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영어

There is considerable agreement on the importance of promoting entrepreneurial education to stimulate economic development and employment. Additionally, entrepreneurial education is considered essential for enhancing the entrepreneurial attitudes and intentions of potential entrepreneurs. However, the factors that affect an individual’s decision to start a business remain ill-defined. We conducted an empirical study to explore the factors that influence entrepreneurial intentions. This study aimed to examine the relationship between entrepreneurial education and entrepreneurial intentions using Ajzen’s theory of planned behavior and entrepreneurial cognition theory. In this process, we also identified the mediating roles of entrepreneurship and self-efficacy in the relationship between entrepreneurial education and entrepreneurial intentions. The data were collected using a questionnaire-based survey distributed at four universities in China between September and November 2017. We obtained 198 valid responses and analyzed them using SPSS, AMOS, and bootstrapping procedures. The results are as follows. First, entrepreneurial education had a significant positive effect on entrepreneurship and self-efficacy. Second, entrepreneurship and self-efficacy had positive effects on entrepreneurial intentions. Additionally, self-efficacy and entrepreneurship mediated the relationship between entrepreneurial education and entrepreneurial intentions, respectively. This study has significant theoretical and practical implications. The results statistically support the effect of entrepreneurial education on entrepreneurial intentions, which is consistent with Ajzen’s theory of planned behavior. Additionally, our results suggest the need to design and develop entrepreneurial education courses based on the current status of the field and the needs of the students. Because students lack working experience, it is necessary to establish an entrepreneurial education course that teaches them how to identify opportunities and overcome obstacles. The training or entrepreneurial education program must also consider cultural differences.