The moderating role of entrepreneurial education, gender, and age on the relationship between proactivity, emotional intelligence (EQ) and entrepreneurial orientation

Empirical research shows that entrepreneurship has a high contribution rate in terms of economic development in strong economies such as in the United States and Europe, as well as in emerging and developing countries (Benzing, C., Chu, H.M., and Orban, Kara, 2009; European Commission, 2003).Entrepreneurs find new inventions, create new ventures, and help facilitate economic growth for the country's economic system. Entrepreneurs are necessary impulsions to create risky businesses for the sake of the economic growth (Lundstrom, A. and Stevenson, Loıs A. , 2005). Shepherd (2004) claims that EQ specializes in understanding how people act entrepreneurially. Simply, emotional intelligence may provide someone with the sense of understanding and regulating one's own emotions. (Chamorro-Premuzic, 2007).The effect of intellectual capacity on entrepreneurial attitudes was first argued by Knight (1921). There are several empirical studies about it, and the results have shown that if the individual has a higher level of intelligence, he or she could be more likely to be self-employed (De Wit & Van Winden, 1989; Wit, 1993); he or she may also have higher entrepreneurial ability (Van Praag & Cramer, 2001). The sample of this study was drawn from university students, studying at graduate and undergraduate level at social sciences faculties of four different Universities in İstanbul. The data collection period was started in March, 2014 and ended in April, 2014. A questionnaire consisting of 95 items developed and consisting of three parts; proactivity, emotional intelligence, and entrepreneurial orientation. The findings imply that there is positive effect of emotional intelligence on entrepreneurial orientation. This relationship is furthermore significantly partially moderated by entrepreneurial education and demographic variables. Findings are discussed with respect to the literature. Implications for education institutions and policy makers to bring forth students' entrepreneurial behavior and thereby increase entrepreneurship among students are proposed.