Entrepreneurial Mindset and Academic Success: Evidence from ABM Specialized Subjects

Abstract In the evolving landscape of business education, the cultivation of cognitive agility and resilience is becoming as crucial as technical proficiency. This study investigated the relationship between the thirteen dimensions of the entrepreneurial mindset and the academic performance of 44 Grade 12 Accountancy, Business, and Management (ABM) students in specialized subjects. Utilizing a quantitative correlational research design, the study assessed students using the standardized Entrepreneurial Mindset Scale and analyzed their official grades in Basic Accounting, Business Finance, and Principles of Marketing. The results revealed that while students generally possess a moderate level of entrepreneurial behavior, specific traits significantly predict academic success in distinct domains. Notably, Creativity demonstrated a strong positive correlation with performance in Principles of Marketing, validating the need for divergent thinking in strategy-based coursework. Conversely, Perseverance and Stress Resistance emerged as critical predictors for success in the technically rigorous subjects of Basic Accounting and Business Finance. Furthermore, an Internal Locus of Control was found to consistently influence achievement across all disciplines. These findings conclude that entrepreneurial traits serve as essential cognitive scaffolds for current academic achievement, not merely as vocational assets for future business creation.