Business Incubation as a Catalyst: Examining the Impact of Entrepreneurial Education on Entrepreneurial Intention in Emerging Contexts

Abstract

Background: Entrepreneurial education (EE) and institutional support mechanisms such as Business Incubation Programmes (BIPs) play critical roles in shaping entrepreneurial intentions among university students. However, in Bangladesh, the relationship between EE, BIPs, and Entrepreneurial Intention (EI) remains underexplored, particularly from the perspective of resource-based and behavioural theories.

Objective: Grounded in the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and drawing on the Resource-Based View (RBV), this study examines the role of BIPs in amplifying the impact of EE on EI among business students in Bangladeshi universities.

Methodology: The study employed a quantitative research design, utilising a structured questionnaire administered to 388 business students from four leading universities in Dhaka. Data were analysed using SmartPLS 4.1.0.9 and SPSS 27 to test the proposed model and hypotheses.

Results: The findings reveal that EE and BIP have a positive and significant influence on EI. Moreover, BIP substantially moderates the relationship between EE and EI, indicating that incubation programmes strengthen the effect of educational inputs on students’ entrepreneurial intentions.

Conclusion: Integrating entrepreneurial education with institutional support mechanisms such as incubation programmes fosters a stronger entrepreneurial mindset and intention among students.

Unique contribution: This study enriches entrepreneurship literature by integrating TPB and RBV perspectives to explain how cognitive and resource-based factors jointly shape entrepreneurial intention in an emerging South Asian economy. It also provides practical implications for educators, policymakers, and ecosystem stakeholders seeking to address graduate unemployment through entrepreneurship development.

Key Recommendation: Universities should integrate business incubation Programmes with entrepreneurship education to provide practical support and enhance students’ entrepreneurial readiness.