Entrepreneurial orientation and intention: opening up university entrepreneurial experiences

Purpose This study sought to analyses how entrepreneurial orientation and openness to experience, as a moderating variable, influence entrepreneurial intention. Design/methodology/approach The study was based on a quantitative approach. Data collection was carried out with undergraduate students of the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences of the National University Toribio Rodríguez de Mendoza of Amazonas. Analysis was carried out using SPSS and SmartPLS to determine the structural equation model. Findings The results revealed that students have a medium level of entrepreneurial orientation (48%), a high level of entrepreneurial intention (59%) and a high level of openness to experience (63.6%). With a significance level of 0.005, openness to experience and with 0.003, entrepreneurial orientation has a positive relationship with entrepreneurial intention. However, openness to experience as a moderating variable had no significance on entrepreneurial intention (significance level of 0.727). It is recommended that openness to new experiences and entrepreneurial orientation be encouraged in students to increase entrepreneurial intention. Practical implications Practical implications: The study suggests designing educational programs that foster both entrepreneurial orientation and openness to new experiences in students. Implementing workshops and trainings that emphasize creativity and openness to new opportunities is crucial. In addition, university policies should support and promote entrepreneurial activities to strengthen entrepreneurial intention. Originality/value The study brings originality and value by offering a new perspective investigating how the combination of openness to experience and entrepreneurial orientation influences entrepreneurial intention. It provides empirical evidence that highlights the importance of psychological factors in the development of entrepreneurship. The findings can be applied by educators and policy makers to design effective strategies to foster entrepreneurship at the student level.