linkage between intentions and actual behavior has received support in the entrepreneurial context . The core of the TPB is the idea that intentions have three conceptually
independent determinants , namely attitude towards the behavior , subjective norm and perceived behavioral control .
Attitude towards the behavior refers to the degree to which a person has a favorable or unfavorable evaluation or appraisal of the behavior in question . The more positive an individual ’ s perception regarding the outcome of starting a business is , the more favourable their attitude towards that behaviour should be and , consequently , the stronger the individual ’ s intention to go ahead and start a business should be . Subjective norm refers to the perceived social pressure to perform or not to perform a behavior , i . e . starting a business . Subjective norm is based on beliefs concerning whether important referent individuals or groups approve or disapprove of an individual establishing a business , and to what extent this approval or disapproval matters to the individual . Generally speaking , the more the opinion of a particular referent group or individual matters to the individual , and the more encouraging of enterprising activity the individual believes it , the stronger the individual ’ s intention to start a business should be . Perceived behavioral control refers to the perceived ease or difficulty of performing the behavior . It is based on beliefs regarding the presence or absence of requisite resources and opportunities for performing a given behavior . In general , the greater this perceived behavioural control , the stronger the individual ’ s intention to start up in business should be .
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The entrepreneurial intentions of students were measured with eight items . The mean value of all students was 3,7 on a scale 1-7 . There were differences between educational institutions . Finnish students in SeAMK had the lowest mean value of entrepreneurial intentions ( 3,4 ) and UK students in WSX Enterprise had the highest mean values ( 4,6 ). The lowest mean values were found from students studying in the field of Social Services , Health and Sports ( 3,4 ) and highest with students studying in the field of social sciences , business and administration ( 4,1 ).
An index of subjective norm was calculated using three belief items and three comply items . Originally the support from significant others ( belief items ) was measured with three items ( sevenpoint scale from 1 to 7 ) and motivation to comply was measured by three items ( seven-point scale from 1 to 7 ) referring to each of the aforementioned belief questions ( three items ). For statistical analysis the motivation to comply items were transformed to -3 - + 3 scale . The belief-based items ( coded as ranging from 1 to 7 ) and the corresponding motivation to comply items ( coded as ranging from -3 to + 3 ) were multiplied , and then added to create an index of Subjective Norm ( ranging from -63 to + 63 ). The index of subjective norm varied between different study fields from -6,2 ( field of culture ) and 12,0 ( field of humanities and education ).
Perceived behavioral control was lowest with German students ( 3,6 ) and highest with Finnish students studying in SeAMK ( 4,2 ) or in Roc Friese Poort in Netherlands ( 4,2 ). The lowest values of PBC were found from students studying in the field of humanities and education ( 3,4 ), and highest from students studying in the field of social sciences , business and administration ( 4,1 ).
Attitudes towards entrepreneurship were quite positive . Highest values were found from Italian students ( 5,3 ) and lowest from students in Netherlands ( 4,5 ). Students studying in the field of social sciences , business and administration had the most positive attitudes ( 5,2 ). The lowest mean value was found with students studying in the field of natural sciences ( 4,5 ). Table 1 summarized the results of entrepreneurial intentions , subjective norm , perceived behavioral control and attitudes . There was no significant differences between study years .