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What drives agronomy students toward sustainable entrepreneurship? The central role of feasibility and attitude
¿Qué impulsa a los estudiantes de agronomía hacia el emprendimiento sostenible? El papel central de la viabilidad y la actitud
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15446/agron.colomb.v44n1.123505Keywords:
environmental awareness, innovation, motivation, perceived security, self-efficacy, feasibility (en)conciencia ambiental, innovación, motivación, seguridad percibida, autoeficacia, viabilidad (es)
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Agronomy Engineering students at the Universidad Nacional de Colombia stand at a unique crossroads, as they are trained to manage natural resources while also holding the potential to become agents of sustainable transformation in rural economies. Understanding what drives their intention to engage in sustainable entrepreneurship is therefore essential for strengthening educational strategies oriented toward sustainability and innovation. This study examines how attitudinal and cognitive factors shape sustainable entrepreneurial intention among these students, using a structural equation modeling approach. The results reveal a structured pathway in which environmental awareness and sustainability knowledge contribute to the formation of favorable attitudes, which, together with selfefficacy and perceived contextual support, enhance students’ perception of entrepreneurial feasibility. In turn, perceived feasibility emerges as the strongest determinant of intention (β = 0.56), consolidating its role as the key mechanism through which motivation is translated into potential entrepreneurial action. These findings demonstrate that the development of sustainable entrepreneurial intention depends not only on fostering knowledge and positive attitudes but also on reinforcing student’s perception that entrepreneurial initiatives are viable within their context. Consequently, educational programs in agronomy should prioritize experiential learning environments, mentorship, and institutional support mechanisms that strengthen feasibility perceptions and facilitate the transition from intention to action.
Los estudiantes de Ingeniería Agronómica de la Universidad Nacional de Colombia se encuentran en una posición estratégica, al ser formados para gestionar recursos naturales y, al mismo tiempo, tener el potencial de convertirse en agentes de transformación sostenible en los territorios rurales. Comprender qué impulsa su intención de emprender sosteniblemente resulta, por tanto, fundamental para fortalecer las estrategias educativas orientadas a la sostenibilidad y la innovación. Este estudio analiza cómo los factores actitudinales y cognitivos influyen en la intención de emprendimiento sostenible en estos estudiantes mediante un enfoque de modelado de ecuaciones estructurales. Los resultados evidencian una trayectoria estructurada en la que la conciencia ambiental y el conocimiento sobre sostenibilidad contribuyen a la formación de actitudes favorables, las cuales, junto con la autoeficacia y la percepción del contexto, fortalecen la viabilidad emprendedora. A su vez, la viabilidad percibida emerge como el principal determinante de la intención (β = 0,56), consolidándose como el mecanismo clave a través del cual la motivación se traduce en una posible acción emprendedora. Estos hallazgos demuestran que el desarrollo de la intención emprendedora sostenible no depende únicamente del fortalecimiento del conocimiento y de las actitudes, sino también de la consolidación de condiciones formativas que permitan a los estudiantes percibir el emprendimiento como una opción viable. En consecuencia, los programas de formación en agronomía deben priorizar entornos de aprendizaje experiencial, procesos de acompañamiento y mecanismos de apoyo institucional que fortalezcan la percepción de viabilidad y faciliten la transición de la intención a la acción.
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