Key Factors Affecting Entrepreneurial Intention: An Exploratory Study among Fashion Students

Abstract

<p>In the global fashion industry, entrepreneurs accelerate design innovation and new business models, while creating employment opportunities. There is limited knowledge about what nurtures early entrepreneurial intentions among fashion students. To address this gap, this study aims to explore the entrepreneurial intention of college fashion students in the United States. The theoretical framework for this study is Entrepreneurial Event Theory. Social Cognitive Theory is used as a supplemental theory to explain entrepreneurial intention among students. In-depth interviews with open-ended questions were employed. This study provides a nuanced understanding of the entrepreneurial intention of fashion students by combining Entrepreneurial Event Theory and Social Cognitive Theory. Personality factors, financial support, information access, social network, and prior exposure to entrepreneurial experience contribute most to entrepreneurship as a career choice. This study is one of the few studies that focused on entrepreneurial intention among fashion students and fashion entrepreneurship education.</p>