ENTREPRENEURIAL MINDSET ADOPTION AMONG STUDENTS

Poduzetnički način razmišljanja drži se jednim od najvažnijih koncepata koji promovira i potiče Europska unija u funkciji potpunijeg iskorištavanja i razvoja osobnih i društvenih potencijala, jačanja konkurentske snage gospodarstva i uloge pratećih institucija, posebno obrazovnih. Svrha ovog istraživanja bila je utvrditi čimbenike koji jačaju sklonost poduzetničkom ponašanju i vjerojatnost pokretanja posla. Iako nositelji politika imaju velika očekivanja od uloge visokoškolskog poduzetničkog obrazovanja u procesu širenja poduzetničkog načina razmišljanja, slijedom rezultata istraživanja u ovom radu poduzetničko obrazovanje u Republici Hrvatskoj ne predstavlja značajan čimbenik jačanja poduzetničkog ponašanja i stjecanja poduzetničkih kompetencija. Naime, rezultati istraživanja na uzorku studenata različitih studija Veleučilišta u Rijeci upućuju da se studenti mogu više oslanjati na osobno iskustvo i poduzetničko podrijetlo u obitelji, kao čimbenike koji su pozitivno i statistički značajno povezani sa sklonosti poduzetničkom ponašanju te vjerojatnosti pokretanja vlastitog posla. Ujedno je utvrđeno da sklonost poduzetničkom ponašanju predstavlja statistički značajan prediktor vjerojatnosti pokretanja vlastitog posla. Slijedi da su nužne promjene u visokoškolskom poduzetničkom obrazovanju, kako u pogledu ishoda učenja, tako i metoda poučavanja, da bi ono još kvalitetnije ispunilo svoju misiju u jačanju poduzetničkog načina razmišljanja i poduzetničkog ponašanja.In order to enhance comprehensive utilization and development of personal and social potential, the European Union considers, promotes and fosters the entreprenurial mindset, as one of the most important factors, which can strenghten the competitive power of economy, as well as the role of supporting institutions, especially educational. The purpose of this research encompasses identifying the factors which enhance the propensity for entrepreneurial behaviour and the probability of the new venture creation. Although policymakers have considerable expectations about the role of higher entrepreneurial education in the process of further widening of the entreprenurial mindset, according to the results of this study, entrepreneurial education in the Republic of Croatia is considered as an insignificant factor in stimulating entreprenurial behaviour and as a source of entrepreneurial competence. Consequently, the research results (a study was conducted among students at the Polytechnic of Rijeka) pointed out that students in Croatia can rely mostly on their own experience and entrepreneurial family background, as the main significant factors, which have a positive impact on enhancing their propensity for entrepreneurial behaviour and the probability of new venture creation. Furthermore, the results show that the propensity for entrepreneurial behaviour represents a significant predictor of the level of probability of new venture creation. These results imply that policymakers and others responsible for tertiary entrepreneurship education should consider implementing changes in learning outcomes, as well as in teaching methods, in order to fulfil its mission in strengthening the entrepreneurial mindset and entrepreneurial behaviour