Youth entrepreneurial intentions: a cross-cultural comparison

Purpose This paper aims to determine the antecedents that affect higher education students' entrepreneurial intention and awareness in two developing economies (Turkey and Poland) and one transition economy (Kosovo). Design/methodology/approach This study uses a quantitative research approach based on a sample of 342 questionnaires. Using SPSS 23, AMOS and Process Hayes, this study tests research hypotheses using explanatory and confirmatory factor analysis, correlation analysis, regression analysis and mediation analysis. Findings The findings show that personal attitudes (PA), perceived behavioural control (PBC) and need for achievement (NFA) variables affect students' entrepreneurial intentions and alertness (EIA) in Turkey, Poland, and Kosovo. PA and PBC mediate the impact of NFA on EIA. In addition, analyses show that the country variable does not have a moderator effect on EIA, PA, NFA and PBC variables. The findings reveal that students' perceptions of EIA differ by country. Research limitations/implications The sample comes from a university in three countries; therefore, these results cannot be generalised to the entire population. In addition, the study was carried out with a cross-sectional study urging the need for a longitudinal analysis of the data, which may provide better results. Practical implications Results can benefit policymakers and higher education administrators for resource planning, organising educational curricula and strategic policy plans for building the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Originality/value The originality of this article is that it presents a model to reveal the effect of PA, PBC and NFA variables on EIA in three different countries.