Influence of Perceived Entrepreneurial Self-Efficacy on Entrepreneurial Intentions: A Case Study of College Students in Guangxi, China

In Guangxi, China, the proportion of college students who start their own businesses is very low, so this study investigated the relationships between their perceived entrepreneurial self-efficacy and entrepreneurial intentions. Four dimensions of entrepreneurial self-efficacy were examined, namely, opportunity identification, innovation and change, risk tolerance, and relationship coordination. A survey was distributed to students at 15 universities in Guangxi from the sophomore year to the graduate level, and 2,131 valid responses were received. The results showed positive and significant (p < .01) relationships involving students’ entrepreneurial intentions linked to self-efficacy, namely, opportunity identification efficacy, risk tolerance efficacy, and relationship coordination efficacy, with adjusted R2 of .299, .404, and .318 respectively. Studying the factors that influence students’ entrepreneurial intentions may provide theoretical support for optimizing entrepreneurial policies, creating entrepreneurial environments, and reforming entrepreneurial education.