Fostering Sustainable Entrepreneurs: Evidence from China College Students’ “Internet Plus” Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition (CSIPC)

Abstract

Entrepreneurial activities of college students have received unprecedented attention under the “mass entrepreneurship and innovation” program. This program encourages individuals to start their own businesses and stimulate the entrepreneurial spirit and innovative genes of the nation. Sustainable entrepreneurship is a new form of entrepreneurship that plays an important role in addressing the employment problems of college students, promoting sustainable social and economic development, and alleviating China’s environmental problems. Based on the platform of the China College Students’ “Internet Plus” Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition (CSIPC) organized by the Ministry of Education of People’s Republic of China, we investigated the specific paths of personality trait influence on sustainable entrepreneurial intention of college students with entrepreneurial alertness and opportunity recognition as mediating variables. We conducted an empirical analysis based on 316 data collected from CSIPC participants. Results of data analysis show that personality traits had a significantly effect on sustainable entrepreneurial intention of college students, and entrepreneurial alertness and opportunity recognition played a mediating role between personality traits and sustainable entrepreneurial intention of college students. This study contributes to research on sustainable entrepreneurship and the practices of colleges to foster sustainable entrepreneurs.