The Impact of Entrepreneurship Education on Entrepreneurial Behavior: The Mediating Role of Entrepreneurial Alertness among Iranian University Students

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of Entrepreneurship and Rural Development, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Ilam University, Ilam, Iran.

2 School of Strategy and Leadership, Coventry University, Coventry, United Kingdom.

10.22111/innoeco.2025.51819.1184

Abstract

 
This study aims to examine the causal relationships between formal and informal entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial behavior،  with a specific focus on the mediating role of entrepreneurial alertness. Conducted within Iran's higher education system،  the research seeks to elucidate how structured academic training and unstructured experiential learning collectively shape the entrepreneurial actions of students. A quantitative،  correlational research design was employed to analyze the structural relationships within the proposed causal model. Data were collected from a sample of 506 university students in Iran،  selected via convenience sampling through an online survey. Validated scales were administered to measure the core constructs: formal and informal entrepreneurship education،  entrepreneurial alertness،  and entrepreneurial behavior. The psychometric properties of the instruments،  including reliability and validity،  were established using Cronbach's alpha and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) with SPSS (version 26) and SmartPLS (version 4). The results demonstrate that both formal and nonformal entrepreneurship education exert a significant positive influence on entrepreneurial behavior،  with formal education exhibiting a comparatively stronger effect. Furthermore،  entrepreneurial alertness was identified as a significant mediating variable،  through which both forms of education indirectly enhance entrepreneurial behavior. The findings underscore the critical importance of integrating both formal and informal educational modalities to cultivate entrepreneurial behavior among students. Academic curricula should be designed to synergistically combine structured pedagogical frameworks with experiential،  informal learning opportunities to effectively develop the requisite cognitive awareness and skills for entrepreneurship. 


Keywords

Innovation EconomicEcosystem Studies
Volume 5, Issue 2
June 2025
Pages 35-58

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