Human flourishing: an enabler of entrepreneurial intention in Latin American students

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to propose a causal relationship between the level of students’ human flourishing (HF) and their entrepreneurial intention (EI) and the mediation role of entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE).

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses a sample of 5,035 first-year university students who graduated from 950 different upper secondary schools in Mexico and abroad. Data were analysed using structural equation modelling.

Findings

The results reveal that HF increases EI and ESE; ESE positively impacts EI; and the student’s ESE partially mediates the HF-EI relationship.

Practical implications

These findings may improve educational strategies in upper secondary schools and higher education institutions’ management programmes to impact graduates’ HF and EI. To the knowledge, the authors are the first to measure how HF in upper secondary school graduates contributes to increasing their EI.

Social implications

Recommendations are made to increase Latin American students’ HF and EI.

Originality/value

The authors propose an inverse relationship between HF and EI, as HF can be enhanced in upper secondary education to boost EI later in students’ lives.

Citation

Silveyra, G., Rodríguez-Aceves, L., Charles-Leija, H. and Saiz-Álvarez, J.M. (2021), "Human flourishing: an enabler of entrepreneurial intention in Latin American students", European Business Review, Vol. 33 No. 6, pp. 999-1018. https://doi.org/10.1108/EBR-11-2020-0283