Predictors of Entrepreneurial Orientation: Comparative Assessment of the Effects of Personality and Environment

Abstract

This study aims to understand whether the personal traits or the environmental conditions play a more significant role in entrepreneurial intentions. Since intentions are strong predictors of the behaviors, it is important to understand whether the former or the latter factor has a stronger impact on entrepreneurial dispositions. In order to understand the complex relations between entrepreneurial intentions, personality traits, and perceived environmental conditions, total number of 229 economics and business administration students at Anadolu University, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences were surveyed. Results of the statistical analysis have revealed that although the majority of the individual personal traits and contextual factors are perceived as strong predictors of entrepreneurial intentions, when considered as separate holistic structures; personal traits are better predictors for entrepreneurial intentions compared to contextual factors in Turkey.