Track: Business Management

Abstract

Entrepreneurs have been disproportionately responsible for genuinely radical innovation in modern economic history. It has radically transformed the lives of customers and evolved into outlets for many sectors that have, together, changed economies as a whole. As they develop creative business concepts that eventually lead to social and economic development, entrepreneurs are considered the industry's backbone. Every year in Indonesia, thousands of students graduate, but only a few are planning to begin their own business. The issue of entrepreneurship among students has become a current research topic and agreed that it could reduce the unemployment rate. In line with the current topic, this study investigates the mediating role of subjective norms on entrepreneurial intention drivers among university students in Aceh and North Sumatera provinces, Indonesia.  This study's design is a quantitative approach through a survey questionnaire (e.g. hardcopy and online) collected from 100 university students. The data analysed using Structural Equation Modelling – Partial Least Square and assisted by SmartPLS-3. This study shows that personality traits and subjective norms have a significant effect on entrepreneurial intention. We also found that the subjective norms mediates the relationship between personality traits and entrepreneurial intention among university students in Aceh and North Sumatera provinces, Indonesia. In conclusion, this study has proved that subjective norms explain its relationship between personality traits and entrepreneurial intention among university students. Thus, we suggest the government, especially the universities, provide a supportive curriculum and specific topic on entrepreneurship to boost their entrepreneurial intention.

Keywords: Personality traits, subjective norms, entrepreneurial intention, university students, Indonesia context