneurial intention and capability mediate the relationship between entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial performance under varying environmental dynamics. It sets three objectives: 1) to examine the relationship between entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial performance, 2) to explore the mediating roles of entrepreneurial intention and capability in this relationship and 3) to assess the impact of these mediators under different levels of environmental dynamics. A mixed-method approach was employed. Quantitative research involved surveys of university students from various institutions in China, with the data analyzed by SPSS for descriptive statistics, AMOS for validity testing, and PROCESS for hypothesis testing. Qualitative research included in-depth interviews with student entrepreneurs and experts, which were analyzed with NVivo and grounded theory coding techniques. The findings demonstrate a positive relationship between entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial performance, with both entrepreneurial intention and capability acting as significant parallel mediators. The mediation effects become stronger as environmental dynamics increase, with entrepreneurial capability having a more substantial mediating effect than entrepreneurial intention, especially under higher environmental dynamics. This suggests that as the business environment becomes more dynamic, entrepreneurship education's impact on performance through capability is more pronounced. The study concludes by highlighting potential directions for future research in enhancing entrepreneurship education.